Iowa Star RB Undecided About Playing in Bowl Game

Iowa Hawkeyes star running back Kaleb Johnson is undecided about playing in the team's bowl game.

Nov 29, 2024; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes running back Kaleb Johnson (2) runs the ball as Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive back Isaac Gifford (2) makes the tackle during the third quarter at Kinnick Stadium. / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Kaleb Johnson and the Iowa Hawkeyes were able to pull off a hard-fought and ugly 13-10 win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers in their final game of the regular season. Now, they will head into their bowl game which will be revealed in the near future.

With that being said, there is a real question about Johnson's status for that bowl game.

Johnson appears to be headed to the NFL. He isn't being projected to be a first round pick, but there is a good chance that he could end up being a second rounder.

There is a chance that he could sit out the bowl game to avoid potential injury.

While he could opt to sign out, it sure sounds like he's leaning towards playing. As shared by Chad Leistikow of the Des Moines Register, Johnson said that he will "probably" play in the bowl game. However, he did say he hasn't decided for sure.

Kaleb Johnson says he will “probably” play in Iowa’s bowl game but hasn’t decided for sure yet.

— Chad Leistikow🆑 (@ChadLeistikow) November 30, 2024

If Johnson chooses not to play in that game, Iowa would have a much more difficult task ahead of them.

After finishing off the regular season with an 8-4 record, there is a good chance that the Hawkeyes will play a very tough opponent. Without Johnson, the Iowa offense would have a very difficult time producing much of anything.

So far this season, Johnson has put up monstrous numbers. Coming into the Nebraska game, he had carried the football 223 times for 1,492 yards and 21 touchdowns.

Against the Cornhuskers, Johnson had a relatively quiet game. He racked up just 45 yards on 17 carries, but he did catch two passes for 73 yards and a touchdown.

All of that being said, it will be interesting to see what Johnson decides to do. It sounds like he's going to end up playing, but that's not a guarantee right now.

Fans will have to wait for a bit for a final decision from the standout running back.