Get excited, Vols fans: the Tennessee kids are headed to the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on Jan. 1. The New Year’s Day game is a matchup between the Vols and the Iowa Hawkeyes, and the Vols are oddsmakers’ favorites to win. The two teams will play in Orlando, Fla.
Citrus Bowl Odds & Preview: Tennessee Favored by More than a Touchdown
The Vols finished their regular season ranked 21st in the nation with an 8-4 record overall (4-4 in conference play). The Hawkeyes finished a bit better, with an overall record of 10-3 and ranked No. 17.
Despite the rankings, Tennessee is currently holding as the 7.5-point favorite over Iowa on Caesars Sportsbook.
Best Sportsbook Bonuses for the Citrus Bowl
Did you know you can leverage several sportsbook welcome promos this month before the bowl games even start?
We’ve rounded up the best sportsbook welcome promos available right now. You can use them to wager and win in any sport, including College Football and Bowl Season. Read on for the top online sportsbooks and their best bonuses in December.
December isn’t just about holidays – it’s also about football. We’ve got the College Football Playoff and Bowl games to look forward to, as well as some great NFL matchups heading into playoff season.
Sportsbooks are getting in on the festivities with all kinds of promos and bonuses to boost your holiday cheer. When you sign up for a new account at the top US sportsbooks, you can get thousands in bonus bets.
Will Tennessee be at Full Strength vs. Iowa?
As an SEC team, Tennessee had a much more difficult schedule than Iowa this year. Three of their four losses came against top-10 teams, and their last game was a blowout win of 48-24 against the Vanderbilt Commodores. In fact, they beat six teams this year by 17 points or more.
Not too shabby.
QB Joe Milton has 2,813 yards this season, with 20 touchdowns, a QBR of 70.1, and only five interceptions.
What the Vols need to watch out for is the Iowa defense, which is elite in the college football world. (The Hawkeyes’ offense not so much.)
The big question is whether any NFL-bound players will sit out the Bowl Game. Coach Josh Heupel says he hopes to get “the bulk of our guys” for the Jan. 1 game.
Iowa Defense Leads the way
Iowa had a weaker schedule than Tennessee, to be sure, but at least the Hawkeyes took advantage of it. On their way to solidifying a Big Ten West championship, they went 10-3 overall and 7-2 in conference play.
The season started with Cade McNamara at QB, but a season-ending knee injury brought out Deacon Hill, who has tallied 1,096 yards, five touchdowns, and six interceptions in nine games played. His QBR is just 22.3.
Their final game of the season was a blowout loss, but that’s just what happens when you play the Michigan Wolverines for your conference championship (if you’re not Ohio State). The Hawkeyes went scoreless and lost 26-0.
