Ready or Not, New Big Ten Opponents Added to 2024 Iowa Schedule

You knew it was coming, but it's still strange to officially see some new Big Ten Conference teams on the Iowa football schedule for the coming seasons. I can't decide if I'm more excited or terrified.

The latest Big 10 expansion has added four powerhouse football programs to the conference. Three of the four are ranked in the Top Ten in this week's AP Top 25 College Football poll. The other received votes.

The top new entrant into the conference, according to the current AP Poll, is the Washington Huskies. They're ranked seventh this week and are led by former Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Michael Penix Jr.

Right behind the Huskies are the 8th-ranked Oregon Ducks, led by another incredible quarterback. Bo Nix.

Ranked ninth in this week's AP Poll is the USC Trojans. Their leader is the defending Heisman Trophy Winner, quarterback Caleb Williams.

On the outside of the poll looking in is the UCLA Bruins. They lost by a touchdown at #18 Utah, but have won their other three games handily. The Bruins quarterback is freshman Dante Moore.

The Pac Ten and soon-to-be Big Ten teams can score the football, but to be fair the Pac 10 is often lacking for great defenses. They'll find them in the Big Ten.

In 2024, the Iowa football team will get their first regular season look at both UCLA and Washington. The Hawkeyes will travel to the Rose Bowl next year to take on the Bruins of UCLA, while the Washington Huskies will visit Kinnick Stadium. Specific dates for all of the games have not yet been announced.

Iowa's 2024 Big Ten road games also include Maryland, Michigan State, Minnesota, and Ohio State. Kinnick visitors, in addition to Washington, will be Nebraska, Northwestern, and Wisconsin.

In 2025, Iowa gets five home Big Ten home games against Indiana, Michigan State, Minnesota, Oregon, and Penn State. The Hawkeyes will travel to Nebraska, Rutgers, Wisconsin, and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to do battle with the USC Trojans.

In 2026, Iowa travels to Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern, and Washington, and hosts Nebraska, Ohio State, Purdue, and Wisconsin.

The 2027 season features Iowa conference road games at Indiana, Nebraska, Oregon, and Wisconsin, along with home games versus Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, UCLA, and USC.

In 2028, Iowa heads to Michigan State, Minnesota, Penn State, Purdue, and USC, and will welcome Illinois, Nebraska, Rutgers, and Wisconsin to Kinnick Stadium.

The way things have gone with college football conference restructuring in recent years, releasing plans for five seasons may be way too many. In any case, the already competitive Big Ten Conference is about to get a whole lot more difficult. And that won't be reserved just for football.