The Iowa Hawkeyes are rarely mentioned in the same breath as teams with modern uniforms or those changing up their style every week. The reason for that is they don’t need to. Iowa has a classic color scheme, an iconic logo, and there is no reason to mess with a good thing.
Iowa’s uniforms work. They match the mentality of who Iowa is. And they reflect head coach Kirk Ferentz’s business-like mindset, removing the frills. But, Iowa will step out of the box occasionally with alternate uniforms, new mix-and-match sets of pants and jerseys, or unique helmets.
How should they look in 2025? Well, here is our best guess at how the Hawkeyes set up their 2025 uniform slate.
Week 1: UAlbany Great Danes
Uniform: Black jerseys with yellow pants
It’s the season opener inside Kinnick Stadium, don’t overthink this one. Kirk Ferentz makes the call here and the Hawkeyes go as traditional as traditional gets in search of handling their Week 1 opponent, UAlbany, without much stress.
Uniform: White jerseys with yellow pants
Leave the alternates to the Cyclones, who have seemingly taken a liking to donning a lot of black and white in recent years in what could be viewed as an effort to be more like the Hawkeyes. Nonetheless, Iowa pulls out the standard road unis for an early-season test.
Week 3: UMass Minutemen
Uniform: Black jerseys with yellow pants
Iowa’s final non-conference test comes against UMass in a game that should serve as a great chance to work out any kinks before the Big Ten slate gets underway. This uniform combination doesn’t get much thought as the standard home unis get the job done.
Week 4: at Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Uniform: White jerseys with alternate black pants
Iowa’s first Big Ten test is a sneaky game. Not only is it a night game at Rutgers, but it comes on a short week as it is a Friday night game. Why not pull out the black pants for a unique kickoff time and try to shake off the bad mojo from the last time this combination was worn? Get a little funky with it, Hawks.
Week 5: Indiana Hoosiers
Uniform: Black jerseys with yellow pants
I wanted to shake things up here, but knowing Iowa, this game is going to be nothing but laser-focused. Iowa welcomes Indiana, which people are rather high on in 2025. The Hawkeyes go their staple home uniform as they try to send a message to the Big Ten and all of college football about who the real football school is.
Week 6: Bye
Uniform: Comfiest sweats and hoodie you can find
Week 7: at Wisconsin Badgers
Uniform: White jerseys with yellow pants
Don’t mess with rivalry games. It is as simple as that. Both of these schools wear timeless uniforms that don’t need any tweaking when they take the field together. The white on yellow going against the red on white is a beautiful look and should stay that way.
Week 8: Penn State Nittany Lions
Uniform: Black jerseys with yellow pants
I really wanted to shake things up here, but my gut says Iowa stays classic in this one, as they did a few years back when they took down Penn State in a matchup of top-ranked teams. That said, if Iowa is to break out a brand new alternate like they did in the Ohio State upset, this one could be where we get some new digs.
Uniform: Black jerseys with alternate black pants
My hand was forced on this one. Per the official Iowa website, this is the “Blackout” game, and that leads me to believe we get the black on black for this game with the crowd in all black. This is one of, if not the best, Iowa looks they have and is one I wish they pulled out more often.
Week 10: Bye
Uniform: Comfiest sweats and hoodie you can find
Week 11: Oregon Ducks
Uniform: Black jerseys with yellow pants and American flag Hawkeye logo on helmet
Like Minnesota, this game already has a label and is the Military Appreciation game. Each year, Iowa dons a beautiful American flag Hawkeye on the sides of their helmets, which is a great touch. Against the Ducks, the uniform masters, Iowa goes the classic with a little American flair.
Week 12: at USC Trojans
Uniform: White jerseys with yellow pants
After a run of some fun uniform combinations and tweaks, the Hawkeyes get back to the basics in their road trip out West. This is how it should be, too. USC has one of the best schemes in football. So does Iowa. Like the Wisconsin game, these two sharing the field is a treat for the eyes.
Week 13: Michigan State Spartans
Uniform: Alternate yellow jerseys with alternate black pants
This is the game to shake it up if you are the Hawkeyes. It is the final home game of the year, and the Michigan State Spartans have shown they will shake up their uniforms as well. Could we get a return of the yellow tops? One can hope, as the inverted uniforms need another run inside Kinnick Stadium. Should Iowa stay traditional black on yellow, we have to hope the Spartans go all white to make this a pleasant viewing experience.
Week 14: at Nebraska
Uniform: White jerseys with yellow pants
Iowa. Nebraska. Season finale. This game is so much more than uniforms. There is no way Iowa goes any other uniform combination than the standard road set when they travel to take on Nebraska. Another rivalry game in the Big Ten, this game deserves the focus on the action rather than the uniforms.
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