Takeaways from Iowa football 2026 schedule release

It's only been less than a month since the conclusion of the 2025 Iowa football season, but the hype and excitement are already starting for 2026.

That hype got some extra fuel on Tuesday with the official release of the Hawkeyes' 2026 football schedule. Fans now know exactly when Iowa will kick off against each of its opponents next season. The schedule is daunting at times, but it presents some serious opportunities for Iowa to put its name on the map and firmly into College Football Playoff conversations.

Here are the biggest takeaways from Iowa's 2026 schedule:

Iowa should start fast

The first three games of the 2026 schedule should allow the Hawkeyes to find their footing and pick up some wins in the process. They open the season at home against a Northern Illinois team that went 3-9 in 2025. Then, Iowa State comes to Kinnick for the annual Cy-Hawk game. The Cyclones have been decimated through the transfer portal after Matt Campbell went to Penn State, and they'll be breaking in an entirely new roster. Finally, Iowa hosts Northern Iowa, an FCS program.

While the Hawkeyes have been notoriously slow starters the last couple of years, this schedule is the perfect opportunity to change that. Iowa should be 3-0 entering Big Ten play, which would set them up well to potentially make a run. But that Iowa State game is always tricky, so the Hawkeyes will need to make sure they're ready to go at Kinnick.

Start of Big Ten play will determine the season

Following that three-game nonconference slate to open the season, things get real very quickly for the Hawkeyes. Iowa got a brutal draw to start Big Ten play. They'll travel to Ann Arbor to take on Michigan in Week 4. Then, Iowa welcomes conference powerhouse Ohio State to Kinnick in Week 5. And they wrap up the first half of the season with a road trip to Washington to take on the Huskies before the bye week.

Those three games are arguably the three toughest on Iowa's entire schedule, and they come in three straight weeks to open conference play. Going 2-1 or 3-0 would throw Iowa directly into playoff talks. A 1-2 mark in that stretch wouldn't be the end of the world, while 0-3 would have Hawkeye fans distraught and dash any playoff hopes. We'll learn a lot about this team early on in the 2026 season.

Back half is lighter

After that gauntlet of a start to Big Ten play, the Hawkeyes will get a much-deserved bye week and then a lighter back half of the schedule. The final six games of the season are at Minnesota, versus Wisconsin, at Northwestern, versus Purdue, at Illinois, and versus Nebraska. An even three home games and three road games against teams projected to be in the middle or near the bottom of the conference.

While there's certainly some difficult tests here, like a road game against Illinois and home against Nebraska, this part of the schedule should allow Iowa to stack some wins and hopefully build off a strong start to conference play. If Iowa can get past that three-game stretch to begin Big Ten play with two losses or fewer on the season, the playoff could definitely be in play with this back-half of the schedule.

There's potential for a special season

The 2025 season was full of what-ifs for the Hawkeyes, as they came so close on numerous occasions to season-changing victories. The 2026 campaign has the potential for a couple of those bounces to go Iowa's direction and quickly turn into a special season.

You could make the argument that Iowa will be favored in every game this season, outside of that three-game start to Big Ten play. If they find a way to win one or two of those games and handle business against everyone else, look out.

There are still a lot of question marks that need to be answered about this team, most specifically at the quarterback position. But, this roster is in a really good spot with a lot of returning talent. With that talent coming back, alongside a schedule full of opportunities, things could be shaping up for a really fun season of Iowa football in 2026.

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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Takeaways from Iowa football 2026 schedule release