Iowa football is back this week and they are set to take on Illinois State in Week 1. This game is a great game to see how the Hawkeyes are doing, especially offensively before they face some bigger teams.
This will be a good way to measure the growth of the offense. If they come out flat against Illinois State, it will be clear there has been no growth, but if they come out and dominate, it can be a show of good things to come.
Iowa is coming off a solid 2023 season where they made the Big Ten Championship, but now with division gone in the conference, Iowa will need to work a lot harder to get back to the championship. The Hawkeyes have a lot to prove offensively because if there is one thing Iowa fans are never worried about, it is the defense.
This first game will be good before they head into a tough game against Iowa State, a game where they will get head coach Kirk Ferentz back in after his one-game suspension.
How to watch Illinois State vs. No. 25 Iowa Week 1
- Date: Saturday, August 31
- Time: 11:00 a.m. CT
- Venue: Kinnick Stadium
- How to watch (TV): B10 Network
- Streaming: Fubo TV
- Radio: Hawkeye Radio Network
- No. 25 Iowa record: 0-0
- Illinois State record: 0-0
Illinois State vs. No. 25 Iowa odds, spread, and total
Moneyline via draftkings
- Illinois State + 1600
- Iowa -4000
Spread
- Illinois State +22.5
- Iowa -22.5
Total
- O/U 41
Illinois State injury report
- N/A
Iowa injury report
- Leshon Johnson RB: questionable (undisclosed)
- Kaleb Brown WR: suspended
- Cade Borud OL: suspended
Iowa and Illinois State series history
- Iowa all-time record: 1-0
- Last meeting: 2015 Iowa 31-14