The Big Ten Conference announced its new scheduling model that will begin in 2024 after USC and UCLA join the conference. They call it the “Flex Protect Plus” model, and it will incorporate both permanent rivalry games and bi-annual rotating matchups called “Two-Plays.” The expanded conference will do away with divisions and play a nine-game conference schedule. This means the top two teams will compete in the annual conference championship game in Indianapolis. With that, the Big Ten opponents on the Iowa football schedule for 2024 and 2025 were announced.
Rotating and Permanent Matchups
Every team has a group of three opponents that fall under either permanent rivals or “Two-Plays.” The permanent rivals will be annual opponents, while the “Two-Plays” will be rotating, two-year home and home matchups. Every two seasons, those “Two-Play” matchups will rotate to new opponents. The beauty of this setup is that it will allow every Big Ten program to play against all 15 of their conference opponents, both at home and on the road. The ideal four-year student-athlete will have the opportunity to play every Big Ten team and in every Big Ten stadium in a four-year span.
For the Hawkeyes, they are the lone Big Ten team that will not feature any “Two-Plays.” Instead, Iowa’s group of three opponents are three permanent rivals. They include Minnesota for the Floyd of Rosedale Trophy, Wisconsin for the Heartland Trophy, and Nebraska for the Heroes Trophy. Iowa’s storied history of trophy games between these three teams granted them all three permanent rivals for the foreseeable future.
Iowa Football Schedule Announcement
As a part of this announcement, the programs in the Big Ten were given a preview of their home and away matchups for both 2024 and 2025. The Hawkeyes will have four home conference games and five away conference games in 2024. In 2025, they will play five home conference games and four away conference games.
Iowa’s 2024 Football Schedule
In 2024, Iowa will compete against a gauntlet of premier Big Ten opponents. At home, the Hawkeyes play host to Maryland, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and new member UCLA. Iowa last played UCLA in the Rose Bowl in January of 1986. The Bruins won 45-28. On the road, Iowa will travel to Illinois, Minnesota, Rutgers, and two of college football’s premier programs in Ohio State and USC. The games against UCLA and USC during the regular season will be unique. Iowa has not played a Power Five opponent west of Nebraska during the regular season since 2010. That year, Iowa traveled to play the Arizona Wildcats and lost 34-27.
This gives the Hawkeyes the opportunity to play against both Ryan Day’s offense and Lincoln Riley’s offense in the same regular season. Although these matchups are difficult, it gives the Hawkeyes an immense opportunity at the game’s biggest stages. Phil Parker’s defense against some of the nation’s top offenses will be one of many storylines entering 2024. Iowa last played USC in 2019 in the Holiday Bowl. The Hawkeyes won that game 49-24. In the first year of the expanded conference, Iowa gets the opportunity against both Southern California schools.
Iowa’s 2025 Football Schedule
The following season, Iowa will have five home games against Big Ten competition. They do not play either of the Southern California programs. Rather, it’s an old-school Big Ten schedule. Iowa will host Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, and Penn State. On the road in 2025, Iowa will travel to Indiana, Nebraska, Purdue, and Wisconsin.
Photo courtesy: Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK
