Music City Bowl 2022: Iowa Seeks Payback Against Kentucky in Nashville

Who’s Out, Who’s In: Iowa

If you’re makin’ a list, the amount of players not taking the field for the Hawkeyes in the Music City Bowl is certainly worth checkin’ twice.

Hitting the transfer portal are:
QB Alex Padilla (QB2)
RB Gavin Williams
WR Arland Bruce IV
WR Keagan Johnson
OL Josh Volk
LB Jestin Jacobs
CB Terry Roberts
S Reggie Bracy

Out for injury are:
QB Spencer Petras (QB1)
TE Sam LaPorta
CB Cooper Dejean

And, opting out of the Music City Bowl is:
S, Kaevon Merriweather

With Petras out with a shoulder injury and Padilla in the portal, Iowa will turn to QB3 Joey Labas. While Labas is potentially a capable quarterback, he has yet to throw a pass for the Hawkeyes so this is obviously a worst case scenario for the final game of the year.

Coach Ferentz has said that LaPorta and Dejean are actually expected to return to play on Saturday, which would be great news for the Hawkeyes as both were first-team All-Big Ten players in 2022, and LaPorta was a John Mackey Award finalist. And, at least three NFL prospects have confirmed they will play in the Music City Bowl: LB Jack Campbell, LB Seth Benson, and CB Riley Moss.

Who’s Out, Who’s In: Kentucky

Kentucky’s list of no-shows is not quite as long as Iowa’s, but that doesn’t equate to an easy game or to a second consecutive defeat over the Hawkeyes.

Hitting the transfer portal are:
RB Kavosiey Smoke
WR Chris Lewis (notably also out for injury)
WR Chauncey Magwood
WR DeMarcus Harris
TE Keaton Upshaw
OG John Young
OT Kiyaunta Goodwin

Out for injury are:
RB Ramon Jefferson
WR Tayvion Robinson

And, opting out of the Music City Bowl are:
QB Will Levis
RB Chris Rodriguez
CB Carrington Valentine

Kentucky has backup options in Kaiya Sheron and Destin Wade at QB, though they will miss Levis regardless of who replaces him in this game. Sheron went 15-of-27 for 178 yards against South Carolina, and Wade has never started. So far, the coaching staff is keeping mum on who will start at QB on Saturday but both backups could see playing time during the Music City Bowl this year.

Another major offensive loss for the Wildcats is RB Chris Rodriguez who is arguably Kentucky’s best offensive player, with 904 rushing yards and six touchdowns in his last eight games. The absences of Smoke and Jefferson at RB leaves that job mostly up to Jutahn McClain; high hopes he doesn’t get hurt and can sustain a lot of touches this game.

Kentucky will also be without its OC Rich Scangarello and RB coach/co-special teams coordinator John Settle as both were fired after the regular season. Play calling for the Music City Bowl will come down to associate HC/TE coach, Vince Marrow. Marrow has proclaimed, “We will score points.” We will see.

Who’ll Be Singing the Blues?

Again, this is one of the oddest bowl games of the year. And it’ll probably be a decent game, at least. But who will take home this year’s trophy?

Both teams are facing offensive struggles. Iowa is starting a QB with no experience. Kentucky is without its star QB/top NFL prospect, and its best RB.

In the regular season, Iowa had one of the worst offenses in college football. Kentucky’s was not much better. But, the superior defense does belong to Iowa and most of those guys will be suiting up for the Music City Bowl on Saturday. Expect a low scoring game with a Hawkeye victory. After all, defense wins games, right?

Kentucky’s mood may be as blue as their uniforms at the end of the day, but it’ll at least be a fight worth tuning into.