Both the University of Kentucky and the University of Iowa have an undergraduate enrollment of about 22,000. They were each founded in the mid-19th century, have wide fanbases across their respective states and have a fierce in-state, non-conference rival to the west.
And even though they've each had football programs for over a century, they've never played one another. That will change on Jan. 1, however, when Kentucky football— ranked No. 22 in the College Football Playoff’s final ratings — and the No. 15 Iowa Hawkeyes kickoff at 1 p.m. on New Year’s Day in the Citrus Bowl.