Big Ten unveils new schedule, Iowa opens 2020 football season Oct. 24 at Purdue
The Hawkeyes take on Michigan State and Penn State in their two cross-divisional games.
The Iowa football team is introduced during a football game between Iowa and Rutgers at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, September 7, 2019. The Hawkeyes defeated the Scarlet Knights, 30-0.
September 19, 2020
The 2020 Big Ten football schedule has officially been released — again.
The conference’s third version of the schedule was released on Saturday morning on Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff pregame show. The new eight-game regular season schedule comes after the Big Ten announced on Wednesday that it would play this fall.
The Hawkeyes open their season Oct. 24 at Purdue. Iowa is set to play four home games this season against Big Ten West rivals Northwestern, Nebraska, and Wisconsin, as well as East opponent Michigan State. The team’s four road contests include trips to Purdue, Minnesota, Illinois, and another cross-divisional game against Penn State.
Iowa’s ninth game will take place Dec. 19 against another East opponent, which could be in the Big Ten Championship Game. That ninth game is a new feature as a part of this schedule. Every team in the conference will matchup against a team from the opposing division as a part of “Champions Week.”
The Big Ten Conference announced today the schedule for the 2020 football season, including an eight-game Conference-only schedule starting the weekend of October 24 plus a ninth game for all 14 teams during a newly created Big Ten Champions Week the weekend of December 19. pic.twitter.com/jaDXMhh2C8
— Big Ten Conference (@bigten) September 19, 2020
The Big Ten will play football games this fall without fans in the stands because of COVID-19. Only family members of athletes, as well as some gameday staff, will be allowed to attend.
Iowa’s original 2020 schedule was 12 games, including three against nonconference opponents. Then, the Big Ten opted to move to a 10-game, conference-only schedule because of the pandemic and released a new schedule on Aug. 5. Only six days later, the conference announced that all fall sports, including football, had been postponed because of ongoing concerns with COVID-19.
Now, after the Big Ten Presidents and Chancellors unanimously voted to play this fall, a third schedule is out.
Here is Iowa’s new 2020 football schedule:
Note — the Big Ten did not announce any Friday night game with this schedule release. Some of these dates may be moved to Friday at a later date this season, according to an Iowa spokesman.
Oct. 24: at Purdue
Oct. 31: vs. Northwestern
Nov. 7: vs. Michigan State
Nov. 14: at Minnesota
Nov. 21: at Penn State
Nov. 28: vs. Nebraska
Dec. 5: at Illinois
Dec. 12: vs. Wisconsin
Dec. 19: Champions Week, Big Ten East opponent TBD