Iowa's 2014 football schedule may be its weirdest ever

The Big Ten made a Big Deal about releasing its 2015 and 2016 conference football schedules Monday. Well, maybe not a big deal, but it was a press release.

I took little interest in it since a) There's no guarantee I or the world will be here in 2015 and b) who's to say the Big Ten won't have 32 members by then?

But then Iowa sent its version of the release with the 2013-through-2016 Hawkeye football skeds, and I took a look for some reason. Hey, I'm a curious cat.

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Something struck me. Namely, this section from 2014:

Sept. 27     Open

Oct.    4     at Wisconsin

Oct.   11    Open

Oct. 18      Ohio State

After playing its four nonconference games, Iowa has an open date. Then it plays at Wisconsin. Then it has another open date.

That's one football game in three weeks, in the heart of the season. And the Hawkeyes' Big Ten home-opener isn't until Oct. 18. I don't think that will go over real well in Hawkdom.

If Iowa wants to find an upside, it's that it will have two weeks to prepare for both Wisconsin and Ohio State and should be in pretty good health for both. But it seems like a hard way to keep a head of steam if you're winning or to get out of the doldrums if things aren't going so well.

Because of the vagaries of the calendar, Iowa has two open dates in 2013 and 2014.  The ones in 2013 are a month apart, so that's a little more palatable. Here are the 2013 through 2016 schedules:

2013

Aug. 31     Northern Illinois

Sept.   7     Missouri State

Sept. 14     at Iowa State

Sept. 21     Western Michigan

Sept. 28     at Minnesota

Oct.    5     Michigan State (HC)

Oct.  12     Open

Oct.  19     at Ohio State

Oct.  26     Northwestern

Nov.   2     Wisconsin

Nov.   9     at Purdue

Nov. 16     Open

Nov. 23     Michigan

Nov. 30     at Nebraska

2014

Aug. 30     Northern Iowa

Sept.   6     Ball State

Sept. 13     Iowa State

Sept. 20     at Pittsburgh

Sept. 27     Open

Oct.    4     at Wisconsin

Oct.   11    Open

Oct.   18    Ohio State

Oct.   25    Purdue

Nov.    1    at Michigan

Nov.    8    at Northwestern

Nov.  15    Minnesota

Nov.  22    at Michigan State

Nov.  29    Nebraska

2015

Sept.   5     Illinois State

Sept. 12     at Iowa State

Sept. 19     Pittsburgh

Sept. 26     North Texas

Oct.    3     Northwestern

Oct.   10    Michigan State

Oct.   17    at Purdue

Oct.   24    at Minnesota

Oct.   31    Illinois

Nov.    7    at Penn State

Nov.   14   Open

Nov.   21   Michigan

Nov.   28   at Nebraska

2016

Sept.   3     North Dakota State

Sept.  10    Iowa State

Sept.  17    Central Michigan

Sept.  24    TBA

Oct.     1    Minnesota

Oct.     8    at Michigan State

Oct.   15    Purdue

Oct.   22    at Northwestern

Oct.   29    at Illinois

Nov.    5    Penn State

Nov.  12    Open

Nov.  19    at Michigan

Nov.  26    Nebraska