Free Pick | Monday | Bowls | Jan. 1

#275 Iowa +6 over Tennessee 12:00 PM CT

Tennessee and Iowa have met twice in bowl action spitting games 33 years apart. Iowa’s offensive futility is difficult to support but an underdog of this magnitude on a total around 36 has simple mathematical appeal. Iowa did lose 31-0 and 26-0 in its toughest tests this season but went 10-1 in the other 11 games with only a controversial two-point loss, while allowing an average of only 13 points per game. Tennessee stepped back from last season’s success with an 8-4 campaign with one-score wins over Texas A&M and Kentucky worth mentioning. All four losses came by double-digit margins and the list of injured starters is significant, alongside three significant opt outs on defense and quarterback Joe Milton announcing his absence rather recently in the bowl preparation. The Tennessee offensive line was shorthanded late in the season while top running back Jaylen Wright has transferred. Iowa doesn’t have any major opt out news to report for this game but there is an injury impact still in play with Erik All and Cooper DeJean notable, alongside Cade McNamara. Kirk Ferentz has a great ATS record in bowl games going 12-6-1 ATS including 4-0-1 ATS in the past five, and that includes three S/U wins vs. the SEC. Tennessee’s defensive profile, particularly against the run isn’t close to Penn State or Michigan, the only teams to pull away from the Hawkeyes this season, with the Volunteers allowing more than four yards per rush in the past three games. In contrast Iowa allowed just 2.4 yards per rush in the final three games of the season and given shaky quarterback situations on both sides, the ground game will be impactful in this result.

Nelly’s had a 3-0 sweep in the NFL on Sunday!

Big E’s Bowl GOY goes Monday with Big E 4-0 in his last four bowl picks and going 2-0 in NFL Week 17!