TAMPA, Fla. — The first-ever meeting between the Iowa and Vanderbilt football programs will be on public display today at Raymond James Stadium.

The No. 23 Hawkeyes (8-4) and the No. 14 Commodores (10-2) meet at 11 a.m. Central in the ReliaQuest Bowl, known formerly as the Outback Bowl, in a game televised by ESPN.

It marks Iowa’s seventh appearance in the ReliaQuest bowl, and first since beating Mississippi State 27-22 on Jan. 1, 2019.

“I think the thing that stands out most to me when I watch the film is how hard they play,” Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea said of the Hawkeyes. “That’s all three phases. These guys care a lot.”

“We know we have a really tough opponent tomorrow,” Lea added. “I think that makes it such an exciting game. I think there’s similar DNA strands in both programs.”

Vanderbilt has already achieved program history this season, reaching 10 wins for the first time ever. The Commodores won six games in the Southeastern Conference for the first time in program history, too, losing only to Alabama and Texas.

The Commodores’ rise to prominence this season has been driven by its Heisman Trophy runner-up quarterback Diego Pavia, who broke the school season records for passing yards, touchdowns and total offense. Pavia (5-foot-9 3/4, 200 pounds) averages 334.8 yards of total offense per game, which ranks second nationally behind only USF quarterback Byrum Brown (347.2).

“First of all, when you evaluate a quarterback in my mind, it is all about does he lead the team, move the team, ultimately put the ball in the end zone, score points?” said Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz. “My experience is quarterbacks come in all sizes, shapes. … Winning quarterbacks are winning quarterbacks.

“Trying to contain him is the challenge. I think it gets down to great team defense. … It is a challenge because every play the pressure is on.”

Pavia gained national attention for his profane response to finishing second in the Heisman voting behind Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza two weeks ago, and his legal team is pushing for a permanent ruling on his NCAA eligibility status even though he has said 2025 will be his final season.

Pavia played two seasons at New Mexico State prior to his two years at Vanderbilt, all of which were preceded by two seasons at New Mexico Military Institute, a junior college in Roswell, N.M.

Regardless of his eligibility status, Pavia will be calling the shots in the ReliaQuest Bowl at the helm of a Vanderbilt offense that ranks in the top 25 nationally in eight major categories: third-down conversion percentage (53.2), passing efficiency (169.9), completion percentage (70.2), scoring offense (39.4), total offense (468.5), passing offense (282.6), first downs (291) and yards per completion (13.4).

The Commodores ranked in the top four in the SEC in each of those statistics.

Iowa, meanwhile, counters with a defense that is ranked eighth nationally, allowing 270.6 yards per game. The Hawkeyes are seventh in the country in pass defense (158.2) and eighth in scoring defense (14.7), highlighted by holding now-top-ranked Indiana to a season-low 20 points and 337 yards.

Pavia won’t have his top target to help him move the ball down the field through the air, as highly touted tight end Eli Stowers will be foregoing the bowl game. Stowers is projected as perhaps the top tight end in the 2026 NFL Draft class, even though he did travel with the team to Tampa. The William V. Campbell Trophy and John Mackey Award winner has not practiced, however, so the Commodores are expected to be without hhis 62 catches and 769 yards.

Pavia is Vanderbilt’s leading rusher as well, racking up 826 of the team’s 2,231 yards on the ground this season. Junior tailback Sedrick Alexander added 560 yards and a team-leading 11 rushing touchdowns, and Makhilyn Young — who transferred with Pavia from New Mexico State — added 401 yards at an average of 9.1 yards per carry.

“They’re a very sound defense,” Young said. “They have sure-handed tacklers. Their physicality and their ability to get [to the ball], but it’s not about them, it’s about us. We just focus on what we can do and what our strengths are.”

The contest could come down to the team’s other units, too. Instead of Vandy’s high-scoring offense against Iowa’s hard-nosed defense, it could be a comparison of the Hawkeyes’ improved offense versus the Commodores’ compromised defense.

Iowa’s offense, averaging 28.9 points per game, ranks 59th in the nation, while Vanderbilt’s defense, surrendering 21.9 ppg, is ranked 41st in the country.

The Hawkeyes have been propelled forward by quarterback Mark Gronowski, the South Dakota State graduate transfer who now holds Iowa’s single-season records for most rushing yards by a quarterback (491) and most rushing touchdowns by a QB (15).

Gronowski has 57 career wins as a collegiate quarterback, having led SDSU to two Football Championship Subdivision National Championships.

Iowa’s offensive line, collectively named the recipient of the Joe Moore Award for the second time in school history, has made its case as the best such unit in the country.

Vanderbilt, meanwhile, ranks 64th in allowing 19.9 first downs per game, but that has been as much a byproduct of opponents trying to take the air out of the ball against Pavia and the Commodores’ potent offensive attack as anything.

The ‘Dores allow 355.8 yards per game, ranking 54th nationally. They surrendered a season-high 38 points in an overtime win over Auburn and gave up 35 points to Utah State in Week 5.

Vanderbilt will be playing in a bowl game for the second-straight season for just the second time in school history. The Commodores are 5-4-1 all-time in bowl play, while Iowa is 18-18-1, having advanced to the postseason for the 13th year in a row.

“What [Ferentz] has been able to build at Iowa is honestly everything that we want to build at Vanderbilt,” Lea said, “including the long-term stability and sustained success.

“Our team is really excited to be here. This is a great next step for our program. This has been an incredible experience for our team.”