Iowa men’s basketball now knows the full shape of its 2026-27 regular season.
After the Big Ten matchup dates were released on Sept. 16, the Hawkeyes’ schedule is complete, giving a clear look at a slate that opens at home and stretches deep into conference play by March.
The season starts Nov. 3 against Lipscomb in Iowa City, followed by another home date with Eastern Illinois on Nov. 6.
From there, Iowa heads to Sioux City for Virginia Tech on Nov. 10, then meets Creighton in Des Moines on Nov. 15.
The nonconference run also includes an away game at Xavier on Nov. 20, a home meeting with UMBC on Nov. 24, and Prairie View A&M coming to town on Nov. 28.
December brings a mix of high-profile tests and more home dates. Iowa visits Purdue on Dec. 1 before hosting Indiana on Dec. 7 and Iowa State on Dec.
- Western Illinois comes to Iowa City on Dec.
13, Bethune-Cookman follows on Dec. 17, and Alabama is set for Des Moines on Dec. 21.
The calendar closes out the month with South Dakota at home on Dec. 29.
Big Ten play then picks up in January with Ohio State visiting on Jan. 2, followed by Wisconsin on Jan. 6 and Maryland on Jan. 9, both in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes go on the road to Rutgers on Jan. 12 and Nebraska on Jan. 16, then return home for Penn State on Jan.
- Iowa’s second matchup with Ohio State comes Jan. 26 in Columbus, before a home game against Nebraska on Jan.
February and early March bring the rest of the league grind: road trips to USC on Feb. 3, UCLA on Feb.
6, Northwestern on Feb. 13, Michigan on Feb. 20, and Wisconsin on Feb.
- Oregon visits Iowa City on Feb.
10, Michigan State comes to town on Feb. 16, Minnesota follows on Feb.
27, Washington is up on March 2, and the regular season wraps with Illinois on March 6 in Champaign.
The Hawkeyes enter their second season under head coach Ben McCollum after a thrilling March Madness run in his first year. Iowa returns 10 players from that Elite Eight team, including Cam Manyawu, Cooper Koch, Tate Sage, Kael Combs and Isaia Howard. The roster also features four newcomers: transfers Ty'Reek Coleman and Andrew McKeever, plus high school additions Ethan Harris and Jaidyn Coon.
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Iowa May Have Found A New Weapon In An Unlikely Place
Boston Everitt arrived in Iowa as something of a novelty, an Australian punter learning American football and college life at the same time, but the early returns suggest the Hawkeyes may have uncovered a useful piece. He earned the starting job and has settled in quickly, averaging 43.9 yards per punt in the opening games of the 2026 season while helping flip field position when Iowa needs it most.
What has stood out just as much as the leg is the adjustment behind it. Everitt has been getting steady support from teammates and coach Kirk Ferentz, who has praised his attitude and work ethic as he continues to adapt to life in Iowa. For a program that has long valued hidden edges, the possibility of finding one in an unlikely place is exactly the kind of development worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Making Another Early Push At A Recruit Fans Will Notice
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Johnigans junior season has helped fuel that early buzz, and the offer fits the way Iowa likes to get involved with tight ends before the market gets crowded. With multiple schools already in the mix, the Hawkeyes have put themselves in position early with a recruit fans will want to track, even if the real battle for him is only beginning. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa's Passing Game Has A New Problem After Tony Diaz's Breakout
Tony Diaz has given Iowas passing game a needed spark early in the 2026 season, but the bigger picture is still about how the Hawkeyes can keep defenses honest around him. The tight end group has long been one of the teams defining matchup pieces, and DJ Vonnahme has already started to show why, catching six passes for 67 yards in two games while offering another option in the middle of the field.
Vonnahme is likely to miss the upcoming game against Northern Iowa, which adds a new wrinkle to a passing attack that is still trying to find its most reliable secondary threat. For Iowa, the intrigue is less about replacing one player and more about which tight end steps forward next, because the offense could use that play-action balance to make Diaz even harder to contain. [Read more 🡒]