The college football season is about a month away as Iowa and Iowa state open pre-season practice later this week. The Hawkeyes open practice on Friday as they get set for a September first season opener against Northern Illinois in Chicago’s Soldier Field.

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz was asked about the game at the Big Ten Media day. He says the game several years ago “worked out wonderfully” as he says there are a lot of alums in the area and it’s not that far for fans to go.

Ferentz enters this season as the Dean of Big Ten coaches. “I never really thought much about it and I still don’t, we kind of take one year at a time. Each and every season that we go into is a fresh beginning,” Ferentz says.

Several freshmen could see the field this season. That is especially true for freshman running backs Greg Garmon and Barkley Hill. Ferentz says it’s likely one or two of the runningbacks could end up playing. He says it could end up being runningback by committee.

Iowa State opens the season at home September first against Tulsa.