Iowa Hawkeyes, welcome to the college basketball party.
My goodness, the Hawkeyes are loading up the non-conference slate for the 2026-27 season, showing some serious muscle.
Iowa has already locked in games with in-state rivals, the Iowa State Cyclones, in the annual Cy-Hawk game, along with a neutral-site showdown against the Creighton Bluejays. Iowa is taking on the Big 12 and Big East, but they want more.
And they are getting more with a huge SEC opponent added to the schedule.
Iowa set to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide from Des Moines
As Iowa continues to make its mark across the entire state, the Hawkeyes are taking their talents to Des Moines once again for a big-time showdown.
Iowa will take on Alabama at Casey’s Center in Des Moines, Iowa, on December 21, 2026, just as they are doing with the Creighton Bluejays. The game is part of a two-year agreement with a return game in Mobile, Alabama, to come.
The Iowa Hawkeyes and Alabama Crimson Tide have met twice before in history, splitting the games for a 1-1 record.
Both matchups took place in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Alabama took the first matchup 72-60 in 2006, while Iowa returned the favor in 2010 with a 55-47 victory.
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The Crimson Tide are coming off a 25-10 season that saw them make a run to the Sweet 16 before falling to the eventual champions, the Michigan Wolverines.
Alabama, which is led by head coach Nate Oates, has turned into an NCAA Tournament mainstay, with six consecutive trips to March Madness. Those trips include three Sweet 16s, one Elite 8, and one Final Four.
Iowa is serious about taking the next step in basketball
Iowa is not shying away from showing how serious of a program it is in becoming a big-time player in college hoops. Loading up the non-conference slate with three teams from power conferences is a statement made loud and clear.
Iowa and Ben McCollum don’t want to be a one-hit-wonder. This program wants that to be the start of sustained success in college basketball and is willing to take on top programs to prove it.
These games are also even more important in the new era of the 76-team NCAA Tournament. If Iowa can pick up even one of these three games against Alabama, Iowa State, or Creighton, it is likely to be a Quad 1 win for the tournament resume.
And if they can get two of them, I mean, you can start looking ahead at NCAA Tournament seeding if we are being quite honest.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/iowa as Iowa Hawkeyes Basketball Flexes Muscle Scheduling Huge SEC Opponent.
