Hawkeyes apparently didn’t know playing in Cheez-It Citrus Bowl is optional

It would be disrespecting the players to say the dozens of bowl games that aren’t national playoff contests are mere exhibitions.

The players all have talent and desire, and they play to win. Such will be the case Monday in Orlando when Iowa faces Tennessee in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, though it’s hard to consider anything with that name the epitome of deep meaning and significance.

Forgive me if I can’t consider this game at Camping World Stadium time-capsule material. Because this isn’t the real Tennessee team that Iowa is playing.

Tennessee’s starting quarterback, its 1,000-yard running back, its defensive end with six sacks, and three of its top defensive backs either entered the NCAA’s transfer portal or opted out of the game.

The Volunteers team that went 8-4 (0-3 against ranked teams) is no more. Lesser players, or at least less-experienced players, have integrated the starting lineup. Included is a first-year college quarterback making his first start.

None of that means Tennessee won’t play hard or play well. But it will be a watered-down version of the team that earned its spot in this game.

Which means it will be like almost everyone else that isn’t in the playoffs. At least 17 other bowl teams saw their starting quarterbacks move on before those games. USC, Oklahoma and Ohio State went with new starting QBs in their bowls.

Heisman Trophy-winner Jayden Daniels of LSU saw no value in playing in the Tigers’ Monday Reliaquest Bowl game against Wisconsin.

Last Friday’s Sun Bowl pitted Oregon State and Notre Dame. Quarterbacks DJ Uiagalelei and Sam Hartman combined to pass for 45 touchdowns and 5,827 yards this season. Hartman opted out of the bowl, Uiagalelei entered the portal.

In last Wednesday’s Texas Bowl, Texas A&M was down to 48 scholarship players. It did very well to lose by only 31-23 to Oklahoma State.

Florida State had over 20 opt-outs for its Orange Bowl game against Georgia Saturday, including its top three receivers, leading running back, and two starting defensive linemen.

The Seminoles were 13-0. But without a College Football Playoff invitation, much of the team found even an Orange Bowl wasn’t worth their time. The Noles who stayed absorbed a 63-3 beating Saturday in a farce of a game.

None of this is a criticism of the players. Not by me, anyway. They gave more than enough to their teams from the moment they first stepped on campus. If they see a bowl game as more of a risk than a reward, so be it.

Plus, coaches do the same thing. Coaches left Duke, Oregon State and Tulane for better-paying jobs before the bowls. Almost the entire James Madison coaching staff had hooked on at Indiana before their old team arrived at the Armed Forces Bowl.

Defections helped Iowa to its 21-0 Music City Bowl win over Kentucky a year ago. The Wildcats were without quarterback Will Levis and running back Chris Rodriguez, who both opted out.

Levis is now the Tennessee Titans’ starting quarterback. Rodriguez rushed for two touchdowns last Sunday for the Washington Commanders.

Levis passed for 233 yards and Rodriguez rushed for 107 and caught a TD pass from Levis in Kentucky’s 20-17 Citrus Bowl win over Iowa two years ago. Without them last year, the Wildcats’ offense against the Hawkeyes was feeble.

Iowa’s wasn’t much better, but at least it scored one touchdown. The Hawkeyes’ two other TDs came on interception returns.

Iowa’s starting quarterback was Joe Labas. Kentucky’s was Destin Wade. It was the first start for both. Both were with their respective teams again in 2023, but neither took a single snap. Labas is in the transfer portal. Wade already has transferred to Colorado.

The Hawkeyes came to that game prepared. They played hard, played to win, and prevailed. Kudos. To suggest that game has enduring meaning, however, is a stretch.

The 12-team playoff starts next year. All the players will show up for that. Well, almost all.

Team No. 13, however, may start eight walk-ons, four team managers, and two tuba players from its school’s marching band at the George Santos Integrity Bowl.

Iowa is as close to having a complete bowl roster as any non-playoff team. That will make a difference. I think the Hawkeyes will play their game and have a good chance to get an upset win.

But they aren’t competing against the Full Tennessee, and that’s just the way it is.

Comments: (319) 398-8440; mike.hlas@thegazette.com