Why Iowa Football Should Love Its Kickoff Time Against Minnesota

As far as scheduling and kickoff times go, the Iowa Hawkeyes can't complain too much about how things have broken out for them this year. It's been a favorable draw from the jump for Iowa and its kickoff times.

The Hawkeyes got Iowa State for a night game in Kinnick. They didn't have to take on Michigan at night in the Big House. The game against Washington was on a Friday night, which gives Iowa a full14-day break over the bye week. Iowa has been lucky with its draws.

With the Minnesota Golden Gophers awaiting Iowa on the other side of this bye, the Hawkeyes have drawn yet another fortunate kickoff time.

Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers kickoff time

The kickoff time for Iowa against Minnesota is set in a way, I guess you could say. Maybe some quotation marks around "set" would be a more accurate description.

Kickoff is set for a 2 p.m. OR 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff from Huntington Bank Stadium on Saturday, October 24, as Iowa makes the short trip north to Minneapolis to take on the Golden Gophers.

Iowa vs. Minnesota Floyd of Rosedale History

While Minnesota holds a 63-54-2 lead in the all-time series between the two programs, it has been anything but that since the turn of the 2000s. It has been all Iowa this century.

In 26 games since 2000, Iowa owns a 20-6 lead over the Golden Gophers, which includes 10 of the last 11, with Minnesota's lone win coming at the hands of an extremely questionable invalid fair catch signal that wiped away a Cooper DeJean punt return touchdown.

The last meeting in the series saw Minnesota come to Iowa and go back home with a 41-3 defeat that saw Iowa dominate in every facet of the game.

Why this kickoff time is great news for Iowa

This game is Minnesota's homecoming and "Maroon Out." That adds a layer of fan excitement, noise, and intensity to a Big Ten road game. Getting this game in the early afternoon is a big deal for the Hawkeyes.

Iowa gets to avoid a night game on the road, which is always a tricky adventure in the Big Ten. Personally, I thought this game could draw the Big Ten's NBC night slot, but I am glad to be wrong.

With the 2 p.m. or 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff time pending, this game, or USC taking on Wisconsin, feels as though it will snag the CBS national slot. This is due to Indiana at Michigan being the FOX Big Noon Kickoff game.