The Iowa Hawkeyes take on the Vanderbilt Commodores on Wednesday in the ReliaQuest Bowl. The game kicks off at 12:00 p.m. ET in Tampa, Florida.
The Commodores are listed as 5.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at O/U 46.5 points. Below is my full preview, prediction and best bet for the ReliaQuest Bowl.
Iowa Preview
Iowa had another solid season under Kirk Ferentz. This is one of the most consistent programs in college football, with this being the 13th straight year with a bowl appearance for the Hawkeyes. After a shaky start to the season, which included a loss to Iowa State, the Hawkeyes found their identity later in the season. The Hawkeyes hung tough against some truly elite teams, losing to Indiana by five, to Oregon by two and to USC by five. This is one of the most reliable teams in college football to show up and compete every week, which also makes them trustworthy to show up for a bowl game.
Vanderbilt Preview
It was one of the best seasons in Vanderbilt football history, winning 10 games and having the Heisman runner-up at quarterback. Last season, Vanderbilt showed flashes of greatness, including the incredible upset over Alabama, but it also lost some bad games. This season was the opposite for the Commodores. They handled business against all of the inferior teams they faced, but couldn’t beat Alabama or Texas when faced with elite competition. Typically, a New Year’s Eve bowl game would be massive for Vanderbilt football. However, after narrowly missing out on the College Football Playoff, it will be interesting to see how motivated the Commodores will be to face Iowa in Tampa.
Iowa at Vanderbilt pick, best bet
This is one of the best bowl games of the season. While bowl season has become dominated by opt-outs and transfers, both of these great teams will be largely at full strength. Vanderbilt’s star tight end Eli Stowers opted out for this game, but other than that, both rosters are expected to be at full strength. One big question is how motivated Diego Pavia will be. The Heisman runner-up went on a tour of trashing the voters, disrespecting his competitors, partying at nightclubs and going on podcasts after failing to win the Heisman. While he is expected to play the duration of this game, his motivation to win it is up in the air.
My best bet for this game is for Iowa to cover as 5.5-point underdogs. Iowa did not lose a game by more than five points the entire season, including against Indiana and Oregon, both much better teams than Vanderbilt. Iowa does not have a single opt-out for this game, and Kirk Ferentz continues to prove that he has created one of the best cultures in college football. Unlike at Vanderbilt, there is nobody on the Hawkeyes’ roster who thinks that they are too good for this game. The Hawkeyes rank sixth in the nation in defensive EPA/dropback and should slow down Diego Pavia. Meanwhile, Iowa will run the ball effectively and control the game. Iowa is my pick to win this game outright, so I will happily take the 5.5 points.
