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Game Preview: Cheez-It Citrus Bowl vs. Tennessee

OPPONENT #17 Iowa (10-3) vs. #21 Tennessee (8-4)
DATE Monday, Jan. 1, 2024
LOCATION Orlando, Fla. | Camping World Stadium (60,219)
KICKOFF 12:06 p.m. (CT)
TELEVISION ABC
RADIO Hawkeye Radio Network
  • The Hawkeyes accepted an invitation to the 2024 Cheez-It Citrus Bowl for the third time in program history. It is Iowa’s 18th January bowl game, including the 13th under head coach Kirk Ferentz.
  • Iowa is one of only nine FBS programs with an active bowl game appearance streak of 10+ years.
  • The Hawkeyes won its third Big Ten West Division crown under Ferentz in 2023 (2015, 2021, 2023).
  • Iowa won 10 games in the regular season for the seventh time (five under Ferentz) and it is the 11th 10-win season in program history (eight under Ferentz).
  • With a victory in the Citrus Bowl, Iowa can reach the 11th win mark for the fourth time in program history (2002, 2009, 2015).
  • Woody, Amos & Kirk… Ferentz’s has 196 career wins as a member of the Big Ten Conference, the third-most all-time, trailing only Woody Hayes (205) and Amos Alonzo Stagg (1999). Iowa’s win over Illinois in November moved Ferentz past Michigan’s Bo Schembechler.
  • Defensive coordinator Phil Parker is the recipient of the Frank Broyles Award and the AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year. He is the first Hawkeye to win the Broyles and the third to earn the top AFCA honor.
  • Ferentz has 10 career bowl game victories, which are tied with Joe Paterno for the most bowl wins as a member of the Big Ten Conference.
  • Senior Tory Taylor was named the recipient of the Ray Guy Award as the nation’s top punter. He is the first Hawkeye to earn the honor.
  • CONSENSUS… DB Cooper DeJean and P Tory Taylor are consensus All-Americans — the 30th and 31st in school history. Iowa has had a unanimous first-team All-American in four straight seasons and the Hawkeyes are the only school nationally with a consensus All-American in each of the last five seasons.
  • Iowa had 20 players earn All-Big Ten honors, including first-team selections Jay Higgins (LB), Cooper DeJean (DB and RS) and Taylor (P). DeJean was the recipient of the Tatum-Woodson Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year and the Rodgers-Dwight Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year, while Taylor was tabbed as the Eddleman-Fields Punter of the Year.
  • CLUTCH… The Hawkeyes are 5-1 in 2023 in games decided by seven points or less.
13.2

Iowa’s defense ranks fourth nationally, giving up 13.2 points per game. The Hawkeyes have allowed five touchdowns over their last 28 quarters, seven touchdowns over the past 36 periods and 15 total touchdowns in 2023.

71-2

Since the start of the 2015 season, Iowa is 71-2 when leading by eight points at any point in a game.

11

Iowa will join an exclusive list if it can hoist the Citrus Bowl trophy on Jan. 1 in Orlando. The Hawkeyes would become just the fourth team in program history to reach the 11-win mark, joining the 2002, 2009 and 2015 teams.

30/31

DB Cooper DeJean and P Tory Taylor are consensus All-Americans -- the 30th and 31st in school history.

1

LB Nick Jackson has 99 tackles this season, one shy of his fourth consecutive 100+ tackle seasons.

155

LB Jay Higgins has 155 tackles this season, the fourth-most in a single season in school history. He is 16 tackles shy of tying Andre Jackon's school record of 171.

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4 ALL-AMERICANS; 2 CONSENSUS

The Hawkeyes had four players garner All-America recognition by at least one outlet during the 2023 season. Two players — Cooper DeJean and Tory Taylor — were unanimous consensus All-Americans — the 30th and 31st in program history (16 under Kirk Ferentz).

  • Sebastian Castro – Pro Football Focus (first team), Associated Press (third team)
  • Cooper DeJean – FWAA (first team), CBS (first team), The Athletic (first team), Sports Illustrated (first-team returner), Walter Camp (first team), Associated Press (first team), Sporting News (first team), AFCA (first team), ESPN (second team)
  • Jay Higgins – FWAA (first team), CBS (second team), Sports Illustrated (first team), Walter Camp (second team), Associated Press (second team), Sporting News (second team), AFCA (second team), ESPN (second team)
  • Tory Taylor – FWAA (first team), CBS (first team unanimous), The Athletic (first team), Sports Illustrated (first team), Pro Football Focus (second team), Walter Camp (second team), Associated Press (first team), Sporting News (first team), AFCA (first team), ESPN (first team)

NATIONAL AWARDS

  • Cooper DeJean (Nagurski finalist/Jim Thorpe Award finalist/Lott IMPACT Trophy semifinalist /Bednarik Award semifinalist)
  • Joe Evans (Burlsworth Trophy semifinalist)
  • Jay Higgins (Butkus Award semifinalist)
  • Drew Stevens (Lou Groza Award semifinalist)
  • Tory Taylor (Ray Guy Award recipient)
  • Phil Parker (Broyles Award recipient, AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year)

DURING THE FERENTZ ERA…

Twelve different players have won 14 national awards under head coach Kirk Ferentz, including the AP Player of the Year, Davey O’Brien, Outland (twice), John Mackey (twice), Jim Thorpe, Lou Groza, Doak Walker, Lott IMPACT, Rimington, Butkus and Ray Guy.

SERIES HISTORY

  • The Hawkeyes are 1-2 against the Volunteers in program history. Tennessee won the only bowl meeting, winning 45-28 in the 2015 TaxSlayer Bowl in Jacksonville.
  • Iowa won the first ever meeting in 1982, winning 28-22 in Atlanta (Peach Bowl) and the Volunteers were victorious, 23-22, in East Rutherford, New Jersey in 1987.
  • Iowa is 7-6 all-time in bowl games against current Southeastern Conference opponents.

SERIES RESULTS

12/31/1982 W 28-22 (N)
8/30/1987 L 22-23 (N)
1/2/2015 L 28-45 (N)

10 & COUNTING
10 & COUNTING
  • The Hawkeyes notched their 10th victory in the 13-10 walk-off road win at Nebraska on Nov. 24. It was the seventh time the Hawkeyes have recorded their 10th victory during the regular season, including five under head coach Kirk Ferentz.
  • It is the 11th time in program history that the team has reached the 10-win mark (1985, 1987, 1991, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023).
  • The Hawkeyes finished the regular season with a 7-2 Big Ten record. It is the fifth time Iowa has won at least seven league contests under Ferentz (2002, 2004, 2015, 2021, 2023).
  • Iowa will join an exclusive list if it can hoist the Citrus Bowl trophy on Jan. 1 in Orlando. The Hawkeyes would become just the fourth team in program history to reach the 11-win mark, joining the 2002, 2009 and 2015 teams. w Stevens made a game-winner in Week 9 in the road win at Northwestern.

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