Iowa football vs. Vanderbilt ReliaQuest Bowl carries a main storyline

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

The long hiatus from the conclusion of the regular season to the kickoff of bowl games around New Year's Eve feels like another training camp for teams. With many teams having roughly three weeks to prep for opponents, there is more than enough time for storylines to bubble up around the games.

For the Iowa Hawkeyes and Vanderbilt Commodores, who will meet up in the ReliaQuest Bowl on New Year's Eve at 11 a.m. ET from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, the storylines are abundant.

The Hawkeyes, always known for stout, stingy defense, get to test their play against Vanderbilt's quarterback and Heisman finalist, Diego Pavia, who will force Iowa to defend the run and the pass this year. This matchup is headlining ESPN's favorite storylines for the ReliaQuest Bowl.

ReliaQuest Bowl: No. 14 Vanderbilt vs. No. 23 Iowa (Dec. 31)

Vandy-Iowa means that the final chapter in the Diego Pavia story will come against a physical and often confusing Iowa defense and a generally underrated Hawkeyes team. This should be a max-effort game from both sides, too. – Bill Connelly, ESPN

Diego Pavia lit it up through the air this year, throwing for 3,192 passing yards and 27 touchdowns, while boasting a strong completion percentage of 71.2%. He also ran for 826 rushing yards and found the endzone nine more times with his legs.

The Iowa defense is prepared, though. The Hawkeyes cracked the top-10 in scoring defense again this year, coming in at No. 9, allowing just 15.2 points per game. Iowa was particularly stingy against the run, giving up a measly 3.5 yards per carry on the season. Through the air, the Hawkeyes once again had a strong secondary, as opposing teams completed just 56.9% of their passes for 158 yards per game.

Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions. Follow Riley on X: @rileydonald7

This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa football vs. Vanderbilt ReliaQuest Bowl carries a main storyline

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos