Iowa QB Brendan Sullivan (ankle) returns to Music City Bowl

Iowa quarterback Brendan Sullivan will return from injury to start in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl against Missouri on Dec. 30, coach Kirk Ferentz said Friday.

Sullivan missed Iowa’s final two games of the regular season with an ankle injury. Jackson Stratton, a backup, started in place of Sullivan in wins against Maryland and Nebraska and will serve as Iowa’s bowl game backup.

“He feels completely confident,” Ferentz said of Sullivan. “The injury is now history. She is over. I’m only caught up because he was missing there for a few weeks. It was a good time for him to get some work.”

Sullivan, a transfer from Northwestern, suffered the injury during a Nov. 11 loss at UCLA. He had 344 passing yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions as well as 144 rushing yards and four scores this season. Stratton, who transferred from Colorado State, had 219 total passing yards and one touchdown.

Cade McNamara, who opened the season as Iowa’s starter, entered the transfer portal earlier this month.

Ferentz also confirmed that Auburn quarterback transfer Hank Brown and new quarterback signing Jimmy Sullivan will participate in bowl practice with the team, but both will miss the bowl game.

Brown, who started a few games for Auburn this season, and Sullivan will be part of Iowa’s spring competition at quarterback.