Overview
- The ranked matchup kicks off Wednesday at 12 p.m. ET at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on ESPN.
- Sportsbooks list Vanderbilt as a narrow choice, with point spreads moving into the -4.5 to -5.5 range and the total around 46.5.
- Vanderbilt will be without Mackey Award winner and consensus All‑American tight end Eli Stowers following his Dec. 28 opt‑out, while Iowa is expected to have a near‑full roster.
- The game features Heisman runner‑up quarterback Diego Pavia leading a top‑10 scoring offense against an Iowa unit rated top 10 nationally in scoring, total yardage and pass defense.
- Analysts broadly expect a close contest with a slight lean to Vanderbilt, and the result carries stakes for coaching legacies with records in reach for Kirk Ferentz and a bowl streak for Clark Lea.