Iowa football will learn its bowl destination on Sunday. Here are the most likely options

How bowl organizers evaluate Michigan after its win over Ohio State could be a deciding factor in the Hawkeyes’ postseason goal

IOWA CITY — When Iowa football learns its postseason bowl destination on Sunday, it will be in relatively rare company.

It will be the Hawkeyes’ 12th consecutive bowl invitation, making it the fifth-longest streak in college football. The only teams with longer active streaks are Georgia, Oklahoma, Alabama and Clemson. (Wisconsin had a lengthy streak, but the Badgers finished that season with a record of 5-7.)

As for which bowl the Hawkeyes choose, the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa, Florida, and the Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tennessee appear to be the two most likely options.

What are the Hawkeyes’ scheduled bowl games?

Here’s a look at where many of the prominent bowl projections have the Hawkeyes competing (and who they would face) as of Saturday morning:

CBS: ReliaQuest Bowl vs. South Carolina

The athlete: ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Florida (last change from Music City Bowl)

ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura: ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Ole Miss

ESPN’s Mark Schlabach: ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Missouri

Action network: Music City Bowl vs. Missouri

What needs to happen for Iowa to return to Tampa?

Participation in the College Football Playoff has obviously been out of the question for a long time, and Iowa cannot return to the Citrus Bowl this year. That leaves the ReliaQuest Bowl, formerly known as the Outback Bowl, as the best-case scenario for the Hawkeyes on Selection Sunday.

Whether Iowa returns to Tampa seems to be a question of how attractive Michigan will be to ReliaQuest Bowl organizers.

Iowa has a better record at 8-4 than Michigan at 7-5. Both fan bases have a reputation for traveling well. Michigan has more momentum after surprising the then No. 1 team. 2 Ohio State and the Wolverines were often a draw for TV ratings.

While Iowa hasn’t necessarily lived up to some fans’ expectations, Michigan has been particularly disappointing this year. The Wolverines were ranked 9th in the preseason AP poll, but lost more regular-season games in 2024 than in any of the previous nine seasons.

Can Iowa fall to the Music City Bowl?

Yes, but it seems unlikely.

With ReliaQuest making its choice, the Music City Bowl is next in the bowl pecking order. The Big Ten alternatives are not necessarily the most lucrative at the moment.

Seven-win Minnesota probably won’t have as much traction as eight-win Iowa (and the Hawkeyes’ well-traveled fan base). Nebraska has the obvious appeal of a fan base that has been waiting for another bowl trip since 2016, but the Huskers have only six wins under their belt and have already lost several key players via the transfer portal.

The next Big Ten bowls after Music City are the Pinstripe Bowl in New York and the Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte.

When were Iowa’s last trips to Nashville and Tampa?

Iowa’s last trip to the Music City Bowl came in 2022, when the Hawkeyes posted a 21-0 win over Kentucky.

Iowa’s last trip to the ReliaQuest Bowl came after the 2018 season – back when it was still called the Outback Bowl. The Hawkeyes earned a 27-22 victory over Mississippi State. Kirk Ferentz’s program also went to Tampa after the 2016, 2013, 2008, 2005 and 2003 seasons.

Who will play in the Iowa bowl game?

Iowa in particular is expected to be without star running back Kaleb Johnson.

Johnson declared for the NFL Draft on Sunday evening. While his social media statement didn’t specifically indicate exit plans, he told Big Ten Network on Tuesday that the “two most important things” he’s focused on now are recovery/combine preparations and finishing school.

On the other hand, Iowa linebackers Jay Higgins and Nick Jackson confirmed after the win over Nebraska that they plan to play in the Hawkeyes’ postseason bowl game.

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