Iowa Football: Big Ten Blasts Hawkeyes in Revised Schedule

The following is a fake lie story that is not true. It’s quite laughable that this needs said, but this did not happen. It is made up with the intention of providing entertainment. Black Heart Gold Pants is not responsible for any decisions made ignoring the preceding statement.

Despite widespread rumors the Big Ten presidents and chancellors were voting on a return to fall football with an announcement imminent Tuesday evening, no such announcement came from the league office. The rumors had been fueled by audio of Nebraska president Ted Carter, overheard on a hot mic, saying “We’re getting ready to announce the Huskers and Big Ten football tonight.”

While disappointing we didn’t get the official announcement, it shouldn’t be a major surprise someone in charge of Nebraska was stretching the truth. They do have the longest consecutive sell out streak in the country, you know.

Despite being objectively wrong, Carter received some vindication on Wednesday morning when THE BIG TEN ANNOUNCED FOOTBALL IS BACK BABY WOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Any excitement from Iowa fans, however, will likely soon be subdued. The conference has yet to release the revised schedule under the new timeline, which has games starting the weekend of October 23rd and 24th. However, Black Heart Gold Pants has received a leaked copy of the conference schedule which is expected to be released later this week.

While the shortened schedule means nearly all games will be with division opponents, the schedule-makers did the Hawkeyes no favors. Here’s a look at the leaked 2020 Iowa football schedule:

October 24th - Illinois
October 31st - @Northwestern
November 7th - Purdue
November 14th - Nebraska
November 20th (Friday) - @Minnesota
November 28th - Penn State
December 5th - @Ohio State
December 12th - @Wisconsin

For starters, Iowa’s two cross-over opponents are Penn State and @Ohio State. Really? Beyond that, the Hawkeyes get virtually every difficult game both on the road and late in the year. While you could argue getting more difficult opponents later when the offensive line has started to gel and the rust has been shaken off, the same can be said for opponents. And anyone who tells you playing three of your final four games on the road with the final three against ranked (prior to the AP removing Big Ten teams from the rankings) opponents is a good thing is nuts. Oh, and PJ Fleck can take his Friday evening game and return it where he got it.

But perhaps the most frustrating thing is how Iowa’s schedule stacks up to division rival Wisconsin. Take a look:

October 24th - Maryland
October 31st - @Purdue
November 7th - @Illinois
November 14th - Minnesota
November 21st - @Northwestern
November 28th - Nebraska
December 5th - @Rutgers
December 12th - Iowa

*Throws keyboard out window*

I mean, really, does Wisconsin need to get the scheduling break every year? Really, really? Has there ever been a year they didn’t play Rutgers and Maryland as their cross-overs? Don’t they always get their easiest opponents on the road and the most difficult, critical to winning the division, opponents at home?

@#(*%_#_*(#%^##!@*!(&#%T!!!!

In all seriousness, there has been no leaked Big Ten schedule. There are rumors floating that it will be based on the original 9-game conference schedule in place before COVID-19 forced a revised schedule. The key here would be which single game each team has dropped from the original schedule. Following that logic, Iowa was originally slated to play Michigan State, Penn State and Ohio State as crossovers. One of those will fall off. We can all guess which one. Wisconsin, on the flip side, originally was slated to face off with Indiana, Michigan and Rutgers.

It is also worth noting Nebraska AD Bill Moos has indicated the school is pushing for a matchup with Iowa on Black Friday (which would not be the last game of the season). Additionally, the conference DID release plans for a “Champions Week” to coincide with the Big Ten Championship Game where each team would be paired with same seeded team in the opposite division for a weekend of football (eg 1 vs. 1, 2 vs. 2, and so on).