Ben McCollum’s second season at Iowa comes with a much different kind of pressure than the first one did. The Cinderella label is gone now. The Hawkeyes are trying to turn that feel-good start into something steadier, and the Big Ten schedule will tell a lot of that story.
Iowa has reshaped the roster through the transfer portal, added several highly regarded freshmen, and brought back a decent amount of production. But the biggest chunk of last year’s impact is gone with Bennett Stirtz’s departure to the NBA. How the Hawkeyes manage that loss will matter most once league play begins.
And the league slate is not waiting around to ease them in.
The Big Ten opener sends Iowa straight into the deep end at Purdue on Dec. 1.
That means Mackey Arena, West Lafayette, and a tough road test right away against a Boilermakers team that could look very different this season. Brayden Smith and Fletcher Loyer are gone, and Trey Kaufmann-Renn is dealing with injunctions in an effort to possibly return.
Matt Painter’s group is still expected to feature a lot of new faces, but this is still the kind of opener that can set a tone fast. If Iowa can steal that one, it would be a huge early statement.
The full conference slate gives Iowa 10 home games and 10 road games:
Home: Indiana (12/7), Ohio State (1/2), Wisconsin (1/6), Maryland (1/9), Penn State (1/23), Nebraska (1/30), Oregon (2/10), Michigan State (2/16), Minnesota (2/27), Washington (3/2)
Away: Purdue (12/1), Rutgers (1/12), Nebraska (1/16), Ohio State (1/26), USC (2/3), UCLA (2/6), Northwestern (2/13), Michigan (2/20), Wisconsin (2/24), Illinois (3/6)
What stands out most is how workable the home side of the draw looks. Iowa landed five Saturday games in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, and that group has to be protected. Ohio State, Maryland, Penn State, Nebraska, and Minnesota all come to Iowa City, and those are the kind of home dates the Hawkeyes need to convert.
The calendar outside the conference also helps Iowa build some momentum before Big Ten play really settles in. Starting Nov. 24, the Hawkeyes leave the state of Iowa only once before that Purdue trip. During that span, they’ll play Prairie View A&M, Indiana, Iowa State, Western Illinois, Bethune-Cookman, Alabama in Des Moines, South Dakota, Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Maryland.
That’s the kind of stretch that can give a team some breathing room if it handles business.
Then comes the first week of 2027, and it looks like one of the biggest stretches on the schedule. Iowa will host Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Maryland in a single week at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. With that kind of setup, the Hawkeyes need to make the most of it and bank Big Ten wins early.
For a team trying to prove it can become more than a surprise story, this is the kind of schedule that invites a run. Now it’s on Iowa to take advantage.
In Other News...
Iowa's Passing Game Has A New Problem After Tony Diaz's Breakout
Tony Diazs fast start has given Iowas passing game a new jolt in 2026, but it also shines a brighter light on where the Hawkeyes can add more balance. The wideout has already become an early focal point, and with the offense looking to lean more on play-action, the tight end spot is the natural place to widen the menu. That has made DJ Vonnahmes emergence especially relevant, with six catches for 67 yards through two games showing he can be part of the answer.
Now the tight end room may be asked to do even more, at least in the short term, because Vonnahme is likely to miss the upcoming game against Northern Iowa. For Iowa, that means another chance for the other tight ends to step into the passing game and help prevent defenses from keying too heavily on Diaz. The bigger question is whether the Hawkeyes can turn that spot into a reliable complement instead of just an occasional wrinkle. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Faces A Frustrating Test It Can't Sleepwalk Through
Northern Iowa arrives in Iowa City with a little momentum and a defense that just spent a day making life miserable for Drake on the ground. The Panthers are not being treated like a marquee opponent, but they do bring enough on both sides of the ball to make this one more than a tune-up for the Hawkeyes. Quarterback Jaxon Dailey gives Northern Iowa a dual threat look, and tight end Brady McCullough has been the kind of reliable target that can extend drives if Iowa ever loses its footing.
The larger concern for the Hawkeyes is the kind of game this can become if they let it drag on. Northern Iowas linebacking group of John Powers, Braden McShane and Kolben Miller has helped keep opponents from finding any rhythm in the run game, which means Iowa cannot assume it will simply lean on its usual script and coast. For a team trying to avoid a frustrating afternoon, the challenge is straightforward enough: take the Panthers seriously early, or risk spending the rest of the game trying to clean up a mess. [Read more 🡒]
Hank Brown Just Put Iowa's Next Challenge Into Focus
After playing every snap and accounting for Iowas only touchdown in the 16-13 win over Iowa State, quarterback Hank Brown was back in front of reporters this week with a clear sense of where the Hawkeyes stand. The start has been strong enough to build momentum, but Brown framed it as part of a bigger process, pointing to the teams 2-0 record, his own performance and the confidence he has in teammates such as Tony Diaz.
Now the attention has shifted to Northern Iowa, and Brown said the Hawkeyes have already moved into that mindset with their 24-hour rule for putting previous games behind them. It is the kind of reset Iowa leans on after emotional wins, and it leaves the next matchup as the immediate test of whether the early-season poise carries over when the focus narrows from rivalry energy to the business of staying sharp. [Read more 🡒]