Inside The Hawkeyes

Iowa's Kirk Ferentz Breaks B1G Record With ReliaQuest Bowl Win

Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz continues to break records left and right.
Jordon Lawrenz|
Dec 31, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz reacts after beating the Vanderbilt Commodores in the ReliaQuest Bowl at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Dec 31, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz reacts after beating the Vanderbilt Commodores in the ReliaQuest Bowl at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

In this story:

Iowa Hawkeyes

The Iowa Hawkeyes took care of business in the ReliaQuest Bowl, 34-27, a win that puts head coach Kirk Ferentz at the very top of the Big Ten.

When looking at the best coaches in conference history, Ferentz is one of one. He's the all-time winningest coach in B1G history, and now he has the most bowl wins out of anyone in the conference.

Bowl wins have eluded Iowa these past few years, but they made sure to get back on track in Tampa. No. 14 Vanderbilt looked outmatched most of the game as the Commodores came up short despite a late push in the second half.

Now, Ferentz has 11 bowl wins under his belt. It's his first since the 2022 season as Iowa managed to get the job done against a ranked opponent for the first time this season. No matter what anyone thinks of Ferentz and how this Iowa team operates, no one can take this away from him or the program.

ReliaQuest Bowl Is Ferentz's 11th Bowl Win

It seems to have taken far too long for Ferentz to get 11 bowl wins, but that's an entirely different conversation. At the end of the day, he set a record vs. Vanderbilt, one that likely won't be broken anytime soon, if at all.

There's no sense of urgency for a head coach, specifically at the college level, to stick around for 20+ years like Ferentz has done. The longtime Iowa HC continues to make his mark on the program, and this bowl win further cements him as one of the best to ever do it.

Iowa's season comes to an end at 9-4 as Ferentz and the Hawkeyes handed Vanderbilt just their third loss of the season. It was a nearly flawless game from Iowa as they made just one mistake, an early interception that didn't come back to cost them.

Kirk Ferentz Is One Of One

Never again will Iowa, or even college football see a head coach like Kirk Ferentz. He already has his wife's blessing to come back next year, and it's worth noting he's under contract through 2030.

No one knows if he'll make it another four seasons as head coach, but it's hard to bet against him knowing how long he's sustained this type of success. Ferentz may not have any National Championships under his belt, but he's produced 94 draft picks which in itself means far more than any ring or trophy.

Don't forget to bookmark Iowa Hawkeyes on SI for the latest news. exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage and more!

Published
Jordon Lawrenz
JORDON LAWRENZ

Jordon Lawrenz serves as the Eastern United States College Recruiting beat writer On SI. Jordon is an accomplished writer covering the NFL, MLB, and college football/basketball. He has contributed to PFSN’s and Heavy’s NFL coverage. Having graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay with a Sports Communication and Journalism degree, Jordon fully embraced the sports writing lifestyle upon his relocation to Florida.

Home/Football