Vanderbilt and Iowa match up in the ReliaQuest Bowl

By Canadian Press on December 16, 2025.

Iowa (8-4) vs. Vanderbilt (10-2), Dec. 31 at 12 p.m. EST.

BetMGM College Football Odds Line: Vanderbilt by 5.5. Against the spread: Vanderbilt 10-2, Iowa 7-3-1.

How to watch: ESPN

Key stats

Vanderbilt Offense

Overall: 468.5 yards per game (11th in FBS)

Passing: 282.6 yards per game (14th)

Rushing: 185.9 yards per game (35th)

Scoring: 39.4 points per game (8th)

Vanderbilt Defense

Overall: 355.8 yards per game (55th in FBS)

Passing: 252.6 yards per game (122nd)

Rushing: 103.2 yards per game (17th)

Scoring: 21.9 points per game (41st)

Iowa Offense

Overall: 315.2 yards per game (121st in FBS)

Passing: 137.4 yards per game (131st)

Rushing: 177.8 yards per game (45th)

Scoring: 28.9 points per game (60th)

Iowa Defense

Overall: 270.6 yards per game (8th in FBS)

Passing: 158.2 yards per game (8th)

Rushing: 112.4 yards per game (24th)

Scoring: 15.2 points per game (9th)

Vanderbilt is 105th in defensive third down percentage, allowing opponents to convert 42.6% of the time. Iowa ranks 38th on offense, converting on 43% of third downs.

Vanderbilt is 105th in the FBS averaging 61.5 penalty yards per game, compared to Iowa’s 3rd-ranked 28.1 per-game average.

Vanderbilt is 56th in FBS in red zone defense, allowing opponents to score on 82.1% of trips. Iowa’s red zone offense ranks 6th, scoring on 93.5% of red zone opportunities.

Team leaders

Vanderbilt

Passing: Diego Pavia, 3,192 yards, 27 TDs, 8 INTs, 71.2 completion percentage

Rushing: Pavia, 826 yards on 152 carries, 9 TDs

Receiving: Eli Stowers, 765 yards on 61 catches, 4 TDs

Iowa

Passing: Mark Gronowski, 1,529 yards, 8 TDs, 6 INTs, 62.5 completion percentage

Rushing: Kamari Moulton, 783 yards on 156 carries, 4 TDs

Receiving: DJ Vonnahme, 288 yards on 22 catches, 2 TDs

Last game

Vanderbilt won 45-24 over Tennessee on Saturday, Nov. 29. Pavia passed for 268 yards on 18-of-28 attempts (64.3%) with one touchdown and two interceptions. He also carried the ball 20 times for 165 yards and one rushing touchdown. Sedrick Alexander had 115 rushing yards on 10 carries and three touchdowns. Junior Sherrill recorded 76 yards on three catches.

Iowa won 40-16 over Nebraska on Friday, Nov. 28. Gronowski led Iowa with 166 yards on 9-of-16 passing (56.2%) for one touchdown and no interceptions. He also carried the ball 13 times for 64 yards and two rushing touchdowns. Moulton carried the ball 18 times for 93 yards and scored two touchdowns. Vonnahme put up 91 yards on three catches with one touchdown.

The Associated Press