Being a Dish Network viewer in the area and an Iowa Hawkeyes football supporter, you may be interested in knowing what channel you can tune into to watch the games of this season. Stay tuned for more information on how to locate Iowa football games on the Dish Network and which channels are popular for airing Big Ten and Hawkeyes.
Big Ten Network
The small subset of Iowa football games that are not broadcasted on ESPN is aired on the Big Ten Network, or ‘BTN’. Fortunately for Dish customers, the satellite provider does broadcast BTN, which means that you’ll be able to see most Hawkeyes games for the season, whether home or away. This channel is standard definition and it can be accessed through Dish under number 440 while the high definition version is 9510.
BTN is the consolidated TV network of the Big Ten Conference and broadcasts a variety of football and basketball games from the 14 institutions that make up the conference. Besides live games, fans of Iowa-related programming can tune into studio shows, coaches’ shows, replays of classic games, etc. Therefore, if the Hawkeyes are not on TV, watch the BTN channel and keep yourself updated on the latest Iowa news.
BTN throughout a given season broadcasts between 40 and 50 football games involving teams from the Big Ten. All of the Iowa games are broadcast here except for a couple of exceptions that are broadcast on other national networks mentioned below. So, tune in to channel 440 or 9510 and follow our broadcasts through the college football season.
ABC
Some of the best Big Ten football clashes of the week are aired occasionally on national television via the ABC network. Like any Iowa fan, you will need to keep a check each week on the Hawkeyes’ games to see whether they are being aired on ABC or not.
With the Dish Network, you can tune into ABC with the following details: Channel 7 (for standard digital) and Channel 607 (for high definition). One official is chosen as their Big Ten game for Saturday Night in prime timing at 7:30 PM ET sometimes involving teams such as Iowa, Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State. ABC is televised nationwide so fans in Iowa can watch the games from these nationally televised games.
FOX and FS1
FOX and its other related cable networks also telecast several choice Big Ten games each season. To Dish customers FOX is available on its Main Network channel which is 2 for Standard Definition or 5122 for High Definition. Dish also provides Big Ten fans with FS1 on channel 150, in high definition, 150.
On the other hand, ABC is privileged to select from the games in the Big Ten schedule while FOX then selects the schools to televise from the remaining schedule. This means that if Iowa is playing against a tricky opponent or is ranked high in any given season they could be scheduled for either FOX or FS1. Dish also offers the Fox College Sports channels if these games are taken off FS1 for another sport.
ESPN and ESPN2
After the recent acquisition of the Big Ten Network, ESPN typically selects one or two prime games it wishes to broadcast live on its stations every weekend during the season. Dish has it on channel 140, with HD being on channel 3140 for ESPN in Standard Definition. ESPN2 can be found with SD here: 144, and with HD here: 3144.
Iowa can be expected to appear in one or two games on either of the ESPN channels during a single season. This means that ESPN has the second pick when it comes to choosing the games involving teams from the Big Ten. Therefore expect a good game if Iowa gets to appear here. If the Hawkeyes are scheduled to play a game against a ranked team or if they are going to be competing against teams like Iowa State or Wisconsin, ESPN or ESPN2 is likely to include these games in its weekly schedule.
NFL Network
Here is one channel where Hawkeyes fans may be shocked. Dish does offer the NFL Network on channels 154 also 154HD. It may be recalled that as partners with the NFL Network, they are required to air at least one conference game which is played in London every year. In what might have been the most random occurrence of the year, in 2019 Iowa faced Nebraska in a Big Ten game, but since you Dish users that got the NFL Network could root for the Hawkeyes.
The fact that Iowa going across the pond is quite rare, but it demonstrates the range of networks that generally transmit Big Ten games. recall the NFL Network should they play again in the international territory and you can tune in on Saturdays to watch other Big Ten games in the season to check on Iowa’s BCS ranking within the conference and in the nation.
Regional Sports Networks
In addition to national networks, Dish Network provides a list of regional sporting stations that fans use for more Iowa football action. In some of the Midwest areas, regional networks add more Big Ten football games, in case Iowa or probably some other nearby Big Ten teams are still of some local interest.
Examples on Dish could be Spectrum Sports (SD 1348/HD 1808 – Ohio/western Pennsylvania), Spectrum Sports Wisconsin (SD 1349/HD 1809), AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh (SD 654/HD 1654), or Sports Time Ohio (Ohio/Kentucky) (SD 438/HD 9568). Iowa’s schedule can be compared to the schedule for these RSNs to tune in for some games that you won’t be able to watch on open national TV.
Alongside airing live games, these regional channels also broadcast coaches’ shows, press conferences, and other Iowa programs during the regular and bowl seasons. Thus, if you get any of the relevant RSNs, you should check out Dish’s schedule as well as the program guide. While National Networks may turn their attention elsewhere, regional networks persist in focusing on schools like the Hawkeyes all season long.
Iowa Games are held every week, but if you are not sure where to look for them, here are the guidelines that can help you:
To recap the main channels that tend to air Iowa football games, Dish Network subscribers can tune to:
- Big Ten Network: SD 440/HD 9510
- ABC: SD 7 / HD 607
- FOX: SD 2 / HD 5122
- FS1: Standard Definition - 150; High Definition - 150
- ESPN: HPL 140 / HPL 3140
- ESPN2: SD = 144, HD = 3144
- NFL Network: L 6 / L 153 / L 154 / SD 154 / HD 154 (For a rare London game)
- Regional Sports Networks (consult local programming schedules for specific dates and times).
Check Iowa’s schedule on their site to find out which weeks they are playing whom and whether it is nationally, regionally, or locally televised. That way you can catch all of the Hawkeyes games this season all around the mid-west and the nation with Dish’s lineup. Watch Iowa games and shows on the Big Ten network to make them complete for your Saturdays!
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