IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Kirk Ferentz and Dan McCarney spent nine years working together and eight years coaching on opposite sides of the bitter Iowa-Iowa State rivalry.

McCarney will return to Iowa on Saturday in a strange new role. He’ll be bringing with him North Texas (0-2), the team Ferentz and the Hawkeyes (3-0) plan on using as a tune-up for Big Ten play.

McCarney, who was born in Iowa City, played at Iowa and worked alongside Ferentz under legendary Hawkeyes coach Hayden Fry, will make his first appearance in Kinnick Stadium since 2006 – his last season in charge of the Cyclones.

It’ll be a bittersweet matchup for Ferentz, who first teamed up with McCarney under Fry in 1981.