Defensive Penetration, Run Defense Are Keys to Success for Vanderbilt Football

The Commodores are going up against the Joe Moore winners in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

Vanderbilt defensive lineman Khordae Sydnor (96) celebrates near the end of the game during the fourth quarter against Tennessee at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025. | Mark Zaleski / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Vanderbilt’s defense is looking for something to prove as it faces perhaps one of, if not, the most physical offensive front yet on New Year’s Eve in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

The Commodores take on the Iowa Hawkeyes to start the final day of football in the year 2025. Vanderbilt is hoping to cap off what has been a historic season on the right note, but it will not be easy. While Vanderbilt has played a SEC schedule full of physical teams, its season finale is up against one of the best offensive lines in America.

After the conclusion of the regular season, Iowa’s offensive line was given the Joe Moore Award, which goes to the best offensive line in college football. Iowa allowed just 16 sacks all season as it built its identity off physicality and wearing teams down throughout games while getting a rushing attack going.

That is exactly what Vanderbilt is going to need to do in order to come away with a program-record 11th win. The Commodores know that stopping the Iowa run game and getting penetration up front is going to need to happen for a great ending to the year.

“Stopping the run. I mean, that’s their identity,” Vanderbilt safety Randon Fontenette said on what the key to the game is. “They’re precise about each play. As long as we stop the run, I feel like we’ll be in great shape.”

Vanderbilt defensive lineman Khordae Sydnor will have to be one of the guys that needs to get into the Iowa backfield early and often. As a whole, Vanderbilt’s rushing defense has been rock solid all season, allowing just 103.2 rush yards per game (15th best in college football). Iowa’s rushing offense is 43rd-best in the country with over 177 yards on the ground per game. In a sense, Vanderbilt faces another challenge of good against good in the trenches.

“I know how they play and it’s going to be a challenge, but we’ve been playing solid up front. Our defense has been playing solid, so I’ll take my guys every single day for sure,” Sydnor said.

Sydnor brings a unique perspective to the defensive line in preparation for Vanderbilt’s bowl game. Sydnor spent three seasons playing in the Big Ten as a Purdue Boilermaker. Sydnor has faced Iowa's physicality before, which could serve as a bit of an advantage as he is familiar with the style of play he will be seeing Wednesday afternoon.

Similar to Fontenette, Sydnor also knows firsthand that stopping the run against Iowa is a must. If the Hawkeyes establish a run game, it could put Vanderbilt in trouble defensively. But if Vanderbilt is able to handle the Iowa run game, it gives the Commodores a significant advantage against the 129th ranked passing offense.

“It was big every year,” Sydnor said of playing in the Purdue-Iowa rivalry. “We knew it was going to be a heavy run game. You got to stop the run. You stop the run, you get them off-schedule and that changes their whole game plan. So, you get them off-schedule and stuff like that, it could change the game.”

Iowa averages just 137.4 pass yards per game. In fact, Iowa starting quarterback Mark Gronowski has not passed for 200 or more yards in a game this season. The most yards Gronowski has thrown in a game this season was passing for 186 yards against Rutgers on Sep. 19.

The key to the game for Vanderbilt could not be more clear: get penetration against the Iowa offensive line and slow down the rushing attack and the win probability for the Commodores go way up. Kickoff for Vanderbilt’s season finale against Iowa is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT Dec. 31.