Iowa football bowl prep: 10 things to know about matchup vs. Tennessee

IOWA CITY, Iowa — All digital signs pointed toward a second trip to Disney World in three years for the Iowa football program. One day after a Big Ten Championship Game loss to Michigan, those signs shifted from projection to actuality.

The No. 17 Hawkeyes (10-3, 7-2 Big Ten) will face No. 21 Tennessee (8-4, 4-4 SEC) in the Citrus Bowl at 1 p.m. (ET) on Jan. 1. The game serves as a curtain raiser to a pair of College Football Playoff games later that day.

“We certainly haven’t seen them this year, but I know the work that Josh (Heupel) has done, both obviously at Tennessee and then (UCF) before that, just outstanding,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. “Coincidentally, we saw Tennessee the last two years against Kentucky; we played Kentucky two straight years (in bowls). So we do have some familiarity, but certainly, we weren’t looking at them from a game-planning standpoint. The nice thing about playing on January 1 is we’ll have plenty of time to look at them.”

Here’s a look at 10 nuggets of information on Iowa’s bowl matchup along with other important items to watch over the next four weeks.

1. Last-minute change

Entering the weekend, Ole Miss appeared set as the SEC’s Citrus Bowl representative. However, when ACC champion Florida State missed the College Football Playoff, FSU instead took the league’s top spot in the Orange Bowl, which originally was considered Louisville’s destination. In the final CFP poll on Sunday, Ole Miss was ranked higher than Louisville and earned an at-large New Year’s Six bowl berth.

The Citrus had its choice between LSU and Tennessee but opted for the Vols, who were once a Citrus Bowl staple but haven’t appeared in the game since Jan. 1, 2002. LSU played in the Citrus Bowl after last season and opened the regular season in Orlando against Florida State.

2. Coincidental coaching connection

In Ferentz’s second season as an Iowa assistant in 1982, the Hawkeyes starting quarterback was Chuck Long, who was named offensive player of the game in a Peach Bowl win against Tennessee. In 1999, Ferentz’s first season as head coach, Long stayed on the staff as quarterbacks coach. The next year, Long left to become Oklahoma’s quarterbacks coach and helped the Sooners win the BCS championship. His quarterback? Heupel, who is in his third season as the Vols head coach.

3. Bowl recap

This is Iowa’s fourth straight postseason matchup against an SEC squad, including the canceled Music City Bowl in 2020 against Missouri. The Hawkeyes played Kentucky the last two seasons, splitting the outcomes. The Wildcats beat Iowa 20-17 two years ago in the Citrus Bowl, while the Hawkeyes won 21-0 last year in the Music City Bowl.

Overall, Iowa has become bowl-eligible for 22 of the last 23 years, including the last 11 seasons. Ferentz’s 10 bowl victories are tied for the most in Big Ten history.

4. Citrus Bowl history

This is Iowa’s third trip to the Orlando-based bowl game, and the Hawkeyes are 1-1. On Jan. 1, 2005, the Hawkeyes pulled off perhaps the greatest play in program history when quarterback Drew Tate connected with receiver Warren Holloway for a 56-yard touchdown pass on the game’s final play to beat defending national champion LSU in Nick Saban’s final game. Iowa dropped its other appearance two years ago to Kentucky on a late Wildcat touchdown.

5. Shared history

Iowa has played Tennessee three times and has one victory. In 1982, the Hawkeyes beat the Vols 28-22 in the Peach Bowl. Five years later, they met in the 1987 Kickoff Classic at Giants Stadium, and Tennessee rallied to beat Iowa 23-22. They also met in the TaxSlayer (Gator) Bowl following the 2014 season, and the Volunteers rolled the Hawkeyes 45-28. Locally, it gained the nickname “HawkSlayer Bowl” from the numerous Iowa mistakes and 35-point halftime deficit.

6. What to know about Tennessee … 20,000-foot version

The Vols finished the regular season ranked in the top 25 nationally in six major categories: total offense (453.5 ypg, 17th), rushing offense (202.6 ypg, 13th), rushing defense (113.8 ypg, 25th), net punting (41.4 ypa, 20th), punt return average (14.7 ypr, 14th), punt return defense (0.7 ypr, fifth), total sacks (36, T-11th) and total tackles for loss (93, ninth).

Tennessee is led by quarterback Joe Milton, who passed for 2,813 yards, 20 touchdowns and five interceptions this year. Milton, a transfer from Michigan, completed 64.7 percent of his passes. Running back Jaylen Wright rushed for 1,013 yards (7.4 yards per carry) and four touchdowns. Defensive end James Pearce Jr. is a force with 13 tackles for loss (including 8.5 sacks).

7. Personnel to watch

Iowa players will take the next few days off while the staff meets Monday morning to discuss personnel and the transfer portal. Last year, Iowa had those meetings following its Black Friday matchup with Nebraska and knew where most players stood when the portal opened. After playing in the Big Ten Championship Game on Saturday, the staff will need to expedite the process.

“As you might imagine last week, it really wasn’t appropriate to talk to players about what they were thinking,” Ferentz said. “Our focus was solely on the championship game.”

Sunday, defensive back Brenden Deasfernandes was the first Iowa player to announce his intentions of entering the portal.

8. Practice schedule

With 15 practices available over the next four weeks, Iowa will spend the next two weeks dealing mostly with fundamentals rather than Tennessee preparation. The Hawkeyes will return to practice on Friday and Saturday with their team banquet scheduled for Sunday. They’ll take off most of the week starting Dec. 10 for semester finals before returning for structured practices.

Until bowl prep, Iowa’s veterans will work out lightly and without shoulder pads. The first two-plus weeks are about bringing the scout teamers and backups into the Iowa system with hands-on coaching.

“That’s one nice thing about a bowl game. It gives you a real opportunity to coach those younger guys, maybe guys who run the look teams and we haven’t been able to coach, get hands on with that type of thing during the course of the season,” Ferentz said. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for everybody. The whole idea for everybody in the program is to try to improve daily. So what a guy like (starting linebacker) Jay Higgins will be doing the next couple of weeks versus (freshman) Ben Kueter, very different programs, but hopefully beneficial for both.”

9. Last time out

The Hawkeyes dropped a 26-0 decision to No. 1 Michigan in the Big Ten Championship Game. But it was an impressive display by the Iowa defense against one of the nation’s top offenses. By allowing only 213 yards, it marked Michigan’s second-lowest output in the Jim Harbaugh era and the lowest since the 201 gained against Iowa in 2016. The 3.3 yards per play tied Michigan’s low under Harbaugh, which was the 2016 game at Kinnick Stadium. Phil Parker was the Iowa defensive coordinator in both of those games.

“Phil and the staff did a great job putting the plan together,” Ferentz said. “Then, most importantly, the players really went out and competed and it all goes together. So I can’t say enough about the job Phil’s done 25 years in this program.”

Tennessee lost two of its final three games (36-7 to Missouri, 38-10 to Georgia) before topping Vanderbilt 48-24 in the finale.

10. Stat to know

Tennessee’s offense averages 6.6 yards per play, ranking 17th nationally. The Hawkeyes defense ranks second in yards per play allowed at 4.0, matching its 2022 national-leading number.

(Photo of Joe Milton: Eakin Howard / Getty Images)