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Iowa will face a challenge in the first two weeks it hasn’t faced in nearly 50 years

Hunter Hodies

By Hunter Hodies

Published:

The Hawkeyes have quite the gauntlet to run as they start the 2021 season.

The No. 18 team in the country will be playing 2 ranked teams in a row in their first 2 games, something they haven’t done since 1974.

Up first for the Hawkeyes will be their home-opener against No. 17 Indiana, who went 6-2 overall in 2020. They’ll have Michael Penix Jr. back after he tore his ACL towards the late stages of last season. After that, Iowa will travel to play in-state rival Iowa State, who’s No. 7 in the country.

Hawkeyes quarterback Spencer Petras seems excited about this opportunity as it can show that Iowa is for real if they win both games:

“The emotions of it are mostly excitement, to open up with those teams,” quarterback Spencer Petras said Tuesday. “You can’t ask for a better opportunity, to open up the 2021 season at home against a ranked opponent. It’s an opportunity to show what we can do.”

Petras will be looking to build off his 2020 campaign after he had 1,569 yards passing and 9 touchdown passes. Iowa also enters this season on a 6-game winning streak.

Kickoff between the Hawkeyes and the Hoosiers will be at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sept. 4.