| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
| Northern Illinois | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Iowa | 20 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 40 |
Final. Saturday, September 5, 2026. Kicked off 4:15 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network.
Iowa opens at Kinnick Stadium against Northern Illinois, a MAC program with a real history of winning games like this one. NIU has beaten ranked Big Ten opponents on the road before, and Iowa will not be treating it lightly.
| Kickoff | 4:15 p.m. ET · 3:15 CT · 2:15 MT · 1:15 PT |
| TV | Big Ten Network |
| Streaming | FOX Sports App, Fubo, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, DirecTV Stream |
| Venue | Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City |
Northern Illinois Takes These Games Seriously
NIU is among the small group of Group of Five programs that arrive at Power Four stadiums expecting to compete rather than collect a cheque. They have won such games in recent years, including against ranked opposition on the road.
Iowa’s identity — defence, field position, low-scoring games — happens to be the profile most vulnerable to an upset, because it keeps the score close by design.
The Kinnick Wave
At the end of the first quarter, everyone in Kinnick Stadium turns toward the children’s hospital overlooking the south end zone and waves. It began in 2017 and has become the most affecting tradition in college football.
Visiting teams join in. It is the rare moment where a stadium of 70,000 stops being partisan.
How to Watch
Big Ten Network is cable-only — no antenna option. Fubo, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV Stream all carry it, and the FOX Sports App streams BTN for authenticated subscribers.
The 4:15 slot sits between the 3:30 block and the evening games, so it runs alongside the tail end of Boise State at Oregon and Clemson at LSU’s build-up.
Prediction and Odds
Line: Iowa -31.5 (DraftKings).
No. 22 Iowa opens Kirk Ferentz’s 28th season at Kinnick against Northern Illinois, now a Mountain West member. Iowa games are low scoring by design, and the Hawkeyes rarely blow the doors off in September, which makes 31.5 a big number even against a MAC-to-Mountain West rebuild.
Our pick: Iowa 34, Northern Illinois 6. Iowa wins and just about covers; if the number climbs past 33, take NIU. See all of our Week 1 predictions.
The Bottom Line
Northern Illinois at Iowa kicks off 4:15 p.m. ET Saturday, September 5 on Big Ten Network from Kinnick Stadium. BTN requires a cable or streaming subscription, and NIU’s record in these matchups makes it less routine than it looks.