Vanderbilt vs Iowa ReliaQuest Bowl game prediction, scouting report

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Vanderbilt football will play Iowa in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

The No. 12 Commodores (10-2) meet the Hawkeyes (8-4) on Dec. 31 (TV: 11 a.m. CT, ESPN) at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

Iowa is the Big Ten’s representative. USC and Washington were not able to play in this bowl due to contracts with legacy Pac-12 bowls.

Vanderbilt did not make the College Football Playoff and are motivated to play in the game, with star quarterback Diego Pavia and tight end Eli Stowers expected to play, according to coach Clark Lea.

Here’s how we grade out the matchup:

A first-ever matchup

Vanderbilt has never faced Iowa.

This is a departure from last year, where the Commodores were matched up against an old rival in Georgia Tech.

Vanderbilt’s offense vs Iowa’s defense

Iowa and Vanderbilt both excel on one side of the ball. For the Commodores, that side of the ball is their offense, which ranks fourth in the country per ESPN’s SP+ metric, but with a defense that is just 33rd.

The Hawkeyes, meanwhile, are the opposite. Iowa is seventh in defense but just 48th on offense. Iowa played several low-scoring games, allowing 20 points to Indiana and 18 to Oregon, though it did not win either game.

Vanderbilt has faced only one defense ranked as highly as Iowa’s this season: Alabama, which has the No. 6 defense.

Will CFP snub motivate Vanderbilt?

There are typically two outcomes for teams that have hopes of the CFP but are not ultimately selected: either they come out strong and make a statement in a bowl, hoping to prove that they were wrongfully left out. Or, the air comes out of their sails and they aren’t motivated to play.

The Commodores seem likely to be the former, considering that they tried to play an extra game to prove they were worthy of the CFP.

Score prediction

Vanderbilt 28, Iowa 13

Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on X @aria_gerson.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt Iowa prediction, early scouting for ReliaQuest Bowl

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