As Iowa looks to bounce back from its first loss of 2023, the Hawkeyes return home for their annual “Blackout” date as they play host to the Michigan State Spartans.
Fans are encouraged to wear all black to Kinnick Stadium to set the scene. Meanwhile, the Hawks will be joining you.
Iowa revealed that they will be wearing their black-on-black alternate uniforms for the occasion.
Back in Black. #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/QttIwFSWVH
— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) September 26, 2023
For the moment, never mind the fact that Iowa wore black pants last week to Happy Valley.
Instead, let’s focus on a glass-half-full approach as we jump into Week 5 against the Spartans. Iowa wore its black-on-black uniforms inside Kinnick last season in its 24-10 win over Wisconsin on Nov. 12, 2022.
You might remember that trophy triumph as The Cooper DeJean Game. DeJean had 10 tackles, a 32-yard pick-six and 82 punt return yards to almost single-handedly will Iowa to victory.
The Hawkeyes had just 146 yards of total offense and only 2.1 average yards gained per play in that win over the Badgers. In one of those incredibly-strange statistics for literally anybody else not named Iowa, the Hawkeyes averaged the fewest yards per play in a win by 14-plus since 2011.
What does that mean? Well, I guess to expect just about anything come Saturday. But, most importantly, it means that Iowa won the last time it wore its black-on-black uniforms at Kinnick just last season.
Kickoff versus Michigan State is set for 6:30 p.m. CT on NBC. It will be the Hawkeyes’ first game on NBC since the 1985 Rose Bowl against UCLA. The Hawkeyes’ first-ever television appearance came on NBC in 1953 against Indiana.
Iowa won that game over Indiana, 19-13, and the Hawkeyes boast an all-time mark in NBC games of 10-4-1.
Saturday night’s game against the Spartans also represents the 22nd night game in Kinnick history. Iowa is 14-7 all-time in home night games and has won eight of its last 11 night games, including last season’s 27-0 shutout of Nevada.
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