IOWA CITY – Iowa and Nebraska are playing “The Heroes Game” Friday inside Kinnick Stadium, with the winner claiming the Heroes Trophy.
Iowa (7-4, 5-3) and Nebraska (6-5, 3-5) meet on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, for the 14th consecutive season. The schools have played on Black Friday every year since Nebraska joined the Big Ten Conference in 2011. Iowa is 9-4 in the previous 13 Black Friday meetings, winning eight of the last nine games.
The trophy game between the Hawkeyes and Cornhuskers was established in 2011. Since its inception, Iowa leads the series, 9-4. Iowa gained possession of the trophy for the first time with a 38-17 win at Nebraska in 2013. The Hawkeyes reclaimed it in 2015 with a 28-20 win in Lincoln, their first of seven straight wins in the series.
The Heroes Game, presented by Pioneer, was created to honor the rich football traditions of the University of Iowa and the University of Nebraska football programs while also annually honoring community heroes in both states. The 2024 citizen heroes have positively impacted the community and stand as an inspiration to others. Dan Marburger, the former Principal of Perry High School, is Iowa’s Hero.
The Hawkeyes will honor 23 seniors prior to Friday’s home finale against Nebraska. Iowa’s Senior day honorees
include: Yahya Black, Sebastian Castro, Jeremy Chaplin, Connor Colby, Deontae Craig, Nick DeJong, Luke Elkin, Tyler Elsbury, Kyler Fisher, Jermari Harris, Jamison Heinz, Jay Higgins, Ethan Hurkett, Nick Jackson, Logan Jones, Luke Lachey, Hayden Large, Andrew Lentsch, Cade McNamara, Mason Richman, Quinn Schulte, Kaden Wetjen and Alec Wick.
Friday’s game is the 55th meeting in the all-time series. Nebraska holds a 30-21-3 advantage in the series
that began with a 22-0 Iowa victory in 1891. Iowa has won eight of the last nine in the series, including seven
straight from 2015-21.
The 56 points in 2017 are the most in the series’ 54-game history. Since Iowa’s 42-point win in 2017, the
last six meetings have all been decided by seven points or less.
The Hawkeyes have won three of the last four meetings in Iowa City. Nebraska won the most recent game at Kinnick, winning 24-17 in 2022 to snap the seven-game losing streak.
Nebraska is 11-9 against Iowa in Iowa City.
The 1999 Iowa-Nebraska game in Kinnick Stadium marked Kirk Ferentz’s first game as Iowa’s head coach.
The first 10 games in the series were played in either Omaha (eight games) or Council Bluffs (two games). The series was even at 4-4-2 in those 10 meetings.
Iowa has won eight of the last nine Heroes Game matchups against Nebraska and is 9-4 in the series with the Heroes Trophy on the line. The last six games have all been decided by seven points or less.
The Hawkeyes will wear their all-black uniforms on Black Friday. Fans are encouraged to wear black to “Black Out Kinnick Stadium.”
The Hawkeyes have won 20 of their last 23 games in the month of November, dating back to 2019 — the third-best winning percentage in the nation.
Iowa is 2-1 in trophy games this season and 28-10 in its last 38 rivalry trophy games.
The Hawkeyes have won at least seven games in 11 consecutive seasons (excluding the 6-2 COVID-shortened 2020 season) and in 20 of head coach Kirk Ferentz’s 26 seasons. Iowa has won at least eight games in nine straight seasons.
Iowa is bowl eligible for the 12th straight year and for the 23rd time in the last 24 seasons.
The Hawkeyes won their 700th game in program history in Week 10 against Wisconsin, becoming the 35th school to reach the milestone.