College football is back, and that means it's just a few days until Iowa runs out of the tunnel at Kinnick Stadium to open the 2026 season.
The No. 22 Hawkeyes will start the season with a nonconference clash against Northern Illinois. The Huskies are new members of the Mountain West Conference and will look to pull off the upset in Week 1. In front of a sold-out home crowd, Iowa looks to start the season with a win before rival Iowa State comes calling next weekend.
Kickoff is at 3:15 p.m. CT and the game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.
Pete Fiutak of College Football News broke down the game and offered his thoughts on what the result will be:
Why NIU beats Iowa
It may seem unlikely, but there is a path to victory on Saturday for the visiting Huskies.
Should he be Northern Illinois' starting nod, transfer quarterback Taron Dickens is talented and has some weapons to play with.
Throw in an Iowa defense replacing a ton of production from last season, and there could be a recipe for an upset. Fiutak broke down how Northern Illinois could pick up the win:
"Again, it’s Iowa. It’s not going to run away and hide with this. There will be chances for Northern Illinois to not just stay in this, but to make it a game. It’ll rely on the running game and backs Telly Johnson and Elijah Porter to pound away, and like Iowa, it’ll be super careful controlling the ball and keeping the mistakes to a minimum."
Why Iowa beats NIU
The Hawkeyes are big favorites in this game and for good reason. They have a big advantage on offense through a stout offensive line and talented group of running backs. Even with the turnover on defense, Phil Parker has earned more than enough trust to have his unit ready to roll. Add in the home-field advantage, and it's easy to see why Iowa is favored.
Fiutak offered up his reasoning for why Iowa will win this game:
"Northern Illinois did a fantastic job of loading up the secondary with good defensive back options, but the run defense still has a whole lot to be desired. Last year’s version wasn’t bad at times, but really, really bad things happened when it started to get steamrolled.
Iowa is 20-2 over the last four years when it runs for 150 yards or more. That shouldn’t be too much of a problem in this."
Who will win Iowa vs. NIU?
Despite the questions at quarterback, this is a game Iowa should take care of business in. In front of the Kinnick crowd, the Huskies should have no answers for a strong Hawkeye ground game. Parker's unit will find a way to make splash plays like they always do.
Fiutak explained who he's rolling with to pick up a season-opening win:
"Iowa will come out winging it in a run-and-shoot, up-tempo style that … you know how this works.
Northern Illinois will do its part to keep the pace measured, but Iowa will do it far better."
Iowa 38, Northern Illinois 6
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: College Football News predicts Iowa vs. Northern Illinois matchup
