Week 1 games for Big Ten teams are often a tune-up game against an unfamiliar foe from a lower-level FBS conference or the FCS Ranks.The Week 1 matchup for the Iowa Hawkeyes, while it does come from the Mountain West Conference, has a shockingly deep and intimate history, with some scars to remind Iowa what it’s dealing with.
Iowa Hawkeyes vs Northern Illinois History
The frequency of these two teams meeting up really shouldn’t be that shocking. Dekalb, Illinois is not even a two and a half hour bus ride to Iowa City. The ease of the matchup and logistics, amid a world that sees college football travel booming, makes sense.These two have met 10 times in history, with the Iowa Hawkeyes holding an expected 9-1 record in the series.
The problem? Those nine wins are currently on just a one-game winning streak. The Huskies have burned Iowa before, and it wasn’t some upset in the 1950s, either.In 2013, the Huskies waltzed into Kinnick Stadium, dropped 30 points on the Hawkeyes, and left with a 30-27 win, stunning Iowa and its faithful.
Iowa held a 24-17 halftime lead, only to get outscored 13-3 in the second half, which included a game-winning field goal with just four seconds left. Northern Illinois legend Jordan Lynch had a day against Iowa, throwing for 275 yards and three touchdowns, while adding 56 more yards on the ground. This game started Northern Illinois’ run to a perfect 12-0 regular season.
Iowa needs to replicate the most recent matchup
In 2018, Northern Illinois made its return to Kinnick Stadium, which saw things go quite differently.Well, sort of. In typical Iowa fashion, the Hawkeyes held only a 3-0 lead at halftime before posting a 30-point outburst in the second half to run away with things 33-7…