Iowa football has officially released its game day availability report ahead of the 2025 ReliaQuest Bowl matchup against Vanderbilt, giving Hawkeye supporters a better idea of who will be available when the teams play in Tampa just hours before kickoff. On New Year’s Eve, the No. 23 Hawkeyes (8-4, 6-3 Big Ten) will take on No. 14 Vanderbilt (10-2, 6-2 SEC) at Raymond James Stadium. The game will start at 11 a.m. CT and be broadcast nationally on ESPN. As usual, player availability is uncertain during bowl season. Iowa’s final report includes both positive news and a few noteworthy absences.
The secondary is where Iowa has made the most progress. After missing the Hawkeyes’ previous two games, cornerback TJ Hall is officially scheduled to return. Late in the regular season, when Iowa relied largely on its defense in close games, his absence was felt. Hall’s return gives a defensive unit that will have to slow down one of the SEC’s more effective offenses a much-needed boost.
Given the circumstances surrounding two other defensive backs, Hall’s presence might be especially beneficial. The availability report lists Deshaun Lee and Kael Kolarik as questionable, which raises some questions about Iowa’s defensive backfield depth and rotation. Although questionable does not rule out either player, it does indicate that Iowa may need to make last-minute adjustments based on how pregame warm-ups and in-game circumstances play out. Flexibility is frequently the difference between winning and losing in bowl games, and Iowa’s coaching staff has always placed a strong emphasis on being ready for the next man up. Nevertheless, the secondary is one of the more closely watched position groups going into kickoff due to Hall’s return and the uncertainties surrounding Lee and Kolarik.
Iowa will be missing two players on the offensive end. Both tight end Michael Burt and running back Nathan McNeill are out for the ReliaQuest Bowl. Both absences are noteworthy given Iowa’s identity and offensive structure, even though neither is unexpected at this point in the season. The Hawkeyes’ depth in the backfield, which Iowa typically relies on to manage tempo and field position, is reduced by McNeill’s absence. Due to lengthy layoffs and the physical demands of postseason play, running back depth is frequently tested in bowl games, so his absence puts more pressure on the backs who are dressed.
In the context of Iowa football, Burt’s absence at tight end is also noteworthy. The Hawkeyes’ offense has long relied heavily on the tight end position as a safety valve in the passing attack as well as in the run game. Tight ends are essential to blocking schemes and red-zone execution even when they are not filling the stat sheet. Against a Vanderbilt defense that has proven to be one of the more disciplined teams in the SEC, Iowa will now rely on its remaining tight ends to handle those duties.
Iowa has momentum and a sense of opportunity going into the ReliaQuest Bowl despite the absences. A top-25 ranking and an 8-4 regular season record show that the team stabilized as the season went on. A victory over an SEC team with ten wins would be a powerful way to end the 2025 season and carry momentum into the offseason. An additional level of intrigue is added by the setting. Numerous high-profile games have taken place at Raymond James Stadium, and a kickoff on New Year’s Eve puts this matchup in the national spotlight. It’s an opportunity for Iowa to end the season with a memorable performance. It’s a chance for Vanderbilt to prove its stellar season against a tough Big Ten foe.
As usual, performance, health, and flexibility are key factors in bowl games. The availability report from Iowa emphasizes that fact. It’s a welcome relief to have TJ Hall back. The secondary’s depth will be tested by navigating Lee and Kolarik’s dubious statuses. Offensive adjustments will be necessary to manage without McNeill and Burt. These personnel decisions will go from paper to practice when the Hawkeyes and Commodores line up at 11 a.m. CT. In the interim, Iowa’s game day injury report provides one last look at the roster prior to one of the team’s most eagerly awaited games of the year.
