Revised 2021 Big Ten football schedule returns Iowa-Nebraska to Black Friday

Remember that two-year scheduling plan that shifted the Iowa vs. Nebraska football game off Black Friday and riled up a lot of Hawkeyes and Cornhuskers fans?

Historically speaking, now it never happened.

For the second straight season, the Big Ten Conference has made adjustments to its football schedule — and for the second straight season, it restored Iowa vs. Nebraska on Black Friday.

That was the most notable change on the Hawkeyes’ 2021 schedule revision, released Friday afternoon by the league office. The Hawkeyes will look to make it seven straight wins against the Cornhuskers on Nov. 26 at Memorial Stadium in the regular-season finale.

That game was originally scheduled for Nov. 6, with Iowa’s trip to Wisconsin serving as the season finale.

Last fall, Iowa-Nebraska was returned to Black Friday in the pandemic-impacted schedule as Week 6 out of 8. This adjustment means that the streak of playing the Huskers on the day after Thanksgiving will continue for the 11th straight season, since Nebraska joined the Big Ten Conference in 2011. Iowa and Nebraska are scheduled for Black Friday on the schedule through 2025.

All 12 opponents remained the same for Iowa in 2021; that means for the fourth straight regular season and seventh time in eight years, Iowa isn’t slated to play East Division power Ohio State.

Here are some of the tweaks to the Hawkeyes’ schedule.

• Iowa's Oct. 2 trip to Northwestern was pushed back to Nov. 6, filling that Nebraska slot. Now Iowa will visit Maryland on Oct. 2.
• Iowa's previously scheduled off Saturday (Oct. 16) is now filled with a home game vs. Purdue, which was originally scheduled for Oct. 30. That means Iowa will play seven games before its new off Saturday of Oct. 23.
• Iowa's game at Wisconsin has moved to Oct. 30; that was originally slated for Nov. 27. That could be a big one for Big Ten West supremacy and sets up back-to-back, key division road games

Kickoff times will be released at a later date.

Iowa’s 2021 football schedule

Sept. 4: Indiana (home)

Sept. 11: Iowa State (away)

Sept. 18: Kent State (home)

Sept. 25: Colorado State (home)

Oct. 2: Maryland (away)

Oct. 9: Penn State (home)

Oct. 16: Purdue (home)

Oct. 23: Bye week

Oct. 30: Wisconsin (away)

Nov. 6: Northwestern (away)

Nov. 13: Minnesota (home)

Nov. 20: Illinois (home)

Nov. 26: Nebraska (away)