Cover 3 Podcast’s Bud Elliott says ‘cakewalk’ schedule brings Iowa back into Big Ten title game mix

In the first season with West Coast arrivals, the Iowa Hawkeyes make what would be considered an unlikely return to the Big Ten Championship game?

In a recent episode, Cover 3 Podcast host Bud Elliott explained why Iowa could be a team to watch in the hunt for the 2024 Big Ten Championship Game.

“Iowa. Iowa’s path is easy. The Big Ten West is like, hey, welcome to play on a real schedule. Except Iowa. Someone forgot to schedule Iowa on a Big Ten East schedule. Have you seen who they play? Elliott said when asked which Big Ten teams got the most comfortable path into 2024.

“I think Iowa is very easy. There’s a real chance that Iowa — to steal a basketball mandate here — will be a bid stealer, right, for the conference title. If it’s the underdog Oregon-Ohio State, if they lose an extra game, there’s a real chance they won’t make it to the conference title game because Iowa is there at 8-1. So they play Minnesota, Ohio State, Washington, Michigan State, Northwestern, Wisconsin, UCLA, Maryland, Nebraska. So they play one of the top five teams in the Big Ten. And the only bad team they miss is Purdue,” Elliott said.

Many seem to think the Hawkeyes’ schedule is friendly. In the recent release of ESPN’s Football Power Index, Iowa’s 2024 schedule was ranked second easiest between Big Ten teams.

Of course, Iowa will need to combine that potential scheduling fortune with an improved offense and its consistently stingy defense.

In its history, Iowa has made three appearances in the Big Ten Championship game. Unfortunately, the Hawkeyes came up empty each time.

Iowa fell to Michigan State, 16-13, in a devastating decision in the 2015 Big Ten Championship game. Spartan running back LJ Scott dove for a 1-yard rushing touchdown with 27 seconds left boost Michigan State beyond Iowa in that Big Ten Championship game.

Then, Iowa returned to the Big Ten Championship game in 2021, where the Hawkeyes fell to Michigan42-3.

Lastly, playing in the final version of the Big Ten that included East and West divisions, Iowa was the West’s representative in the Big Ten Championship game last season. The Hawkeyes were defeated by eventual national champion Michigan 26-0.

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The story originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire