Vanderbilt’s matchup against Iowa is no easy task. The Hawkeyes have been a staple of discipline, physicality and tough playing style in college football. Under head coach Kirk Ferentz, Iowa has been very consistent over the past two decades. Vanderbilt will need to match the physicality against the Hawkeyes.

Here's how and why some Vanderbilt football fans decided to make the journey to Tampa, Florida, for the ReliaQuest Bowl against Iowa.

No. 12 Vanderbilt (10-2) plays Iowa (8-4) in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Dec. 31 (11 a.m. CT, ESPN) at Raymond James Stadium. Some Tampa-area sports figures have made appearances at the bowl. Tom Moore, a Buccaneers offensive consultant and a former longtime NFL offensive coordinator, spoke to the Hawkeyes on Dec. 27.

This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/vanderbilt as Defensive Penetration, Run Defense Are Keys to Success for Vanderbilt Football. 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.

Letters… we get letters… we get stacks and stacks of letters… Question from Kslaught: Iowa does appear to have a good defense. Teams like this have given us some problems this year. Will we be able to score on them enough to win?

Ahead of the 2025 ReliaQuest Bowl, the Iowa Hawkeyes and No. 14 Vanderbilt Commodores held practices at different high schools in Tampa, Florida on Saturday. Iowa football held a practice at the Berkeley Preparatory School,

The 2025 Vanderbilt football senior class will go down in history as the Commodores play one last game together.

Just two days remain in 2025 and college football will take center stage in the sports world with three significant bowl games on Dec. 30.

Pavia officially committed to playing in the game before the Heisman ceremony and has been participating in practices with the team in Tampa. No. 12 Vanderbilt football (10-2) will play Iowa (8-4) on Dec. 31 (11 a.m. CT, ESPN) at Raymond James Stadium.