247Sports includes Iowa football’s 2024 slate among easiest Big Ten schedules

There’s no such thing as an easy schedule in the Big Ten.

But, there are varying degrees of difficulty, and, in the new-look, 18-team Big Ten, there will be years where a schedule is just downright nasty.

According to most analysts nationally, though, the Iowa Hawkeyes came out on the right end of that equation in 2024.

247Sports’ Grant Hughes gave Iowa the third-easiest Big Ten schedule, ranking Iowa’s slate No. 16 out of the 18 Big Ten members.

Iowa has to play Ohio State at Columbus but has a favorable draw in the new-look Big Ten. The Hawkeyes miss Oregon, Michigan and Penn State and play two of their tougher opponents, Wisconsin and Maryland, at home. Kirk Ferentz and Co. have to make a trip out west, but it’s for UCLA instead of USC. – Hughes, 247Sports .

After a nonconference slate that features three home games against Illinois State, Iowa State and Troy, Iowa embarks upon Big Ten play.

The Hawkeyes open up with successive road tilts at Minnesota and at Ohio State on Sept. 21 and Oct. 5.

Then, Iowa gets three out of its next four at home inside Kinnick Stadium. Iowa hosts Washington on Oct. 12 before traveling to Michigan State on Oct. 19. The Hawkeyes then welcome in Northwestern and Wisconsin on Oct. 26 and Nov. 2.

After that, Iowa embarks on a two-game road swing with contests at UCLA on Friday, Nov. 8 and at Maryland on Nov. 23. Iowa closes its 2024 regular season with its annual Black Friday rivalry date versus Nebraska on Nov. 29.

These sentiments on Iowa’s schedule have been a popular thoughts throughout the buildup to the 2024 college football season. On3’s Bud Elliott referred to Iowa’s schedule as a “cakewalk” slate .

ESPN’s Football Power Index ranked Iowa’s schedule as the second-easiest in the league according to its metrics as well.

Per 247Sports, Rutgers has the easiest Big Ten slate and Penn State has the second-easiest. 247Sports views Purdue’s Big Ten path as the most difficult, Washington’s schedule as the second-most grueling and Illinois’ slate as the third-most challenging.

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