Iowa fans owe the Tennessee Volunteers a debt of gratitude. The last time Iowa and Tennessee squared off on the gridiron came in a 45-28 loss in the 2015 Gator Bowl which was even less competitive than the score suggested. This defeat marked one of the low points for Iowa football under Kirk Ferentz; the Hawkeyes finished the season 7-6 after starting the year 5-1, and the program had posted a 34-30 record since winning the Orange Bowl with no postseason wins since 2010. With the team stuck in a rut and serious question swirling about whether its head coach had lost his magic touch, “New Kirk” was born in the wake of Iowa’s loss to Tennessee, with Ferentz committing that Spring to starting CJ Beathard the following season and adopting more aggressive tendencies in the years to come.
Iowa vs. Tennessee: Previewing the Citrus Bowl
