Iowa has quietly made a notable addition to its 2027 schedule, and it comes with a twist: the Hawkeyes will open that season in Week Zero against North Dakota on Aug. 28.
That is not the normal rhythm for Kirk Ferentz’s program. Iowa has long leaned on the familiar three-game nonconference runway before Big Ten play, and this season followed that script again with Northern Illinois in Week 1, Iowa State in Week 2 and Northern Iowa in Week 3. But the 2027 setup breaks from that pattern, with North Dakota now slotted in before the calendar even turns to September.
The rest of the nonconference slate is already set, too. After North Dakota, Iowa will host Ball State on Sept. 4 and then travel to Iowa State on Sept. 11.
The timing makes this a little more interesting because the College Football Playoff picture is still unsettled. The NCAA could still expand the field to 24 teams and push the regular season up by a week, which would turn Week Zero into Week One and change how schedules are framed. If that happens, Iowa’s early start would look less unusual, and the Hawkeyes’ nonconference structure could take on a different shape.
For now, though, the headline is simple: Iowa has added a game in Week Zero, and it’s reviving a matchup that has been off the board for more than 100 years.
North Dakota enters the picture with some recent momentum. The Fighting Hawks went 7-5 last season under new head coach Eric Schmidt and are off to a 3-0 start in 2026.
Their football history includes a strong run in the early 2000s as a member of the North Central Conference, when they won four league titles in 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2006. Since then, they’ve moved through the Great West Conference in 2011, the Big Sky in 2016 and the Missouri Valley in 2020.
How the rest of Iowa’s 2027 schedule looks by the time that game arrives could still depend on what happens with CFP expansion. The Hawkeyes could end up with four games before Big Ten play, or they could wind up using an early bye week to get ready. Either way, the matchup with North Dakota is in place, and Iowa has already stepped out ahead of the usual schedule.
In Other News...
Iowas 2027 Guard Board Just Took A Hit For McCollum
The Hawkeyes 2027 guard board took a noticeable turn this week when four-star prospect Jaxson Davis canceled his official visit to Iowa. Davis, a combo guard who recently transferred to Monarch Academy for his senior season, had once looked like one of the programs top targets in the class, giving Iowa a real early foothold with a player who fit a major need on the perimeter.
Instead, the recruiting picture has shifted quickly. Davis has turned his attention toward other programs, and Ohio State has emerged as a favorite after his recent visit there, leaving Iowa to keep working down the board in the 2027 class. For a staff still trying to build out its future backcourt, losing that kind of momentum is a reminder that these early battles can change fast. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Is Already Pushing For A 2028 Prospect Fans Should Track
Iowa is already getting a head start on the 2028 class with Cole Kelly, a 6-foot-7 forward from Neuqua Valley High School in Illinois who has quickly become one of the names to know for the Hawkeyes. Kelly is a four-star prospect, and Iowa has made its interest clear by bringing him in for an unofficial visit on Sept. 12 while also sending coaches to meet with him in Illinois.
For a program trying to stay ahead in a competitive recruiting race, Kelly is the kind of long-view target that makes sense. Multiple major programs have already extended scholarship offers, but Iowas early push reflects how much value the staff places on his versatility and work ethic. The Hawkeyes are not alone in tracking him, which is exactly why this recruitment is worth watching so early. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Season Outlook Suddenly Feels Different For One Big Reason
Through two weeks, Iowa has done what it needed to do: stay unbeaten and set itself up to roll through the non-conference slate without a loss. The narrow win over Iowa State did not exactly calm every concern, but it also did not shake the bigger feeling around the program. For now, most Hawkeye fans still look at this season with a healthy dose of optimism, especially with the schedule moving toward the games that will really define the year.
What has changed is the backdrop around them. The Big Ten no longer looks as loaded at the top as it did not long ago, and a few surprising results around the league have created a different kind of opening for Iowa. Entering conference play, the Hawkeyes are facing the same internal questions they always do, but the path ahead may be a little less crowded than expected, which is enough to make this season feel different in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]