Inside The Hawkeyes

Iowa Predicted to Fall Short vs. Vanderbilt in ReliaQuest Bowl

Weeks away from the ReliaQuest Bowl, this expert sees the Iowa Hawkeyes suffering defeat.
Jordon Lawrenz|
Nov 28, 2025; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Mark Gronowski (11) is tackled by Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive lineman Riley van Poppel (5) during the third quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images
Nov 28, 2025; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Mark Gronowski (11) is tackled by Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive lineman Riley van Poppel (5) during the third quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

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Iowa Hawkeyes

With all eyes on the College Football Playoffs, one of the under-the-radar aspects about bowl games is these conference clashes. The Iowa Hawkeyes haven't played an SEC team all season, but fans have come to love the ReliaQuest Bowl as it pits top B1G teams against those in the SEC.

Vanderbilt was named as Iowa's opposition, and that's something that may not fare well for the Hawkeyes. It's going to be one of their toughest tests of the season, and that says a lot as Iowa played two teams in the CFP. ESPN's Adam Rittenberg predicted every bowl game score, a prediction that doesn't fare well for the Hawkeyes.

ESPN's Adam Rittenberg Predicts Vandy Will Defeat Iowa

Rittenberg has worked with ESPN since 2008, so it's safe to say he's been around the block. His time with the network has led him to plenty of college football predictions that have been wrong, but he's also been right more times than he can count. With such a daunting task of predicting every bowl game, it just so happens that he doesn't like the Hawkeyes in this matchup.

"Vanderbilt lobbied aggressively for CFP inclusion, even though the team never entered serious consideration," Rittenberg stressed. "Diego Pavia and the Commodores still can deliver a strong closing argument against an Iowa team led by the nation's No. 8 scoring defense."

He added, "Few players have transformed an entire program — the way it's viewed, the way it sees itself — as much as Pavia at Vandy the past two seasons. Iowa will provide a nice test as the Hawkeyes pushed teams such as Indiana and Oregon, even in defeat. But Pavia and the Vanderbilt offense will be too much in this one, as the Commodores secure a once-unthinkable 11th win and a possible top-10 finish."

Iowa Looks To Prove The Doubters Wrong

Vanderbilt being picked to win this game is going to be quite common in the next few weeks, but that doesn't mean the Hawkeyes are going down easy. Head coach Kirk Ferentz already stressed that he doesn't anticipate many, if any players opting out of this game. Iowa will have their work cut out for them against a squad that only lost to Alabama and Texas, but it's not like Iowa hasn't played anyone notable this season.

The main story going into this game is whether Paiva plays or not. If he does, Iowa's defense will certainly have their work cut out for them. Keep in mind, they intercepted Indiana's Fernando Mendoza in Week 5. which was his first pick of the season.

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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.

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