Iowa Football: ‘Black Friday’ Game With Nebraska Is Out in 2020

The release of the first two years of Big Ten games in the ‘Roaring 20’s’ in a few years saw some interesting changes in the Iowa schedule going forward.

The most glaring change is the departure from playing on ‘Black Friday’ after Thanksgiving in the national spotlight, typically in the afternoon against border rival Nebraska.

Since the Huskers joined the Big Ten in 2011, the teams have gone 3-3 in the matchups, and the Hawkeyes have won the last two. Clearly, the rivalry wasn’t drawing enough attention, or television ‘eyeballs’ to demand remaining into the new decade.

Also, of note, is Iowa has to play a stretch of back to back games in the Horseshoe against Ohio State, then the next week in Happy Valley. That is surely to be interesting, if that Hawk group can manager that.

Iowa will also have the Indiana Hoosiers in Kinnick Stadium to open up the 2021 season. Typically, the Hawkeyes do not face a power five opponent to open the season. Kirk Ferentz will be 65 in time for 2020.

Of course, these schedules do not affect most of the current players on the roster. The freshmen will see that 2020 season, and the 2021 slate if they red-shirt.

So, in 2020 and 2021, the Hawkeyes will finish their regular season against the Wisconsin Badgers. Since the conference re-shuffling from the ‘lame’ Legends and Leaders, to East and West, Iowa and Wisconsin are the only teams to represent the West. The historic record is nearly even with the Badgers up 45-43-2. Kirk Ferentz is 8-9 in his career with Wisconsin as the head coach.