Hawkeyes Open Season Against Northern Illinois | Iowa Hawkeyes Football News

Iowa opens the 2026 season at home against Northern Illinois, with Kirk Ferentz back as head coach and the Hawkeyes aiming to fix their offense while minimizing costly mistakes—especially on special teams. Betting lines favor Iowa massively, predicting a blowout, but the real test will be defense, facing speedy NIU playmakers. Expect a heavy run game led by Kamari Moulton and L.J. Phillips Jr., with the crowd roaring at Kinnick Stadium for this sold-out opener. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/e02b590da7a4b0ae