Music City Bowl highlights: Iowa 21, Kentucky 0
Music City Bowl highlights: Iowa 21, Kentucky 0
So much goodness for Hawkeyes in season-ending KO of Kentucky
Saturday was such a great day for Iowa football, yet it was terribly sad.
Photos: Hawkeyes beat Kentucky in the Music City Bowl
Our photo gallery from Iowa's 21-0 win over Kentucky.
Grandfather of Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell dies after struck by vehicle in Nashville
William Smith Jr., the grandfather of Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell, died Friday night after being struck by a vehicle in Nashville.
Smith, who was in town to watch Campbell play in the Music City Bowl, was crossing a street when a Holiday Inn passenger van hit him, according to the preliminary investigation by police.
Smith, 76, was with family members, who tried to alert him to the traffic, according to police.
“He had a really big influence on Jack's entire life,” Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz said after the Music City Bowl win. “He was really close with him, helped parent him. … Our hearts are certainly with the entire family.”
Cooper DeJean's thoughts
Music City Bowl MVP Cooper DeJean talks about the Hawkeyes' 21-0 win over Kentucky.
Game Report: Iowa 21, Kentucky 0
A look at the Iowa Hawkeyes’ 21-0 win over Kentucky Saturday at the Music City Bowl.
Iowa avenges sour start to 2022 with Music City Bowl rout on New Year’s Eve
NASHVILLE — Moments after Cooper DeJean downed a Tory Taylor punt on the Kentucky 2-yard line, the theme to “The Avengers” movie series resonated from the Iowa band in the western corner of Nissan Stadium’s lower bowl.
It practically was a theme song for the Hawkeyes’ performance Saturday against Kentucky, too.
Iowa avenged its Citrus Bowl loss to Kentucky at the start of the 2022 calendar year with a 21-0 win in the Music City Bowl to close the 2022 calendar year on a much higher note.
After a stalemate in the first quarter, the Hawkeyes broke through with three touchdowns to break away. Two of them happened 11 seconds apart.
MVP
Cooper DeJean, no surprise, is the Music City Bowl MVP.
Final: Iowa 21, Kentucky 0
Pick-6s from Xavier Nwankpa and Cooper DeJean help the Hawkeyes earn a comfortable Music City Bowl win to finish the season 8-5.
The Wildcats wrap up at 7-6.
UK QB change
Former Hawkeyes QB Deuce Hogan is in the game for Kentucky. 5:53 left.
Taking Tight End U to another level
Sam LaPorta gets a drive at quarterback for Iowa and gains 6 yards on a first-down run. Kaleb Johnson follows with a 2-yard gain but LaPorta is stopped on third-and-2 from the Iowa 44.
Iowa is 0-for-9 on third down.
End 3rd: Iowa 21, Kentucky 0
Iowa's defense has held UK to 2.8 yards per play. The Wildcats just reached Iowa territory for the first time.
Halftime: Iowa 21, Kentucky 0
About as good of a second quarter as Iowa could ask for.
Two pick-6s for the Hawkeyes and the Wildcats are averaging 2.6 yards per play.
Touchdown Iowa
Cooper DeJean with his THIRD pick-6 of the season.
SECOND pick-6 of the day for the Hawkeyes.
Iowa 21, Kentucky 0 (1:36 2nd)
COOOOOOOOOOOP pic.twitter.com/AnmhHKynme
— Heavens! (@HeavensFX) December 31, 2022
Touchdown Iowa
Wow.
First career interception for Xavier Nwankpa, and he returns it for a TD.
Former five-star recruit making an impact in his first career start.
Iowa 14, Kentucky 0 (11:57 2nd)
PICK-SIX‼️ @HawkeyeFootball up by 2️⃣ TDs over Kentucky 👏 pic.twitter.com/5AmrPszvw9
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) December 31, 2022
Tight ends shine
Sam LaPorta just validated his decision to play in this game with that slice of game film for NFLers to watch.
Iowa's up 7-0 on a pass from Joe Labas to the other tight end, Luke Lachey. Erick All is nodding somewhere in approval.
Sam LaPorta treating Kentucky like they're all his little brothers pic.twitter.com/WFroiy7WXP
— Heavens! (@HeavensFX) December 31, 2022
Touchdown Iowa
The Iowa tight ends drive.
On first down, Sam LaPorta broke six tackles on a tight end screen for a 26-yard gain. The next play, Joe Labas found Luke Lachey and he broke a tackle for good measure on his way to a 15-yard touchdown.
Iowa 7, Kentucky 0 (12:08 2nd)
End 1st: Iowa 0, Kentucky 0
Total yards: Iowa 55, Kentucky 47. Iowa QB Joe Labas is 5-for-6 passing for 41 yards but the Hawkeyes are averaging only 2.3 yards per carry.
Defensive standouts include Sebastian Castro, who had two tackles and two pass breakups.
Defensive line status
Deontae Craig and Ethan Hurkett are at DE to start the third drive. No Lukas Van Ness yet. (He's on the sideline with his helmet on.)
More special teams
Hawkeyes go three-and-out on their second drive. Tory Taylor's first punt of the day is downed at the 2-yard line by who else but Cooper DeJean.
DeJean is having a day.
Special teams
Cooper DeJean returns a punt from the 6-yard line to the 40 (and makes it look easy).
Iowa turns it over on downs
A promising drive for the Hawkeyes, but it won't result in points. Joe Labas' fourth-and-2 pass to Sam LaPorta was tipped incomplete. The QB was 3-for-4 for 37 yards on the Hawkeyes' first drive.
Nice start, QB5
Joe Labas' first pass is an 11-yard dart to Diante Vines on the move. Then he hits Sam LaPorta for 14 more.
Iowa forces a punt
Nice deflection by a blitzing Sebastian Castro to force a third-and-long situation.
Former Southeast Polk star starts
It's official. Iowa freshman defensive back Xavier Nwankpa is on the field for his first career start.
Iowa will kick off
Hawkeyes win the toss. They defer. Kentucky will receive.
Today's officials
A Pac-12 officiating crew will be working today's Music City Bowl. Mark Duddy is the referee.
Scouts in attendance
NFL scouts are expected from the Bills, Jaguars, Packers and Eagles for the Music City Bowl.
3 keys for Iowa football in the Music City Bowl
Kirk Ferentz has the opportunity to make history Saturday.
An Iowa win against Kentucky would tie the 24th-year Iowa football coach with Penn State’s Joe Paterno for most bowl wins as a Big Ten head coach with 10.
The record book aside, the bowl also will give Iowa fans somewhat of a glimpse into the future.
Here are three keys for the Music City Bowl that, along with surely helping the Hawkeyes against Kentucky, will be important to watch from a long-term standpoint.
Two mystery quarterbacks! Two forlorn offenses! ABC presents Iowa-Kentucky!!!
Most bowls lack a point.
The TransPerfect Music City Bowl could lack points scored.