Nico Iamaleava leads No. 25 Tennessee to 35-0 rout of No. 20 Iowa in the Citrus Bowl
Nico Iamaleava leads No. 25 Tennessee to 35-0 rout of No. 20 Iowa in the Citrus Bowl
Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) runs past Iowa defensive back Xavier Nwankpa (1) for a touchdown on an 3-yard run during the first half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Tennessee’s Dee Williams (3) is stopped by Iowa linebacker Karson Sharar (43) and defensive back John Nestor (7) as he attempted to return a punt during the first half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Iowa defensive end Joe Evans celebrates after sacking Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava during the first half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Iowa quarterback Deacon Hill looks for a receiver during the first half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game against Tennessee, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel paces the sideline during the first half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game against Iowa, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava shows his MVP belt to teammates after defeating Iowa in the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel applauds his players after he was awarded the championship trophy after defeating Iowa in the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) celebrates his second touchdown run against Iowa with wide receiver Kaleb Webb during the first half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Tennessee defensive back Andre Turrentine, left, celebrates his pass interception against Iowa with defensive back Jaylen McCollough, center, and linebacker Elijah Herring (44) during the first half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz has words with side judge Tony Tarantini during the first half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Tennessee fans cheer in the second half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game against Iowa, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) runs past Iowa defensive back Xavier Nwankpa (1) for a touchdown on an 3-yard run during the first half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) runs past Iowa defensive back Xavier Nwankpa (1) for a touchdown on an 3-yard run during the first half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Tennessee’s Dee Williams (3) is stopped by Iowa linebacker Karson Sharar (43) and defensive back John Nestor (7) as he attempted to return a punt during the first half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Tennessee’s Dee Williams (3) is stopped by Iowa linebacker Karson Sharar (43) and defensive back John Nestor (7) as he attempted to return a punt during the first half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Iowa defensive end Joe Evans celebrates after sacking Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava during the first half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Iowa defensive end Joe Evans celebrates after sacking Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava during the first half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Iowa quarterback Deacon Hill looks for a receiver during the first half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game against Tennessee, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Iowa quarterback Deacon Hill looks for a receiver during the first half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game against Tennessee, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel paces the sideline during the first half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game against Iowa, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel paces the sideline during the first half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game against Iowa, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava shows his MVP belt to teammates after defeating Iowa in the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava shows his MVP belt to teammates after defeating Iowa in the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel applauds his players after he was awarded the championship trophy after defeating Iowa in the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel applauds his players after he was awarded the championship trophy after defeating Iowa in the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) celebrates his second touchdown run against Iowa with wide receiver Kaleb Webb during the first half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) celebrates his second touchdown run against Iowa with wide receiver Kaleb Webb during the first half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Tennessee defensive back Andre Turrentine, left, celebrates his pass interception against Iowa with defensive back Jaylen McCollough, center, and linebacker Elijah Herring (44) during the first half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Tennessee defensive back Andre Turrentine, left, celebrates his pass interception against Iowa with defensive back Jaylen McCollough, center, and linebacker Elijah Herring (44) during the first half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz has words with side judge Tony Tarantini during the first half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz has words with side judge Tony Tarantini during the first half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Tennessee fans cheer in the second half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game against Iowa, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Tennessee fans cheer in the second half of the Citrus Bowl NCAA college football game against Iowa, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava ran for three touchdowns and threw for one in his first career start, and No. 25 Tennessee shut down No. 20 Iowa’s Division I-worst offense to beat the Hawkeyes 35-0 in the Citrus Bowl on Monday.
Iamaleava, a prized recruit for Volunteers coach Josh Heupel, stepped in for senior Joe Milton, who opted out of the game to prepare for the NFL draft. The 19-year-old threw for 151 yards, and his 27 rushing yards included three scores.
“I just took it as every other game,” Iamaleava said. “We knew we had a job to do. There was no nervousness or anything going into the game. It felt like we were just really prepared.”
Dylan Sampson rushed 20 times for 133 yards for the Vols (9-4), and Tennessee’s defense did the rest against an Iowa offense that came in averaging 16.6 points per game and 238.8 yards.
The Hawkeyes (10-4) were blanked in consecutive games to close the season after falling 26-0 to No. 1 Michigan in the Big Ten championship game. Iowa’s defense gave up more than 20 points for the third time this season — all of them in shutout losses.
“We have to thread the needle,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. “You get good field position and then take it down inside and give yourself a touchdown and (if you) don’t, that’s not good. And the worst offense is not getting any points.”
The Hawkeyes finished with 173 yards of offense. Deacon Hill threw for 56 yards, was intercepted twice and lost a fumble. The Vols sacked him six times, resulting in 24 lost yards. The Hawkeyes crossed midfield only once in the first three quarters, and that drive concluded when Andre Turrentine intercepted Hill in the end zone.
The shutout was the largest in Citrus Bowl history. East Carolina had the previous record, beating Maine 31-0 in 1965, when the game was known as the Tangerine Bowl.
Iamaleava ran for touchdowns on consecutive drives — scoring from 19 yards and 3 yards — that gave Tennessee an all-but-insurmountable 14-0 lead midway through the second quarter.
Hill was sacked and fumbled at Iowa’s 2-yard line late in the third quarter, setting up Iamaleava’s 2-yard rushing TD. James Pearce Jr.'s 52-yard pick-6 put the Vols ahead 28-0 early in the fourth.
“We always want to come out and dominate at a really high level no matter who we are playing,” Pearce said. “Just knowing that we were playing a tough defense, I guess the better defense won.”
Iamaleava provided the exclamation point with an 18-yard TD toss to McCallan Castles.
ANOTHER FRESHMAN
Iowa’s offense found a bit of a spark when freshman Marco Lainez replaced Hill in the fourth quarter. Lainez scrambled for a team-high 51 yards on six carries and got Iowa past midfield for the second time in the game. But he completed just 2 of 7 passes for 4 yards.
TOUGHER SLEDDING
Tennessee came in averaging 31.5 points and 453.5 yards per game, but was held to 366 by Iowa. That was the second-most yards allowed by the Hawkeyes this season, with only Penn State gaining more in a 31-0 victory.
SHUTOUT HISTORY
Tennessee recorded its first shutout in a bowl game since a 3-0 win over Texas A&M in the 1957 Gator Bowl. Iowa was shut out in a bowl game for the first time since a 28-0 loss to Washington in the 1982 Rose Bowl.
UP NEXT
Tennessee should have high hopes for next season with Iamaleava running the offense under Heupel and coordinator Joey Halzle, who will be entering his second year in that role.
Iowa will hope to improve its offense to match its defense. The Hawkeyes will hire a new offensive coordinator this offseason after announcing at midseason that Brian Ferentz, the coach’s son, would not return in that role. Iowa should get quarterback Cade McNamara back from a torn ACL suffered in September.
___
Get poll alerts and updates on AP Top 25 football throughout the season. Sign up here.
___
AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football