With just days to go before Iowa takes the field in the ReliaQuest Bowl against No. 14 Vanderbilt, the Hawkeyes are locked in and ready for one final test in the 2025 season.
The team touched down in Tampa on Christmas Day, getting straight to work as they prepare for their seventh appearance at Raymond James Stadium-though this will be their first since the game transitioned from the Outback Bowl to its current name. It’s a familiar setting for the program, but nothing about this season’s journey has been routine.
Iowa’s path to this bowl game wasn’t paved with ease. The Hawkeyes battled through a tough regular-season schedule, finishing 8-4 overall and 6-3 in Big Ten play.
What stands out about those four losses? Each came against a ranked opponent, and by a combined margin of just 15 points.
That’s the kind of stat that tells you this team wasn’t just competitive-they were right there, punch for punch, with some of the nation’s best.
Sure, the College Football Playoff remained just out of reach, but this season has still given Hawkeye fans plenty to cheer about. It’s been a campaign built on resilience, physicality, and a defense that made every yard hard to come by.
And as the team gears up for its clash with Vanderbilt, they got a special boost from a familiar face-former Hawkeye quarterback and longtime NFL coach Tom Moore. Moore stopped by practice over the weekend to speak with the team, and his message was simple but powerful: this Iowa squad is making alumni proud.
Moore, who suited up for the Hawkeyes from 1958 to 1960 and later served as a graduate assistant with the program, has spent decades coaching at the highest levels of the game. He’s been a fixture in the NFL since 1977, and since 2019, he’s been part of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ staff. But even with all that experience and success, Moore made it clear-outside of marrying his wife, choosing to attend the University of Iowa was the best decision of his life.
It was a meaningful moment for the players, hearing from someone who’s walked their path and gone on to coach some of the game’s greats. Moore’s presence wasn’t just symbolic-it was a reminder of the program’s legacy, and the pride that comes with wearing the black and gold.
Now, the focus turns to Wednesday. Vanderbilt comes in as a top-15 team, and Iowa knows it’ll take a complete performance to end the season with a statement win. But with a full week of prep in Tampa, a veteran coaching staff, and the kind of motivation that only bowl season can bring, the Hawkeyes are poised to make the most of their moment.
They’ve been close all year. Now, they’ve got one more shot to finish strong.