Iowa football to face Tennessee in Citrus Bowl following 2023 season

INDIANAPOLIS — Iowa football will be returning to the Sunshine State.

The Hawkeyes accepted a bowl invitation from the Citrus Bowl, where it will play No. 21 Tennessee, the bowl announced on Sunday afternoon.

The Jan. 1 bowl will be in Orlando and televised on ABC. Kickoff is set for noon (CT).

The trip south will follow a 10-3 season in which the 17th-ranked Hawkeyes won the Big Ten West, but were shut out in their two games against ranked opponents.

“We’re just excited to be playing another game,” Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz told reporters after the bowl announcement. “Really proud of our team. They worked hard all year. Disappointing loss last night, but they’ve certainly earned the right to play in an outstanding bowl like the Citrus Bowl.”

The Citrus Bowl gets first pick of Big Ten and SEC teams that did not go to the prestigious New Year’s Six bowls.

It will be the second time in the last three years Iowa has gone to the Citrus Bowl. Iowa suffered a 20-17 loss to Kentucky when the Hawkeyes went there following the 2021 season.

“It’s going to be a great challenge on the field,” Ferentz said. “We realize that. It was that way two years ago. It will be against Tennessee as well.”

Tennessee is coming off an 8-4 season, although three of the four losses were against ranked opponents. Ole Miss seemed like a possible opponent in the days leading up to Sunday’s bowl announcements, but the Rebels will instead go to the Peach Bowl.

The Volunteers are 17th among FBS teams with 453.5 total yards per game. Their 5.59 yards per rushing attempt ranks sixth nationally.

“We certainly haven’t seen them this year, but I know the work that Josh (Heupel) has done both obviously at Tennessee and then Central (Florida) before that,” Ferentz said. “Just outstanding.”

Meanwhile, Iowa’s defense has been among the best in the country, especially at stopping the run. The Hawkeyes rank fifth in the country in total yards allowed per game and sixth with only three rushing yards allowed per attempt.

“They make you earn it,” Tennessee Coach Josh Heupel said of the Iowa defense. “They’re not going to give you anything. ... They don’t make mistakes.”

It will be the fourth matchup between Iowa and Tennessee ever and the first since the Hawkeyes’ 45-28 loss in the TaxSlayer Bowl following the 2014 season. Tennessee has the 2-1 advantage in the all-time series.

Ferentz was at Iowa for each of the previous three Iowa-Tennessee games, starting with the 1982 Peach Bowl. Iowa pulled off a 28-22 win over a Tennessee team that had Reggie White and others.

“We had a great game with them,” Ferentz said. “You follow them through the years. Just a really good program.”

Iowa is unlikely to be significantly affected by bowl opt-outs. It is unclear whether the same will be the case for Tennessee.

“That’s something that typically happens as they get closer to finalizing their decision,” Heupel said. “This is a great game against a great opponent. Certainly hope that we get a bulk of our guys that are going to help us go be ready to play on January 1.”

Iowa has received a bowl invitation in 21 of its last 23 seasons, dating back to 2001. The bowl berth gives the Hawkeyes “really valuable” practice time this month.

“We don’t have guys stacked up that were five-star recruits or have three years of game experience,” Ferentz said. “So it’s really important for us to be working as much in any opportunity as we can on football. ... It gives you a real opportunity to coach those younger guys.”

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com