Iowa vs NIU: New Coaches, Big Expectations | Iowa Hawkeyes Football News

The 2026 football season kicks off with Iowa hosting Northern Illinois at Kinnick Stadium — a pivotal opener for both teams. NIU, under new head coach Rob Harley and in their first year in the Mountain West, are rebuilding with a run-first, turnover-focused approach, still without a named starting QB. Iowa, meanwhile, boasts one of the best running back corps in a decade and faces questions at QB with Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski competing. The Hawkeyes’ defense, loaded with new starters, must contain NIU’s ground game. Kickoff is at 3:15 PM CT on BTN — a game that could set the tone for the entire season. 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/aba9f9038032dedd