The Zeitgeist List · Rivalries

Heroes Game

Iowa20-26-1Nebraska
Power Program II#22 of 138–National Program I#37 of 138▲
See both programs’ full 91-year Zeitgeist History, side by side →
Next meeting: Fri Nov 27 · 12 pm ET, 23 days away.

1 player crossed straight to the rival since 2021 — the turncoat ledger →

Nebraska leads the all-time series 26-20-1. They've met 47 times since 1899. Iowa has won the last 3.

Current season

Vegas win totals and transfer-portal swing right now, plus what fans are actually saying — not history, this year.

Iowa
Win total
8.5
Vegas over/under
Transfer portal
+8
portal net points (weighted) · raw ledger: +21
What fans are saying · program direction
fans believe Kirk Ferentz's team often wins by narrow margins
Iowa has had that 7-3 game and the infamous 6-4 victory with a fuck you safety. The years pass and times changes but Kirk Ferentz getting low scoring wins is inevitable.
Verified verbatim
Nebraska
Win total
8.5
Vegas over/under
Transfer portal
+1
portal net points (weighted) · raw ledger: -2
What fans are saying · recruiting result
One fan believes Nebraska's recent recruits should be performing better than they are
Yup. Nebraska blows out pretty much any state in the area in recruiting. Unfortunately so many of those recruits either don't pan out or leaves for one reason or another.
Verified verbatim

Stature & the series, 1899–2025

Both programs’ standing over time, each line named at its end, with every meeting beneath — read down to see who was bigger and who won. (Stature is each program’s season-by-season standing on the Zeitgeist List, 1936–present — one score blending on-field performance, program achievement, and roster talent.)

program stature over timeIowaNebraskaevery meeting (bar height = margin; dark: Iowa won, gray: Nebraska won)1900192019401960198020002020

The identity war

Iowa has been the more pass-heavy program more often than not.

Across 23 seasons of real play-level data (2004–2026), Iowa led 13 and Nebraska led 10.

more passmore runIowaNebraska2004200620082010201220142016201820202022202420262011Iowa 15.2 ptsNebraska won 20-72024Nebraska 15.1 ptsIowa won 13-102017Nebraska 13.0 ptsIowa won 56-14
Source team_season_stats (CFBD season totals) · pass rate = passAttempts ÷ (passAttempts + rushingAttempts)

Nebraska once won 8 in a row. The biggest win was Nebraska by 57 in 1980. The biggest crowd, 91,260, was in 2013.

The coaching duels

Hayden Fry vs Tom Osborne1-3
Kirk Ferentz vs Bo Pelini1-3
Kirk Ferentz vs Scott Frost4-0
Kirk Ferentz vs Mike Riley3-0
Kirk Ferentz vs Matt Rhule3-0
Irl Tubbs vs Biff Jones0-2

The draft ledger

Every NFL Draft pick either program has produced since the modern era began, decade by decade.

Draft picks
157-217
Nebraska leads
1st-rounders
22-26
Since
1967
First CFBD-carried draft class
IowaNebraska
1960s2-6
1970s12-48
1980s22-34
1990s20-48
2000s33-41
2010s37-28
2020s31-12

Best picks, either side

1984Irving Fryar Wide Receiver · New England PatriotsRd 1, pick 1#1 overall
2004Robert Gallery Offensive Tackle · Oakland RaidersRd 1, pick 2#2 overall
1984Dean Steinkuhler Offensive Tackle · Houston OilersRd 1, pick 2#2 overall
2010Ndamukong Suh Defensive Tackle · Detroit LionsRd 1, pick 2#2 overall
1991Bruce Pickens Defensive Back · Atlanta FalconsRd 1, pick 3#3 overall
1991Mike Croel Linebacker · Denver BroncosRd 1, pick 4#4 overall
2015Brandon Scherff Offensive Tackle · Washington RedskinsRd 1, pick 5#5 overall
1974John Dutton Defensive Tackle · Baltimore ColtsRd 1, pick 5#5 overall

Recent meetings

2025Iowa40-16
2024Iowa13-10
2023Iowa13-10
2022Nebraska24-17Iowa — Iowa favored by 10.5
2021Iowa28-21
2020Iowa26-20
2019Iowa27-24
2018Iowa31-28
2017Iowa56-14
2016Iowa40-10
2015Iowa28-20
2014Nebraska37-34Iowa — decided by 3
2013Iowa38-17Nebraska — Nebraska routed by 21
2012Nebraska13-7

Every meeting since 2018, play by play

Each line is Iowa’s chance to win through that meeting. Iowa is 6-0 in the meetings since 2018 that were still close in the fourth quarter. The loudest meeting for fans was 2023: loud.

2025Iowa 40-16Iowa won 40-16 at Nebraska. Chance to win started at 58%, low 44%, high better than 99%.Busy
2024Iowa 13-10Iowa won 13-10 vs Nebraska. Chance to win started at 60%, low 11%, high better than 99%.
2023Iowa 13-10Iowa won 13-10 at Nebraska. Chance to win started at 44%, low 26%, high better than 99%.Loud
2022Nebraska 24-17Iowa lost 17-24 vs Nebraska. Chance to win started at 76%, low 2%, high 80%.Busy
2021Iowa 28-21Iowa won 28-21 at Nebraska. Chance to win started at 41%, low 5%, high 91%.
2020Iowa 26-20Iowa won 26-20 vs Nebraska. Chance to win started at 83%, low 43%, high 96%.
2019Iowa 27-24Iowa won 27-24 at Nebraska. Chance to win started at 66%, low 35%, high better than 99%.
2018Iowa 31-28Iowa won 31-28 vs Nebraska. Chance to win started at 74%, low 57%, high better than 99%.
“This is the sickest of all sicko games. Imma miss the big west”
An Iowa fan
Read a quote from each meeting
  • 2025
    “Punts: 3 Scores: 4 Turnovers: 0 A wild turn of events. Scores takes the lead.”
    A Nebraska fan

Meetings with their own story page

11 meetings in our archive, 2015 to 2025.