IOWA CITY, Iowa — The 15th-ranked University of Iowa football team will face No. 22 Kentucky in the 2022 VRBO Citrus Bowl on Jan. 1 in Orlando, Florida. Kickoff is set for noon (CT) from Camping World Stadium and the game will be televised on ABC.
“Congratulations to coach Kirk Ferentz, our football student-athletes and the entire staff, on a Big Ten West Championship, 10-win season and our invitation to the VRBO Citrus Bowl,” said Henry B. and Patricia B. Tippie Director of Athletics Chair Gary Barta. “One of the most memorable Hawkeye football moments occurred at this bowl in 2005 and I know our fans are excited to relive those experiences. We have had wonderful Hawkeye fan support all season long and I am confident this will continue in sunny Florida.”
“We want to thank Steve Hogan and Florida Citrus Sports for the invitation to participate and we look forward to our visit to Orlando.”
The Hawkeyes will be making their 34th bowl game appearance and their second Citrus Bowl appearance (formerly the Capital One Bowl). Iowa defeated No. 11 LSU, 30-25, on an improbable Drew Tate-to-Warren Holloway 56-yard touchdown pass as time expired on Jan. 1, 2005.
Iowa enters the game having won three consecutive bowl games for the second time in program history. (The 2020 Music City Bowl was canceled because of COVID.) The Hawkeyes are 17-15-1 all-time in bowl games.
The Hawkeyes have never faced Kentucky in program history. Iowa is 6-5 all-time in bowl games against current Southeastern Conference opponents.
The Hawkeyes rank third among Big Ten teams in bowl appearances since 2001 and are bowl eligible for the 20th time under head coach Kirk Ferentz. Iowa is 9-8 in bowl games under Ferentz, including a 49-24 victory over Southern California in the 2019 Holiday Bowl. Since 2001, only Ohio State and Wisconsin have won more bowl games (including the FBS championship game), than Iowa.
