7 days to kickoff: 7 of the Iowa Hawkeyes’ best traditions

One week away. Just a measly seven more days to survive until the Iowa Hawkeyes are back and the 2023 college football season hits its full sprint that it will take us on for the next few months.

One of the things that separates college football from the NFL is some of the traditions and pageantry that the game has compared to the pro level. I am not here to say which is better or worse as I spend my entire weekends taking in as much of each as possible. There’s just something about the traditions that college football and teams have that make things feel a little bit closer to the heart and carry some more weight.

The Iowa Hawkeyes have some very strong traditions. From on the field, to what happens inside Kinnick Stadium, even to marking your calendars, Iowa is embedded in tradition. In our countdown to kickoff, we look at seven of the Hawkeyes’ best traditions as we are just seven days away.

I-O-W-A Kinnick chant

“I! O! W! A!” echoes through the night in Iowa City and things get louder each time it goes around. This chant is simple and straightforward, but very effective. Each corner of the stadium has its letter and screams it at the top of their lungs. Just picture a third and long in the third quarter out of a TV timeout with 70,000 screaming this. It’s magic.

Annual Black Friday game

Thanksgiving the day before spent with the family and binge-watching NFL football isn’t an easy task. In fact, it can be exhausting. For Hawkeye fans, they get another meal on Black Friday. Iowa plays Nebraska each year on Black Friday as their final game of the regular season. Getting some more shine than normal due to a smaller slate of games, getting to see the Hawkeyes in this one is a nice, subtle tradition.

Military Appreciation Game American flag helmets

A personal favorite tradition here that the Hawkeyes have adopted is the annual Military Appreciation Game helmet that has become commonplace lately. It is simple but that is what makes it so good. The helmet gets the American flag Tigerhawk logo and it juices things up a little more.

Striping Kinnick black and gold

Big games call for big support from fans. Each year Iowa does at least one game striping the sections in Kinnick. It sets the stage for fantastic photos and takes the environment to another level inside. Usually reserved for night games or big games, it adds another layer of energy to the fans.

Back in Black

“Back in Black” starts blaring, Kinnick turns into standing room only and it gets loud. It is one of the best entrances in college football. The Hawkeyes are now synonymous with ACDC’s mega-hit and it gives you goosebumps every single time the speakers strike it up inside Kinnick.

Kid Captains

Probably the toughest individuals that step out on the field each Saturday in Kinnick are the Kid Captains. These little ones join the Hawkeyes pregame and it is an incredible time to honor these kids and their amazing stories.

The 2023 slate of Kid Captains includes some incredible stories to read about and hear how strong these children are.

The Hawkeye Wave

The best tradition in all of sports. Nothing out there compares to the Hawkeye Wave. At the end of each first quarter, nearly 70,000 fans, the Hawkeyes, and the opposing team all forget about football for a moment. Everyone waves to the children in the UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital.

It is a moving experience. Having the opportunity to do this 25 or so times over the last few years, it never loses its luster. It is here to stay and is atop the best traditions in sports.

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Story originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire