It's still the dog days of summer and fall -- and the start of the 2024 football season -- is still about six weeks away, but the demand for Iowa football tickets appears to be red-hot. On Wednesday, Iowa announced that the home game against Iowa State was officially sold out. On Thursday, the athletic department announced that in addition to that game, five other home games are also now officially sold out.

Iowa's 2024 home schedule:

8/31: Illinois State (sold out)
9/7: Iowa State (sold out)
9/14: Troy (sold out)
10/12: Washington
10/26: Northwestern (sold out)
11/2: Wisconsin (sold out)
11/29: Nebraska (sold out)

The only home game not yet sold out is the 10/12 game against Big Ten newcomer Washington -- and according to Iowa "less than 650 tickets remain" for that game, so it might very well be sold out as well by the time you're reading this.

7/22 UPDATE: that last home game against Washington is now sold out as well.

Iowa went 10-4 last season and won the Big Ten West in the final season of divisional play within the league. While the season ended on a down note with the Hawkeyes getting defeated 26-0 by Michigan in the Big Ten Championship Game and 35-0 by Tennessee in the Citrus Bowl, that doesn't seem to have diminished enthusiasm for the 2024 season in the slightest.

The Hawkeyes return all but a handful of starters from what was one of the nation's best defenses in 2023, which should result in another elite defense taking the field in Kinnick Stadium again this fall. On the offensive side of the ball, Iowa returns starters at nearly every position; that experience, plus the addition of a new offensive coordinator in Tim Lester, has created hope that Iowa can cast off the offensive laughingstock label that's been affixed to the program in recent years.

While the 2024 home schedule lacks a marquee opponent like Ohio State, Penn State, or Michigan, it is also loaded with rivalry games as the Hawkeyes are set to host three trophy games in Kinnick Stadium this fall. Games against Iowa State, Wisconsin, and Nebraska always bring heightened interest (and ticket sales).

The Hawkeyes are set to play two Big Ten newcomers this year, Washington at home and UCLA on the road. The Huskies made the College Football Playoff a year ago and advanced to the National Championship Game before falling to Michigan, but they're set to endure a total rebuild this year after most of the coaching staff (and nearly every starter) departed in the offseason.

Iowa's 2024 season will get underway on Saturday, August 31, as the Hawkeyes welcome Illinois State to Kinnick Stadium.