Gators and Hawkeyes a Familiar Pairing for Outback Bowl
Sunday, December 4, 2016 | Football, Scott Carter
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This marks the third meeting between the schools in Tampa.
By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Gators and Hawkeyes are set for Round 3 at Raymond James Stadium.
Florida (8-4) accepted an invitation Sunday from the Outback Bowl to play Iowa (8-4) on Jan. 2 in Tampa. The schools have met three times previously, the last two meetings in the Outback Bowl.
"The word around our league is this is the one you want to go to,'' Gators coach Jim McElwain said. "It's run by great people, they do great things for the fans, obviously the players, and always put a great show on. It should be a fun matchup."
Florida and Iowa first played 33 years ago when the Gators beat the Hawkeyes 14-6 in the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville. Twenty years passed before they met again, a 37-17 Iowa victory after the 2003 season. Two years later, the Gators avenged that loss in Urban Meyer's first season at UF with a 31-24 victory.
Florida receiver Antonio Callaway and the Gators hope to celebrate an Outback Bowl victory over Iowa on Jan. 2 in Tampa. (Photo: Jay Metz/For UAA Communications)
The Gators enter the matchup coming off Saturday's 54-16 loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. Iowa closed the season with a 40-10 home win against Nebraska to cap head coach Kirk Ferentz's 18th regular season.
McElwain has led the Gators to a bowl game in each of his first two seasons and is familiar with the Big Ten Conference, where he served as an assistant at Michigan State from 2003-05, splitting a pair of games against the Hawkeyes. He said Sunday that he started to watch film of the Hawkeyes before leaving to recruit.
The Gators want to avoid a bowl letdown like last season in a 41-7 loss to Michigan. McElwain said he sensed positive vibes at a team meeting Sunday morning.
"Obviously playing a team that's on a roll right now,'' he said. "You don't go for a participation ribbon. I'm not sure a year ago we didn't have some guys in there looking for a participation ribbon. To me that speaks volumes really about each person's character that was involved in that event. Speaking personally, I was embarrassed. And yet, you know what, it happens. It happens at a lot of programs. But this is one that they've got to understand we're representing the Gators and that's different.
"We'll be ready to go play."
This is Florida's first trip to the Outback Bowl since 2010 when the Gators defeated the late Joe Paterno's Penn State team 37-24 in the final game of Meyer's six-year tenure. Florida is 2-2 all-time in the Outback Bowl.
"Few bowls have the combination of location, hospitality and facilities that the Outback Bowl enjoys," said Florida Athletic Director Scott Stricklin. "Tampa is a great city – a great Gator city -- and we are looking forward to the week of activities."
Iowa experienced a roller-coaster season highlighted by its 14-13 win against then-No. 2 Michigan on Nov. 12. The victory ignited a three-game win streak for the Hawkeyes to close the season. However, Iowa suffered a 23-21 loss to FCS-school North Dakota State on Sept. 17 that made national headlines.
Meanwhile, the Gators seek their first bowl victory under McElwain after losing to Michigan in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl in Orlando. Florida won its second consecutive SEC East title, clinching the division with a goal-line stand in the final moment of a 16-10 win at LSU.
The Gators have appeared in a bowl game 25 of the last 26 years and are making their 43rd all-time bowl appearance. Florida is 21-21 entering the matchup against Iowa, which is going to the Outback Bowl for the fifth time since 2003.
The Hawkeyes finished tied for second in the Big Ten West Division, a game behind Wisconsin.
Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz was around for the first two Outback Bowl matchups against Florida and expects to face a typical SEC team built on speed and power. His team hasn't lost since a 41-14 defeat at Penn State.
"I think our guys just handled a really bad outcome in a positive way,'' he said. "The first game of November wasn't much fun. But I thought the guys did a good job of getting back up on their feet."
Much like the Gators, Iowa has been inconsistent on offense much of the season, ranking 114th in passing (161.3 yards per game) and 71st in rushing (171.9). Overall, Iowa is ranked 120th among FBS schools in total offense (333.3 ypg).
In what figures to be a defensive battle – Florida is ranked 6th in overall defense, Iowa 24th – the Gators must slow down Hawkeyes running back LeShun Daniels Jr., who has rushed for 1,013 yards and 10 touchdowns. Daniels has 317 yards in the past two games, including a 158-yard performance in the victory over Nebraska.
Hawkeyes quarterback C.J. Beathard has passed for 1,874 yards, 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
The best part about the matchup for Florida is that it's four weeks away. That should give the Gators time to get some players who missed the Alabama game back on the field.
Senior linebacker Jarrad Davis, who returned Saturday after missing three games with a left-ankle injury, hobbled to the locker room but said he expects to play in the bowl game. Starting defensive backs Duke Dawson and Nick Washington did not play against Alabama and could return against Iowa.
"Injuries or not, we were still a good team this year,'' sophomore offensive lineman Kavaris Harkless said. "We're a good team right now."
