Iowa football vs. Tennessee: Live score updates, highlights and analysis from 2024 Citrus Bowl

After an early glimmer of hope, 17th-ranked Iowa fell into a two-touchdown deficit in the second quarter and could not catch up, suffering a 35-0 loss to No. 21 Tennessee at Camping World Stadium.

It was the Hawkeyes’ biggest bowl loss in program history.

The glimmer came as Iowa had a red-zone opportunity in the first quarter while the game was tied 0-0. The Hawkeyes reached the Tennessee 4-yard line before Deacon Hill threw an interception into double coverage.

The Hawkeyes (10-4) did not reach Tennessee (9-4) territory again until the fourth quarter.

The Iowa offense averaged a mere 2.8 yards per play. Hill went 7-of-18 passing for 56 yards with two interceptions and one fumble lost before being benched in favor of true freshman Marco Lainez. Lainez rushed for a team-high 51 yards.

Tennessee’s James Pierce Jr. returned one of Hill’s interceptions 52 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter.

Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava was responsible for the first three rushing touchdowns of the game. He finished the day with 27 rushing yards — a number dampened by six Iowa sacks, four of which were attributed to Joe Evans.

Monday marked Iowa’s third shutout loss this season against a ranked foe in three tries. The Hawkeyes have not scored in their last 14 quarters against ranked opponents.

The Hawkeyes ended the 2023 season with a 10-4 record. It was the seventh 10-plus-win season during the Kirk Ferentz era.

— John Steppe