ReliaQuest Bowl: Iowa Hawkeyes vs Vanderbilt Commodores Betting Pick & Prediction for 12/31

The 2025 ReliaQuest Bowl will take place on December 31 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL. The Iowa Hawkeyes and the Vanderbilt Commodores will compete in this postseason game. Fans can watch the action live on ESPN at 12:00 PM.

Iowa comes into the game with an 8-4 record, having performed well in the Big Ten with a 6-3 conference record. Vanderbilt, ranked #13 by the AP and #12 by the Coaches Poll, holds a 10-2 record this season. The Commodores were strong at home, going 7-0 in their games at FirstBank Stadium.

Iowa Team Preview

The Iowa Hawkeyes have a solid record in recent games. They secured a win against Nebraska with a score of 40-16. In that game, they managed 18 first downs and had zero turnovers.

Mark Gronowski has been a key player for the Hawkeyes. He has played in 12 games and passed for 1,529 yards. His performance includes 8 touchdowns and 6 interceptions.

The Hawkeyes’ running game has been effective this season. Kamari Moulton has rushed for 783 yards over 10 games. On the injury front, Xavier Williams is questionable, which might affect their rushing strategy.

ReliaQuest Bowl: Iowa vs Vanderbilt Game Day Info

• Sport: NCAA Football
• Teams: Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Vanderbilt Commodores
• Venue: Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL
• Date: Wednesday, December 31, 2025
• Betting Odds: Iowa +184, Vanderbilt -224

Vanderbilt Team Preview

The Vanderbilt Commodores have had a strong run in recent games. They won against Tennessee, Kentucky, and Auburn, scoring 45 points in each game. Their offense has been putting up high numbers, with impressive passing and rushing yard totals.

Their quarterback, Diego Pavia, leads with 3,192 passing yards and 27 touchdowns in the season. Sedrick Alexander is their top running back, with 563 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. Junior Sherrill leads the wide receivers with 661 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.

The Commodores have a few players listed as questionable due to injuries. This includes Chase Gillespie, Yilanan Ouattara, Nikhil Jefferson, and Vanzale Hinton. These players’ statuses are uncertain for the upcoming game.

BTB Betting Pick

The Iowa Hawkeyes are +6.0 underdogs against Vanderbilt. Iowa’s defense ranks 60th in points against, while Vanderbilt’s offense ranks 9th in points for. With Vanderbilt’s strong offensive stats, they are likely to cover the spread. The projected score is Vanderbilt 31, Iowa 24.

The total for the game is set at 49.5. Iowa’s defense has allowed 182 points this season, and Vanderbilt’s offense has scored 473 points. Given Vanderbilt’s ability to score and Iowa’s defensive ranking, the total points could exceed the set line. The recommendation is to bet on the over.