CBS Sports ranks Iowa football among easiest 2024 Big Ten schedules

The Big Ten officially starts a new era in 2024 with 18 teams playing under the conference’s umbrella. Schedules are changing, teams are adapting to new travel plans, and the tectonic plates of college football are shifting.

One team only feeling minor tremors from the conference’s shift is the Iowa Hawkeyes. While they do make a trip out west to UCLA , they avoid many of the conference’s heavy hitters this year.

Iowa does go on the road to play Ohio State but avoids Michigan , Penn State, USC , and Oregon . Their favorable schedule ranks them among the Big Ten’s easiest by CBS Sports.

13. Iowa

The Hawkeyes will play seven home games this year, and there’s a good chance they’ll win all seven. Yes, the home slate features Iowa State , Washington, Wisconsin and Nebraska, but the Hawkeyes should be favored vs. all of them. On the other side, while Iowa will have to go on the road to face Ohio State, the rest of the road slate isn’t terrible either. All in all, Ohio State is the only one of the top-four favorites to win the league (based on odds) the Hawkeyes will face. The reason Iowa’s schedule is ranked this high is that while there are few elite teams on it, there aren’t any cupcakes, either, outside of the opener against Illinois State . – Tom Fornelli, CBS Sports

With their schedule, the door is wide open for Iowa to place themselves among the contenders in the Big Ten. They will need to get more output from an offense that has seen a facelift but will be able to count on their stout defense.

Only a handful of teams have easier schedules than Iowa. Penn State and Oregon benefit from easier slates that should allow them in playoff contention all year long.

Nebraska and Rutgers each have been gift-wrapped winnable games that should present the chance to return to a bowl game. The easiest schedule belongs to Indiana, although most Big Ten games will require them to steal a win.

If Iowa can capitalize on its schedule, the path to the new 12-team College Football Playoff exists and could see Iowa punch its first-ever ticket to the dance.

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