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The 2026 Iowa Hawkeyes football schedule is available here as a printable PDF, with all 12 regular season games for Kirk Ferentz’s 28th season leading the program in the Big Ten. Iowa opens at home against Northern Illinois, Iowa State, and Northern Iowa before a grueling Big Ten slate that includes home games against Ohio State, Wisconsin, Purdue, and Nebraska. Game times and TV assignments are listed as TBD and will be updated once the Big Ten releases its broadcast schedule.
2026 Iowa Hawkeyes Football
Kirk Ferentz enters his 28th season as Iowa’s head coach, the longest tenure of any active FBS head coach, with a roster rebuilt through a combination of veteran leadership and transfer portal additions. The Hawkeyes open with a three-game home stand that features the annual Cy-Hawk rivalry against Iowa State on September 12 before heading into Big Ten play. Iowa’s conference slate is balanced with seven home games, highlighted by the Big Ten heavyweight Ohio State visiting Kinnick Stadium on October 3.
The bye week falls on October 17, giving Ferentz extra preparation time between road trips to Washington and Minnesota. Iowa hosts Wisconsin for Homecoming on October 31 (the 18th time the Hawkeyes will play on Halloween) before finishing the regular season with road games at Northwestern and Illinois sandwiched around a Purdue home game. The season closes on November 27 against rival Nebraska in what figures to be a high-stakes regular season finale at Kinnick.
For the latest depth charts, roster news, and program updates, visit the Iowa Hawkeyes Football official athletics site.
2026 Iowa Hawkeyes Football Schedule
| Wk | Date | Opponent | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sat, Sep 5 | vs Northern Illinois Huskies | 4:15 PM | BTN |
| 2 | Sat, Sep 12 | vs Iowa State Cyclones | 7:30 PM | NBC |
| 3 | Sat, Sep 19 | vs Northern Iowa Panthers | 4:00 PM | FS1 |
| 4 | Sat, Sep 26 | @ Michigan Wolverines | TBD | TBD |
| 5 | Sat, Oct 3 | vs Ohio State Buckeyes | TBD | TBD |
| 6 | Fri, Oct 9 | @ Washington Huskies | 9:00 PM | FOX or FS1 |
| Open Date – Bye Week (Sat, Oct 17) | ||||
| 8 | Sat, Oct 24 | @ Minnesota Golden Gophers | TBD | TBD |
| 9 | Sat, Oct 31 | vs Wisconsin Badgers | TBD | TBD |
| 10 | Sat, Nov 7 | @ Northwestern Wildcats | TBD | TBD |
| 11 | Sat, Nov 14 | vs Purdue Boilermakers | TBD | TBD |
| 12 | Sat, Nov 21 | @ Illinois Fighting Illini | TBD | TBD |
| 13 | Fri, Nov 27 | vs Nebraska Cornhuskers | 12:00 PM | CBS |
All times Eastern. TBD = kickoff/TV not yet announced. Updated May 27, 2026.
Game times and TV/streaming assignments are TBD. This page will be updated when the Big Ten Conference releases the full 2026 broadcast schedule.
More 2026 College Football Resources
For schedules across every major conference and program this fall, visit our complete College Football Schedule hub, with printable PDFs and broadcast info for teams across the country.
Iowa competes in the Big Ten, one of college football’s premier conferences. For the full slate of matchups across every Big Ten team this season, check out our complete Big Ten Football Schedule, with printable options and broadcast info updated throughout the year.
As bowl season and the College Football Playoff approach, bookmark our 2026-27 College Football Playoff page for bracket updates, game dates, locations, and results.
2026 Iowa Hawkeyes Football FAQ
Who is Iowa’s head football coach in 2026?
Kirk Ferentz is the head football coach at Iowa in 2026, entering his 28th season with the Hawkeyes and making him the longest-tenured head coach in FBS football. Ferentz has built Iowa into a consistent Big Ten contender known for physical, disciplined play.
How many home games do the Iowa Hawkeyes have in 2026?
The Iowa Hawkeyes have seven home games at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City in 2026, hosting Northern Illinois, Iowa State, Northern Iowa, Ohio State, Wisconsin (Homecoming), Purdue, and Nebraska. They play five road games: at Michigan, at Washington, at Minnesota, at Northwestern, and at Illinois.
When is Iowa’s bye week in 2026?
Iowa’s bye week falls on October 17, 2026, between the road game at Washington (October 10) and a road trip to Minnesota (October 24). The mid-season break gives the Hawkeyes a chance to regroup before a demanding stretch run.
When will Iowa’s game times and TV channels be announced?
Game times and TV channel assignments for the 2026 Iowa football schedule are listed as TBD. The Big Ten Conference typically announces kickoff times and broadcast information on a rolling basis, often 6 to 12 days before each game. This page will be updated as times and channels are confirmed.
When do Iowa and Iowa State play in 2026?
Iowa hosts Iowa State on September 12, 2026, in the annual Cy-Hawk rivalry game. The matchup is one of the most anticipated games in the state each season, with bragging rights for the entire year on the line. The game rotates between Iowa City and Ames each year.
