One of the best non-playoff bowl games every year is the ReliaQuest Bowl. Matching up teams from the SEC and Big Ten, it usually features squads that finished near the top of their respective conferences. This year’s battle is certainly no exception. It showcases an SEC squad out to prove a point versus a Big Ten squad that’s the model of consistency. Let’s look at both teams, give you some history, and make a prediction with our 2025 ReliaQuest Bowl Preview.
A Battle Of Top 25 Teams In Tampa
A Word From Our Sponsor
Wednesday marks the 40th installment of the game. In the early days from 1986- 1995, the game was simply known as the Hall of Fame Bowl. However in 1995, Outback Steakhouse became the title sponsor through the 2022 season. That’s also when it became a Big Ten versus SEC match-up. Cyber security company ReliaQuest took over as sponsor in 2022.
A trio of Big Ten schools has appeared in the most ReliaQuest games. Michigan’s been to Tampa seven times, while Wednesday marks the seventh for Iowa. Right behind them is Wisconsin, which has played in six. As far as the SEC goes, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina have played in five.
Now that we’ve given you some history, let’s look at the teams in our 2025 ReliaQuest Bowl Preview.
Uncharted Territory
Under Coach Clark Lea, Vanderbilt comes into Wednesday sporting a 10-2 record and 6-2 in the SEC. In addition, the ten wins are a school record. There were many who thought 14th-ranked Vanderbilt should have been in the College Football Playoff.
The Commodores are led by quarterback and Heisman runner-up Diego Pavia. On the season, the senior led the SEC with a 71.2 passing completion percentage. He also led with a 9.9-yard average per completion. Furthermore, he was second in the league with 27 touchdowns and fourth with 3,192 yards. In addition, his 826 rushing yards were eighth in the league to go along with nine more scores, which was sixth.
However, when Vandy lines up on Wednesday, he’ll be without his favorite target. Tight end Eli Stowers has opted out of the game. The senior finished 2025 sixth in the league with 62 receptions and 10th in receiving yards with 769. As a result, he won the John Mackey Award as the nation’s best tight end.
Wide receiver Junior Sherill had 46 receptions and seven touchdowns. Vandy’s top running back is Sedrick Alexander, who gained 550 yards and scored 11 touchdowns. Overall, the Commodores rank 12th in the nation in total offense with 468 yards a game.
Let’s move to Big Ten representative Iowa as we continue with our 2025 ReliaQuest Bowl Preview.
Model Of Consistency
Year after year, few teams are as dependable and consistent as Kirk Ferentz’s Hawkeyes. Every season, you can count on Iowa to win anywhere from 7-9 games and make a bowl. In fact, the last time they didn’t play in the postseason was all the way back in 2012.
This year’s club is no exception, going 8-4 and ranked 23rd. When you think of the Hawkeyes, the first thing that comes to mind is an elite defense. That’s certainly the case this year as well. Iowa is seventh in the nation in total defense, only allowing 270 yards a game. They rank seventh against the run and 22nd against the pass.
Linebacker Karson Sharar leads the group with 78 tackles, 10 for a loss, to go along with two sacks and a forced fumble. Defensive lineman Aaron Graves has a team-high five sacks in addition to his 36 tackles and an interception.
While a lot has been made over Iowa’s offense over the years, the 2025 group put points on the board. In fact, they reached 30 six times and got over 40 on three occasions.
Quarterback Mark Gronowski leads the Hawkeye attack. The senior, playing in his final game, won’t wow you with his passing numbers. In fact, he only threw for 1,520 yards with eight touchdowns against six interceptions. However, much like Pavia, he’s quite the runner. He gained 491 yards on the year, but his 15 touchdowns led the Big Ten. He has a record 57 career victories as a college QB.
Another player to watch is wide receiver Kaden Wetjen. While he only had 19 catches on the year, he made his name as a return specialist. In fact, the senior averaged 30.5 yards on kick returns with a score and 29 per punt return with three scores. As a result, he was named First Team All-American.
Now that we’ve looked at both schools, let’s look at how each team has fared in bowl games over the years.
Bowl History
Wednesday marks Iowa’s 38th-ever bowl game and the school’s 35th since 1981. Currently, their record stands at 18-18-1. As we mentioned earlier, this is their 13th straight bowl and seventh time playing in Tampa. They are 3-3.
On the other side of the ball, Vanderbilt is making their first appearance in the ReilaQuest Bowl and its 11th bowl overall. They are 5-4-1 all-time. It’s the second straight postseason game under Lea, as last year they beat Georgia Tech in the Birmingham Bowl.
This is the first time the two schools have played.
It’s now prediction time in our 2025 ReliaQuest Bowl Preview.
Who Wins On Wednesday?
On paper, this sets up as a classic battle between an elite offense versus an elite defense. The Commodores feel they were slighted by not making the playoff and want to prove a point. Of course, not having Sowers definitely hurts their offensive attack.
A win for Iowa would be huge, too, as they are looking to end a 14-game losing streak against ranked opponents dating back to 2021.
Look for a close game going down to the wire with Pavia getting one more win for the Commodores.
Vanderbilt 24-20
How To Watch
2025 ReliaQuest Bowl
Date and Time: Wednesday, December 31st, NOON
Location: Raymond James Stadium- Tampa, Florida (Capacity 65,000)
Television: ESPN
Spread: Vanderbilt is a 4.5 point favorite with the over/under at 46.5
