FINAL: Tennessee Wins Citrus Bowl, Marking Iamaleava Era’s First Victory Over Iowa
The Tennessee Volunteers won their second bowl game under head coach Josh Heupel after defeating the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl. This was the team’s ninth victory of the year.
The Nico Iamaleava era had a prosperous beginning. Iamaleava played a flawless game without making any mistakes, scoring three running touchdowns, and appearing to be in total control against one of the top five college football defenses in Knoxville, Tennessee. Expectations were met by his first start, and there are many reasons to be optimistic about the 2024 campaign.
In this one, a lot of young players were given the opportunity to influence the game. The finest defensive player for Tennessee this season was edge rusher James Pearce Jr., who will be their top returner going into next year. Early in the fourth quarter, he recorded a pick-6 and caused a critical fumble on a strip-sack that resulted in a touchdown for Tennessee.
Considering Iowa’s offensive position going into the game, the defensive effort was outstanding. Pitching a shutout, the Vols rallied to the football all afternoon, throwing off the Hawkeyes’ timing in their offensive. During the entire afternoon, the Hawkeyes were displaced by the defensive line, which created plays.
How To Watch: Tennessee vs. Iowa
- Gameday: Monday, January 1st, 2024.
- Game time: 1:00 pm ET
- TV: ABC
- Stadium: Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
- Live stream on fuboTV: Start with a 7-day free trial!
NFL Draft Declarations / Citrus Bowl Opt-Outs
- Joe Milton III, QB
- Jaylen Wright, RB
- Jabari Small, RB