NEBRASKA at IOWA
Nov. 29, 2024 | KINNICK STADIUM
IOWA CITY, IOWA | 6:30 PM CT
HUSKERS
Record: 6-5, 3-5 in Big Ten
Last Game: vs. Wisconsin (W, 44-25)
Rankings: NR
Head Coach: Matt Rhule
Career/NU Record: 58-55 (9th Year)/11-12 (2nd Year)
Vs. Iowa: 0-1
HAWKEYES
Record: 7-4, 5-3 in Big Ten
Last Game: at Maryland (W, 29-13)
Rankings: AP – NR/Coaches - RV
Head Coach: Kirk Ferentz
Career/Iowa Record: 203-123 (26th Year)/215-144 (29th Year)
Vs. Nebraska: 9-6
SERIES HISTORY
All-Time Series: Nebraska leads, 30-21-3
At Iowa City: Nebraska leads, 11-9
Last Game: Iowa, 13-10 in Lincoln (2023)
Win Streak: Iowa, 1 game
BROADCAST INFO
TV – NBC (Paul Burmeister, Colt McCoy, Zora Stephenson)
RADIO – Huskers Radio Network (Greg Sharpe, Damon Benning, Jessica Coody)
INTERNET AUDIO – Huskers.com
APP AUDIO – Official Huskers App
The Matchup
Nebraska completes its 2024 regular season on Friday evening by traveling to Iowa City to take on the Iowa Hawkeyes in the schools' annual Black Friday matchup. Game time at Iowa's Kinnick Stadium is set for 6:30 p.m. CT with NBC providing the television coverage. The contest can also be heard on the Huskers Radio Network and the Huskers App.
Nebraska heads to Iowa City with momentum following a 44-25 victory over Wisconsin last Saturday afternoon in Lincoln. The victory improved the Huskers to 6-5 on the season and clinched Nebraska's first bowl trip since the 2016 season.
The Huskers used their most complete offensive effort of the season to pull away from the Badgers in the victory. Nebraska's 44 points were the most in two seasons under Matt Rhule, and the Huskers posted their second highest marks of the season in total offense (473), rushing offense (180) and passing offense (293). Defensively, the Blackshirts had two takeaways in the game and forced Wisconsin without points on three drives inside the Nebraska 25-yard line.
Iowa comes into the regular-season finale with a 7-4 overall record and a 5-3 mark in Big Ten Conference play. The Hawkeyes are coming off a 29-13 victory at Maryland on Saturday, a game in which Iowa relied on its running game, rolling up 268 yards on the ground and holding the ball for more than 37 minutes of game action. Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson rushed for 164 yards in the win. He ranks second in the nation in rushing yards per game. Overall, the Hawkeyes lead the Big Ten and rank 13th nationally in rushing at 213.5 yards per game. The Hawkeyes once again feature one of Big Ten's best defenses, allowing just 17.7 points per game, while leading the Big Ten in turnover margin.
Series History: Nebraska vs. Iowa
Nebraska and Iowa are meeting for the 14th straight season as Big Ten opponents and for the 55th time overall. Nebraska owns a 30-21-3 edge in the all-time series between the schools, while the Hawkeyes own a 9-4 edge since Nebraska joined the Big Ten Conference.
• Iowa is the only opponent Nebraska has met in all 14 seasons as a member of the Big Ten Conference, and the Hawkeyes are the only opponent the Huskers face on an annual basis in the 18-team conference.
• The road team in the series has won the past three matchups and nine of the last 12 meetings overall, including Nebraska's 24-17 win at Kinnick Stadium in 2022.
• The past six meetings have been decided by a total of 29 points. Iowa has a 5-1 record in those games, including last second-field goals in 2018, 2019 and 2023.
• Nebraska rallied from a 17-point second-half deficit to win in overtime at Iowa City in 2014, tying for the second-largest comeback in school history.
• Prior to joining the Big Ten, Nebraska last met Iowa in 1999 and 2000, winning each of the contests.
• Nebraska and Iowa met six times in non-conference play between 1979 and 2000, with the Huskers winning five of the six games. The Huskers were ranked in the top 10 in each of those six games.
Nebraska, Iowa to Battle for Heroes Trophy
Nebraska and Iowa will battle for the Heroes Trophy when they hit the field Friday at Kinnick Stadium. The Heroes Game is the annual trophy game between Nebraska and Iowa. The game is sponsored by Pioneer.
• While both teams aim to win the trophy on the field, Nebraska and Iowa wished to make their annual meeting about more than just a football game. The schools partnered to not only create a trophy, but to use their stage to honor a citizen hero from each state. In addition to the trophy claimed by the winner of the game, both an Iowa and Nebraska native will be honored for extraordinary acts.
• Citizen heroes from each state will be announced on Tuesday, Nov. 26.
Big Red on Black Friday
Nebraska continues its long tradition of playing on the day after Thanksgiving. This Friday’s game with Iowa will mark the 35th consecutive season the Huskers have played on Black Friday.
• Nebraska met Oklahoma in the final six seasons of the Big Eight Conference (1990 to 1995), then played Colorado in all 15 of the Huskers’ Big 12 Conference years (1996 to 2010), before taking on Iowa each of the 14 seasons it has been a Big Ten member, including this year.
• Nebraska is 10-6 on the road in Black Friday games since 1990, including 3-3 at Iowa.
• In addition to playing Iowa on Black Friday the past 13 seasons, Nebraska and Iowa also closed the regular season against each other nine times from 1892 to 1916.
This Week’s Numbers
6 - The past six meetings between Nebraska and Iowa have been decided by seven or fewer points, including three games by three points. The total margin in the past six games is 29 points.
35 – Friday's game will mark the 35th consecutive season Nebraska has played on Black Friday, including the past 14 years against Iowa. The Huskers own a 20-14 record since 1990 in Black Friday games.
44 - Nebraska's 44-point scoring effort against Wisconsin was the highest point total in two seasons under Coach Matt Rhule. It was also the most points scored by the Huskers since a 56-7 win over Northwestern in 2021, a span of 41 games.