Live Blog: No. 14 Vanderbilt Football vs. No. 23 Iowa in The ReliaQuest Bowl

Vanderbilt hopes it has a fitting end to a magical season.

Dec 31, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; a general view of the stadium before the ReliaQuest Bowl between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Vanderbilt Commodores at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

TAMPA, Fla. — No. 14 Vanderbilt has had a tremendous football season, yet history is still on the line. The Commodores are slated to face No. 23 Iowa in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Wednesday, and a win would mark their first ever 11-win season.

Vanderbilt is riding a three-game winning streak, grabbing victories over Auburn, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Still, getting this win in Florida won’t be easy, as Iowa is a worthy foe. 

Vanderbilt boasts a 10-2 record, while the Hawkeyes have won eight games. Both teams have kept it competitive against talented opponents — Vanderbilt’s two losses were to No. 9 Alabama and No. 13 Texas, while Iowa’s four losses came to Iowa State, No. 1 Indiana, No. 5 Oregon, and No. 16 USC. 

A huge strength of Iowa’s is its offensive line. The Hawkeyes won the Joe Moore Award, an honor that is given to the best offensive line in college football. Iowa finds success by playing with a sense of physicality and allowing its run game to wreak havoc, which could give Vanderbilt problems.

On top of that, the Commodores will be without All-American tight end Eli Stowers. Stowers opted out of the game in light of preparing to enter the NFL Draft, a decision that Vanderbilt supports but will feel.

Stowers leads the Commodores in receiving yards with 769, tagging on four touchdowns. The offense will certainly miss him against the Hawkeyes, instead leaning on reliable quarterback Diego Pavia.

Pavia has thrown for a whopping 3,192 yards this season, adding 27 touchdowns. He may be playing with some added emotion after falling short of winning the Heisman on Dec. 13. Pavia finished as the runner-up to Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

Even though he didn’t take home the hardware, Pavia has led his team to a season to remember. His impact on the Commodores is too grand to put into words, as he has elevated the programs to new heights.

Now, he has one final chance to take the field in a Vanderbilt uniform, and it goes without saying that he is ready to make the most of it. A win would not only allow the Commodores to make aforementioned history, but it would send Pavia off in the way he arguably deserves- as a winner.

The Commodores and Hawkeyes square off at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, with kickoff slated for noon eastern time.

Follow the live blog here for live updates from today’s Vanderbilt-Iowa game.

Live Blog

Be sure to refresh your browser for live updates from Vanderbilt vs. Iowa. The most recent updates will appear at the top.

2nd Quarter

• Diego Pavia is finally able to escape the pocket and find some success running. He and the Commodores attempt to get on the board before halftime, but he is forced to heave a deep ball with six seconds left on the clock. The pass is incomplete.

• Iowa extends its lead with a touchdown, 14-3 Iowa. It was a pass play to Reece Vander Zee.

• Diego Pavia is sacked yet again, and bad turns to worse for the Commodores. After the punter kicks the ball beyond the line of scrimmage, the Hawkeyes take over with a first-and-goal.

• Vanderbilt takes a timeout for injury after Junior Sherrill is banged up. Sherill was targeted six times in the first half before coming out of the game.

• Jordan White is dealing with a lower-body injury. He went into the medical tent, but now he is on the bike. Per the sideline reporter, he has a substantial limp.

• And right on cue, Vanderbilt comes up with a big sack, forcing the ball out. Iowa recovers but faces a third-and-16.

• Even after an Iowa holding call, the Hawkeyes convert a first-and-20. The Commodores need to find ways to slow this offense down.

• After putting together a long drive, the Commodores are held to a field goal. Pavia lobbed a dangerous pass that was broken up, forcing the field goal unit to come out. Brock Taylor makes the 41-yard try — 7-3 Iowa.

• Diego Pavia takes another sack, his third of the game. On the very next play, the Commodores catch a break as Will Hubert is flagged for roughing the passer. Can Vanderbilt use this as momentum?

`1st Quarter

• Iowa has a fourth-and-1 to start the second quarter. Not the start Vanderbilt wanted, but to be down just 7-0 is good news considering just 29 yards of offense for Vanderbilt in that quarter.

• Iowa brought the pressure again as Pavia is sacked on third down for the second time today. Pavia needed to do a better job of feeling the pressure and Vanderbilt needs to do a better job of pass protections. Iowa's got the ball again after a 59-yard punt.

• Oh my goodness Martel Hight gets his fourth interception of the season in the end zone. A missed tackle on 2nd and 14 led to a 51-yard play that put Iowa on the Vanderbilt 4-yard line, but Hight saves the day with an interception off a tipped pass the next play. Vanderbilt fortunate to be down 7-0 still. Commodores looking to get things going on offense now.

• Pavia gets sacked at midfield on third down and forces Vanderbilt to punt. Vanderbilt moved the ball decently down the field until Iowa brought the blitz on third down. Iowa has come to play on both sides of the ball so far.

• Iowa capitalizes on the Vanderbilt defensive mistake with a 4-yard touchdown run. Not an ideal start at all for Vanderbilt. 7-0 Iowa.

• Miles Capers missed a sack opportunity and paid for it as Iowa quarterback Mark Gronowski escapes for 44 yards on top of a late hit penalty on Vanderbilt at the end of the play. Just a brutal whiff there.

Pregame

• Vanderbilt won the toss and deferred to the second half. Vanderbilt defense on the field first.

• Future Vanderbilt quarterback Jared Curtis is also in attendance today. The five-star recruit flipped his commitment from Georgia to Vanderbilt four weeks ago. The Commodore fanbase is hoping for a bright future when Curtis joins the team.

• Vanderbilt and Iowa are warming up on the field as quarterback Diego Pavia gears up for his final game in the black and gold.

Weather Report

It is a crisp 52 degrees in Tampa as Vanderbilt and Iowa are set to kickoff at 12 p.m. CT. It is a sunny day as well, perfect for the final day of 2025. The forecast says the temperature will rise into the upper 50s by the end of the game.