By Vickie Sellers
GAMEDAY & BROADCAST INFO
- Opponent: Iowa Hawkeyes
- Kickoff: Monday, Jan. 1 | 1 p.m.
- Location: Orlando, Fla.
- Venue: Camping World Stadium (65,000)
- TV: ABC
- Local Radio: Vol Network (FM 107.7 in Knoxville)
- Satellite Radio: SiriusXM (Ch. 138 or 191)
- Live Stats: UTSports.com
#21 TENNESSEE (8-4 | 4-4 SEC)
Game Notes Roster Schedule Stats Record Book
#17 IOWA (10-3 | 7-2 BIG TEN)
Game Notes Roster Schedule Stats Media Guide
ORLANDO – A ranked matchup awaits on New Year’s Day as No. 21 Tennessee is set to battle with No. 17 Iowa in the 2024 Cheez-It Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando.
The Vols are making their third straight bowl appearance and fourth in the last five seasons. Monday’s game will mark the program’s first trip to Orlando for the Citrus Bowl since defeating Michigan, 45-17, on Jan. 1, 2002.
BROADCAST INFO
The Citrus Bowl will be televised at 1 p.m. ET on ABC as Dave Flemming (PxP), Brock Osweiler (analyst) and Kayla Burton (sideline reporter) will have the call.
Fans can listen to Tennessee’s official radio broadcast on the Vol Network (Local: WIVK-FM 107.7/WNML-FM 99.1) over 70 stations across the state of Tennessee and the southeast, SiriusXM (Ch. 138 or 191) and the SiriusXM app (Ch. 962), as well as the Varsity App. A live audio stream of the broadcast will also be available on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics App.
Bob Kesling (PxP), VFL Pat Ryan (analyst) and Brent Hubbs (analyst) will call the action, with VFL Jayson Swain handling sideline duties for the Vol Network radio broadcast. The Big Orange Countdown pregame show begins two hours prior to kickoff at 11 a.m.
NEED TO KNOW
Vols Back in the Citrus Bowl for First Time Since 2002
Tennessee is making its first Citrus Bowl appearance in over two decades as the Volunteers take on Big Ten West champion Iowa on New Year’s Day. This is UT’s 55th all-time bowl game appearance (29-25), which ranks fifth nationally. Tennessee is making its sixth Citrus Bowl appearance and will look to improve upon its 4-1 record in the bowl.
In its last trip to Orlando, offensive MVP Casey Clausen accounted for five touchdowns – three passing and two rushing – to lead UT past Michigan, 45-17, on Jan. 1, 2002. Tight end Jason Witten caught six passes for 125 yards, including a 64-yarder in the third quarter, and defensive tackle John Henderson was named the defensive MVP.
The Vols also own Citrus Bowl victories over Maryland (1983), Ohio State (1996) and Northwestern (1997). Running back Jay Graham was the MVP in the 1996 contest, and quarterback Peyton Manning earned the honor in 1997 after throwing for 408 yards and four touchdowns.
This marks UT’s second straight Florida bowl appearance after the Vols played in their first Orange Bowl since January 1998 last season, besting ACC champion Clemson, 31-14, to finish No. 6 in the final polls. Tennessee has won its last five Florida bowl appearances on the field dating back to the 2008 Outback Bowl.
UT Looking to Cap Another Successful Season Under Heupel
Tennessee secured a third-place finish in the final SEC East standings and posted a .500 or better SEC record (4-4) for the third straight season, a first for the program since it did it 16 straight seasons from 1989-2004. The Vols are seeking back-to-back seasons of at least nine victories for the first time since 2014-15. It’s the winningest two-year stretch for the program since claiming 19 victories from 2006-07. A win versus Iowa would give the Big Orange 20 victories since the start of the 2022 season, the most over a two-year span for UT since 2003-04 (20).
Passing of the Torch
Tennessee true freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava is set to make his first career start after redshirt senior Joe Milton III announced on Wednesday that he was opting out of the bowl game to focus on preparations for the NFL Draft.
Iamaleava, the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2023 signing class according to On3, will be the first quarterback in program history to make his first start in a bowl game and just the third true freshman signal caller to start a bowl game for the Vols (more info below).
Bowl Game Starts by UT True Freshman QBs
Peyton Manning – 1994 Gator Bowl vs. Virginia Tech (W, 45-23)
Stat Line: 12-19, 189 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
Casey Clausen – 2001 Cotton Bowl vs. Kansas State (L, 35-21)
Stat Line: 7-25, 120 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT
Tyler Bray – 2010 Music City Bowl vs. North Carolina (L, 30-27)
Stat Line: 27-45, 312 yards, 4 TD, 3 INT
SERIES HISTORY
Tennessee leads, 2-1
The Vols have won two of their prior three meeting against the Hawkeyes, including a 45-28 victory over in the 2015 TaxSlayer Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida. UT also took down Iowa, 23-22, in the 1987 Kickoff Classic in East Rutherford, New Jersey, with Keith Jackson calling the game on ABC. The Hawkeyes lone victory in the series came back in the 1982 Peach Bowl by a score of 28-22.
ABOUT IOWA
Iowa is led by Kirk Ferentz, who is in his 25th season as head coach of the program. Ferentz has led the Hawkeyes to 196 wins during his head coaching tenure, including 10 bowl victories. Iowa won its third Big Ten West title this season after a 10-2 regular season before falling to Michigan in the Big Ten Championship game.
The Hawkeyes boast one of the nation’s top defenses, ranking among the top-10 in the country in scoring defense (4th – 13.2 ppg), total defense (5th – 274.8 ypg), passing defense (8th – 172.2 ypg) and interceptions (t-8th – 16). They also rank in the top-20 nationally in red zone defense (t-13th), rushing defense (14th) and third down defense (18th).
Senior linebacker Jay Higgins leads Iowa’s stout defense with 155 total tackles, which ranks second in the FBS. He also has four tackles for loss, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and an interception on the year. Fellow senior linebacker Nick Jackson ranks second on the team in tackles with 99 and is also tied for second on the squad with eight TFLs and seven quarterback hurries. Senior defensive end Joe Evans enters the Citrus Bowl as the team leader in TFLs (9.5), sacks (5.5) and quarterback hurries (10). Senior defensive back Sebastian Castro paces the secondary with 61 total tackles and a team highs in interceptions (3) and pass breakups (8).
Iowa has struggled offensively this season, ranking towards the bottom of the Big Ten in most categories. The Hawkeyes rely primarily on their ground game with junior running back Leshon Williams leading the way. Williams has rushed for 804 yards on 164 attempts but has just one touchdown on the year. Sophomore quarterback Deacon Hill has completed 115 of 233 passes for 1,096 yards, five touchdowns and six interceptions. Senior tight end Erick All is the Hawkeyes’ leading receiver with 21 receptions for 299 yards and three touchdowns.
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