In the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl between Tennessee and Iowa, ESPN’s most important question is
Breaking news: Iowas head coach is in danger as his QB is…..
There will be a clear disparity in playing styles when the Iowa Hawkeyes and Tennessee Volunteers play their opening game. The Volunteers aim to score points and quicken the game. The Hawkeyes want to play their defensive brand of football slowly.
The way that Tennessee responds to that and adjusts, or how Iowa handles a fast-paced offense, will be crucial to how this one plays out. The quarterback for Tennessee, Joe Milton, is one element that will influence that.
ESPN’s main concern regarding the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl is his performance and whether he can finish with a victory over Iowa’s formidable defense.
I firmly believed that Joe Milton III of Tennessee would ultimately fall into one of two extremes. Either he would finally experience the much-anticipated breakout season, storming into the Heisman race and the conversation around the No. 1 choice in the 2024 NFL draft, or he would stumble again and give up the starting role to sensational rookie Nico Iamaleava. Rather, he took no action. He was alright. And now he plays against one of the nation’s best and most frustrating defenses to cap off a storied career. – ESPN’s Bill Connelly
In a plethora of measures, Iowa’s defense ranks among the top. With only 15 touchdowns surrendered and second in terms of yards per play (allowing only 3.91 yards), the Hawkeyes are third in the country.
Iowa leads the nation in passing defense, allowing just 8.85 yards per completion. With only 13.23 points per game allowed, the Hawkeyes are fourth in terms of points allowed.
Milton has scored 20 touchdowns this year compared to only five interceptions over his career. Iowa’s basic defense, which thrives on errors made by opponents, will be used to try to rile Milton. The way he responds to this will be crucial to how this game turns out.
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