Hawkeyes will face depleted Tennessee secondary in Citrus Bowl

The Tennessee that Iowa will play in the Citrus Bowl isn’t the Tennessee that went 8-4 (0-3 against ranked teams) this season.

Ten Volunteers have entered the NCAA transfer portal, which makes them like just about every other team. A significant departure is that of defensive end Tyler Baron, a pass-rush ace who played in 46 games for Tennessee. He had six quarterback sacks this season.

Monday, two-year starting nickel back Tamarion McDonald entered the portal. He played in 42 games.

McDonald is the sixth Tennessee defensive back of the 10 Vols in the portal. Another is Doneiko Slaughter, who like Baron and McDonald is a senior. He had 63 tackles over the last two years.

Last year, the transfer portal cut in to the Music City Bowl like a horde of drunk tourists on Nashville’s Broadway Street.

Iowa was without wide receiver Arland Bruce, linebacker Jestin Jacobs, defensive back Terry Roberts and running back Gavin Williams.

Jacobs was an instrumental member of Oregon’s defense. Williams rushed for 448 yards and three touchdowns and caught 22 passes this season at Northern Illinois.

Those exits didn’t affect the Hawkeyes in Nashville the way Kentucky’s did. Quarterback Will Levis and running back Chris Rodriguez skipped the game.

Levis quarterbacked Kentucky in its 20-17 win over Iowa in the 2022 Citrus Bowl. He was a first-round NFL draft pick in April, and is now starting for the Tennessee Titans.

Rodriguez, who rushed for 1,379 yards for Kentucky last season, is playing for the NFL’s Washington Commanders.

Iowa beat Kentucky in Nashville, 21-0. The starting quarterbacks were Joe Labas for Iowa and freshman Destin Wade for the Wildcats. It was the first start for both. In fact, it was the only time either threw a pass for their respective teams.

Which, some might say, made that game a bit of a farce.

The Hawkeyes had 206 yards that day, Kentucky 185. The game had one offensive touchdown, a Labas 15-yard pass to Luke Lachey.

Labas was with Iowa again this season but didn’t take a snap. Nor did Wade.

Both recently entered the transfer portal.