Happy New Year Hawkeye fans and Happy Stranger Things finale to all those who celebrate!
As we prepare to exit 2025 and turn over a new leaf into the new year, the Hawkeyes are poised to take the field
for the final time this year as they face the #14 Vanderbilt Commodores in the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa, Florida.
It’s a big time matchup for Hawkeyes and for the Big Ten/SEC. This will be Iowa’s fifth matchup against a ranked opponent this season with the Hawkeyes going 0-4 in the regular season. For Vandy, this will be the seventh such matchup. However, we’re learning this bowl season that perhaps those ranked SEC wins don’t actually “just mean more.” Perhaps the opposite as the SEC is yet to win a bowl game against a P4 team this season save for the incestuous matchup between Bama and Oklahoma.
Regardless of the inflated conference perception, there’s no denying the talent of Vanderbilt’s signal caller, Diego Pavia. The Heisman runner-up threw for 3,192 yards and 27 TDs this season with only 8 INTs as he led the Commodores to a 10-2 season. He’s a multi-faceted, talented QB who will pressure Phil Parker’s defense all day.
Vanderbilt enters the day 8th nationally in scoring offense, putting up 39.4 points per game on the season. They’ve topped 40 points seven times this season, including three times against P4 competition and twice against SEC defenses.
But this is the type of game Parker and the Iowa defense lives for. The Hawkeyes are 6th nationally in scoring defense, giving up 14.7 points per game. This one seems primed for a classic Kirk Ferentz, drag you into the mud and see what you’re made of, approach. Grind the clock, pound the rock and then force some mistakes on the other side of the ball.
Vegas seems to think that may be the case. The line over at FanDuel Sportsbook opened at 4.5 and drifted higher, but has settled right back down to where it started. The over/under, however, has fallen from 50.5 total points at open to just 45.5 points as of Wednesday morning.
Rock fight.
As we countdown to kickoff, here’s everything you need to know about today’s matchup.
Date: Wednesday, December 31st
Time: 11:03 am CT
Matchup: Iowa Hawkeyes (8-4, 6-3) vs Vanderbilt Commodores (10-2, 6-2)
Location: Raymond James Stadium – Tampa, FL
TV: ESPN
Updated Weather Forecast: sunny with temps in the mid-50s
Updated FanDuel Sportsbook Line: Vanderbilt -4.5, O/U 45.5
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Go Hawks!
