“On behalf of our Board of Directors, staff and volunteers we look forward to welcoming the Hawkeyes and Tigers to Music City for our 27th annual TransPerfect Music City Bowl,” Scott Ramsey, TransPerfect Music City Bowl President and CEO, commented. “This year’s game will showcase two teams that won a combined 17 games in the two strongest conferences in the country and we expect a great turnout of fans flooding Nashville.”
The matchup marks the #19 Missouri Tigers’ debut in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl and second time appearance from the Iowa Hawkeyes after their 21-0 win against Kentucky in 2022. The anticipated matchup comes post a 2020 cancelation due to COVID-19 concerns.
TransPerfect President and Co-CEO Phil Shawe commented, “2024 has been a memorable year of college football in the Big Ten and SEC. We’re thrilled to welcome the University of Iowa and University of Missouri in Nashville for what will certainly be an exciting matchup between two programs with rich histories.”
The 2024 Iowa Hawkeyes football season highlighted the team’s defensive prowess and gritty performance under Kirk Ferentz, the longest-tenured head coach in college football. Iowa relied on a dominant defense led by Jay Higgins, who recorded 118 tackles, and Nick Jackson, contributing 83 tackles and key stops in crucial games. Their defense frequently kept opponents under 20 points, ranking among the top-5 best in the Big Ten.
Offensively, the Hawkeyes were led by running back Kaleb Johnson who logged a whopping 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns. Wide receiver Jacob Gill emerged as a reliable playmaker with 32 receptions for 382 yards and 2 touchdowns. Though the offense faced challenges, Iowa managed significant wins over Nebraska and Wisconsin, allowing them to finish bowl-eligible for 12 consecutive seasons.
"We are thrilled to accept an invitation to play in the 2024 TransPerfect Music City Bowl against Missouri,” said University of Iowa Moon Family Head Football Coach Kirk Ferentz. “On behalf of the Hawkeye football program, I want to say thank you to Scott Ramsey and the Board of Directors for picking us to represent the Big Ten Conference. Nashville is a great city and the TransPerfect Music City Bowl staff does an incredible job putting on a first-class event.
I believe our fans will be excited about the chance to see this Hawkeye team play one more time at a venue not too far from Iowa. As a staff, we are looking forward to three more weeks together with this group of players. The TransPerfect Music City Bowl is a great opportunity for our team to compete one more time to cap off the 2024 season. We can’t wait to get there.”
The 2024 Missouri Tigers football season was a standout year, highlighted by an impressive 9-3 record and their first back-to-back nine-win seasons since 2013-14. The season ended in a dramatic 28-21 victory over Arkansas in the Battle Line Rivalry, in which Missouri overcame a late deficit, with Marcus Carroll contributing two rushing touchdowns and Johnny Walker Jr. forcing critical turnovers.
Offensively, quarterback Brady Cook led the team, throwing for 2,248 yards and 9 touchdowns. The Tigers’ offense was supported by performances from wide receiver Luther Burden III, who had 791 all-purpose yards and 8 total touchdowns. Defensively, Defensive linemen like Johnny Walker Jr., Chris McClellan, and Zion Young were key contributors totaling 12.5 sacks. The defense finished the season ranked among the top-6 units in the SEC in total defense.
Eliah Drinkwitz's leadership, alongside the efforts of key players like Cook, Burden, and the defensive squad, helped Missouri achieve their fourth consecutive bowl eligibility finishing 5-3 in SEC play and securing a #19 ranking.
“It’s an honor to be selected to participate in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl. We’re looking forward to the opportunity to play at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. It’s a great market for our alumni and fanbase and I know we’ll have an excited crowd,” stated Head Coach Drinkwitz. “Our team has worked extremely hard to achieve this goal, and we are looking forward to preparing and playing against a terrific Iowa squad. I’m just thankful I get to coach this special group of men for one more game this season.”
For more information on the TransPerfect Music City Bowl and tickets purchases, visit MusicCityBowl.com.
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Contact
Morgan Key, Brand & Digital Media Coordinator, (615) 743-3126 or mkey@nashvillesports.com
About the TransPerfect Music City Bowl
The TransPerfect City Bowl(501(c)(3) non-profit organization) is an annual post-season collegiate bowl featuring the Big Ten and Southeastern Conferences. Since its inception, the bowl has produced over $400 million in direct economic impact. Distributed nationally to millions of viewers and listeners on ESPN and ESPN Radio, the bowl is Nashville’s holiday tradition. For more information, call the Bowl office at 615-743-3130 or visit the Bowl online at www.MusicCityBowl.com.