The Iowa Hawkeyes are one of the oldest and most historic programs in the Big Ten Conference. In that time, they developed rivalries that have spanned decades or more. Even with all of the changes that have happened to the conference of late, the rivalries live on.
It is time for a deeper look into the history of the Hawkeyes and which of their rivalries is most important. Here are the biggest Hawkeyes rivalries and what they mean to the program.
The Hallmarks of a Great Rival
What makes for a great rivalry? When we think of the biggest and best rivals in college football, it is hard to skip past matchups like Michigan-Ohio State, Alabama-Georgia, USC-UCLA, and Alabama-Auburn. But there are rivalries that run deep that don’t necessarily have national championship implications.
One of the most crucial factors of a rivalry is the history involved. In a conference like the Big Ten, we are talking about some of the oldest programs in the history of college football. Teams that began play back in the 1890s when football was in its infancy. Without that history, it is hard to argue that a rivalry is truly great.
There are a few other factors to consider as well. For starters, it needs to be competitive. For example, the Michigan-Michigan State rivalry was one-sided for decades with Michigan dominating. It was a rivalry in the minds of Spartans faithful but the Wolverines just saw them as the annoying little brother.
If you can throw in a trophy, it only elevates the importance of the rivalry. Playing to claim that trophy for the next year – and the bragging rights that come with it – can help swing a season one way or the other. Not to mention the satisfaction of carrying that trophy off the field, especially when it is on opposing territory.
Having laid those ground rules down, the Iowa Hawkeyes have established a few great rivalries during their time. Here are the five best rivals (and an honorable mention) for the Hawkeyes.
Honorable Mention: Iowa State
Though this will likely earn some ire, Iowa State lands on the sidelines. Yes, the history goes back to 1894 and there is the Cy-Hawk trophy at stake.
However, Iowa State has historically been nationally irrelevant and a major abbreviation in the series has limited them to just 69 meetings. Coupled with Iowa’s dominant 46-23 victory edge, it is going to take some time before Iowa State climbs the list.
5.) Minnesota Golden Gophers
This is another of the Hawkeyes rivalries that dates back more than a century, with the first meeting between the two seeing the Gophers win 42-4 back in November 1891. Since then, the series has seen 116 matchups, making this rivalry one of the most comprehensive and underrated not only in the Big Ten, but the nation.
In the early days of the series, it was the Gophers who not only dominated but were nationally relevant. As a matter of fact, they have been ranked in the top 10 six different times, all before 1965. In the latter half of the rivalry, it is the Hawkeyes who have largely been the ranked opponent, topping out at fifth in the nation for the 2015 matchup.
That said, Minnesota holds the clear edge in the series because of their early dominance. They are 67-47-2 all-time against the Hawkeyes, though the tides have swung distinctively since 1990. In the 33 matchups since that 1990 game, Minnesota has won just eight times, including separate five-game winning streaks for the Hawkeyes.
Despite having won the last eight matchups (and 10 of 11), things are always tight when these two teams tangle. The only blowout in recent memory was a 35-7 Hawkeye victory in Minneapolis back in 2020 but every other game has been a one-score decision. When the Gophers and Hawkeyes battle, you can rest assured that it will be a tight game.
4.) Michigan Wolverines
You can’t be in the same conference as one of the most historic programs in college football without running into each other a few times. The rivalry between Michigan and Iowa is an interesting one. It even started off on the right foot all the way back in 1900 with a 28-5 decisive Iowa victory.
The two have met 62 more times since then, though the meetings are beginning to become a little more infrequent due to Big Ten Conference alignment. Unlike the other three teams ahead of them, the Wolverines have a decisive advantage in this series. They are 44-15-4 for a winning percentage of 73% over the life of the series.
What really amplified the rivalry came in the 2010s when the once-great Wolverines were struggling to find themselves again. In that span, the Hawkeyes won five of six, only interrupted by a dominant Wolverines win in 2012. Since then, the Wolverines have turned a corner not only against Iowa but on the national level.
The biggest matchup of the series in a long time came just over a year ago when the two tangled for the 2021 Big Ten Championship. Unfortunately for the Hawkeyes, it wasn’t much of a contest as the Wolverines rolled to a clear 42-3 victory.
As the Wolverines keep establishing their brand of “bully ball” and look to continue their streak over hated rival Ohio State, the Hawkeyes are going to be standing there as a reminder that history can swing in no time.
3.) Michigan State Spartans
Much like the Huskers, the Spartans are in a bit of a rebuilding phase. And like most of the other rivals on this list, there is a lot of history there but much of it comes within recent memory. As a matter of fact, this is one of the few rivalries that doesn’t extend back to the turn of the 20th century.
The first game in this rivalry goes back to 1953, a 21-7 Michigan State win. The two have played frequently throughout the decades, though it has become more sparse since the Big Ten expansion that saw them go to different divisions.
Like the next two names on the list, this is a series that is very even, only amplifying the importance of each matchup. The Hawkeyes have a slight historical edge thanks to a 24-22-2 record. That said, it has largely been the Spartans on top dating back to 2011. In the six matchups since then, the Spartans are 4-2, including a tight Big Ten Championship game win in 2015.
Iowa and Michigan State also share a similar trait in that they are solid programs often overlooked by the Michigan and Ohio State of the Big Ten. But as this rivalry has shown, neither team can be overlooked or they will leave town with a big win.
2.) Nebraska Cornhuskers
The rivalry Nebraska-Iowa is an interesting one in that it has had several huge gaps before picking up in its current incarnation. The two programs met for the first time all the way back in 1891 in Omaha, a 22-00 drubbing by the Hawkeyes.
Since then, the two have faced 55 more times. The Hawkeyes managed to grab the advantage in the series but there is a lot more involved than that. For starters, the series has been dormant for a decade or more, including a 33-year gap between 1946 and 1979. The latest gap, 11 years between 2000 and 2011, may have been the last large gap as the two are now division mates.
These franchises have history on their side, especially Nebraska being a powerhouse during the 1980s and 1990s. Since starting the rivalry back up again in 2011, it has been mostly about the Hawkeyes. In the 12 meetings since 2011, the Huskers have won just four times. Their latest ended a 7-year losing streak to the Hawkeyes.
This is the battle of two hard-nosed, blue-collar programs. The Huskers are hoping to bring their program back to the glory days but there is a long road ahead. This rivalry will be a barometer of where the program stands and what kind of progress has been made – or not.
1.) Wisconsin Badgers
When you look at all the things that make up a great rivalry, the Badgers-Hawkeyes series checks all the boxes. They are two of the oldest and most historic programs in the nation, let alone the Big Ten. They have also met nearly 100 times to date and there will be many more added to that tally.
There has also been balance to the series, something that really makes a true rivalry. When one side just beats the other with regularity, it is a dispute, not a rivalry. This series sees a slight edge to the Badgers, holding a 49-45-2 record historically.
But what really makes for a great rivalry is proximity (in most cases). Being close enough that you know they are there all the time makes that disdain grow. Add in a trophy like the Heartland Trophy and you have the recipe for one of the best rivalries in college football.
That is what Wisconsin-Iowa brings to the table. There have been gaps in the rivalry throughout the years but now that the two are in the same division in the Big Ten, a yearly matchup is on the slate. That means more great battles, more chances to build up that rivalry hatred, and more memories to create in the series.
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