Both quarterbacks are going to play for Iowa. Can the Hawkeyes navigate that situation? Riley Donald's pick and prediction for Iowa vs Northern Illinois.Iowa running back L.J. Phillips Jr. (21) stands for a portrait during Hawkeye football media day, Friday, Aug. 14, 2026, in Iowa City. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectIn this story:The Iowa Hawkeyes are set to get back in action in Kinnick Stadium in Week 1 of the 2026 college football season. The Hawkeyes have new faces, but one thing remains the same: Kirk Ferentz.Back at Iowa as the longest-tenured coach in college football, Ferentz is going to give Iowa a high floor, but a ceiling that feels capped at times.With Northern Illinois coming to Iowa City, the Hawkeyes are looking to find rhythm on offense, usher in new faces on defense, and minimize mistakes in a new era of special teams.Iowa vs Northern Illinois betting odds, spread, totalSpread: Iowa -31.5Money Line: Iowa -100000, NIU +5000Total: 43.5 total pointsThe books are all over Iowa in this one, with the Hawkeyes holding rather steady at more than four-touchdown favorites over the Huskies. The curious odds here involve the total points. To get there, Iowa is going to have to do most of the heavy lifting. Odds are courtesy of DraftKingsHow to watch Iowa vs Northern Illinois, time, TV channel, streamingTime: 3:15 p.m. CTLocation: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IowaTV Channel: Big Ten NetworkStreaming: Big Ten Network appAs is the norm, Iowa is opening the season at home inside Kinnick Stadium in front of a sold-out crowd. The Hawkeyes get the afternoon slot on Big Ten Network to start the 2026 campaign.Riley Donald's Iowa vs Northern Illinois PredictionPrediction: Iowa 34, Northern Illinois 10Iowa is going to rotate quarterbacks. It is the storyline that is going to rule the day, like it or not. You won't be able to escape it pre-game, in-game, or post-game.I don't think it matters, though. Even with Iowa splitting reps between Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown, unless one of them fully implodes, this game won't tell us much about who is going to grab the starting job.Iowa can run the ball until the cows come home behind its offensive line. There is no reason Kamari Moulton and L.J. Phillips Jr. should have any less than 35 combined carries. Get the ground game going and don't think twice.As for the defense, that is where more of my curiosity lies. Northern Illinois has some talent in wideout DeAree Rogers and running back Telly Johnson Jr. How Iowa's nearly brand-new front seven communicate, handle game speed, and mitigate big plays is going to be the most telling thing in this game.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollowPublished Sep 4, 2026RILEY DONALDRiley Donald, a former NCAA student-athlete, played four years of college football and was a team captain at Augustana College. He has spent nearly five years at USA TODAY Sports covering Iowa football, Iowa men’s basketball, and Iowa women’s basketball, along with a broader coverage focusing primarily on Big Ten football and basketball. Began covering the Dallas Cowboys. Radio guest on several ESPN stations discussing Iowa football, the NFL draft, and more.Share on XFollow rileydonald7