This is surely entirely inconsequential but I found it interesting...

First 3 games of 2005:

Sept 3rd - Illinois St - FCS
Sept 10th - Iowa at home
Bye Week
Sept 23rd - at Army - East Coast road trip for a Friday night game on ESPN

Plus,
Game 5: Baylor
Game 6: Missouri

2011 sched:

Sept 3rd - UNI - FCS
Sept 10th - Iowa at home
Sept 16th - UConn - East Coast road trip for a Friday night game on ESPN
Bye WEEK

Plus,
Game 5: Baylor
Game 6: Missouri

I had originally forgot about the bye week in 2005 when this first crossed my mind. Either way, still crazy how the dates line up from both years.