Iowa adjusts to life with USC and UCLA in Big Ten, trying to change the game

As Iowa prepares to play #USC and #UCLA in the #B1G, @HawkeyesWire looks at Iowa’s records vs the Trojans and Bruins.

The Iowa Hawkeyes did beat USC in the 2019 Holiday Bowl, but on most occasions when they have come to Southern California to play a football game over the past 45 years, it hasn’t gone well. Iowa has made several trips to the Rose Bowl and has come up empty each time. Now, a trip to USC or UCLA won’t be for the Granddaddy on January 1; it will be for a regular season game. The Hawkeyes visit the Los Angeles Coliseum to play USC in 2024, part of the Big Ten schedule release.

Welcome, Hawkeyes, to Los Angeles, a Big Ten city!

Hawkeyes Wire has more.

Josh Helmer of Hawkeyes Wire documented Iowa’s football history against its new Los Angeles neighbors:

“Iowa owns all-time marks of 3-7 versus USC and 3-6 versus UCLA. The Hawkeyes’ most recent trip to USC was a 55-0 loss on Oct. 2, 1976. Iowa earned road wins over USC in both the 1950 and 1961 seasons, topping the Trojans, 20-14, on Sept. 29, 1950, and, 35-34, on Oct. 7, 1961…Of course, the most recent meeting between the pair came in the 2019 Holiday Bowl when Iowa routed USC, 49-24. Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley threw two touchdown passes and Hawkeye receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette scored on a 6-yard touchdown run, a 98-yard kickoff return and a 12-yard touchdown grab. All of those scores for Smith-Marsette came in the second quarter to lead the blowout.”

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