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Vanderbilt’s season, Pavia’s career comes to an end in Reliaquest bowl loss

Dec 31, 2025 | 3:27 PM
Diego Pavia

Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

By Chris Marler

Vanderbilt’s first ever ten win season came to a bitter end with a 34-27 loss in the Reliaquest Bowl to Iowa. 

The Story 

Vanderbilt has made a living over the last two years by playing fundamental, mistake-free football. That went out the window almost as soon as the first whistle was blown in Wednesday’s Reliaquest Bowl. 

Iowa proved what most people outside of the SEC footprint already knew, they were a very good football team that just barely came up short several times this year. 

Remember that this Iowa team may have been 8-4, but those four losses all came to ranked opponents and were by a combined 15 points. The Hawkeyes seemed like they were on a mission from the start, and they buried Vanderbilt early taking a 21-3 lead. 

The Commodores were able to fight back. And scored 24 second half points, but constant mistakes on crucial downs and a defense that seemed to opt out entirely despite any players actually opting out ultimately cost them. Iowa was fantastic on defense for most of the afternoon, and their offense was able to put up 378 yards, their second most of any game this season. 

The Stats 

2-6: The SEC is now 2-6 in bowl season with their only two wins coming from Ole Miss and Alabama in the first round of the College Football Playoff. 

4: Vanderbilt’s offensive line was credited with allowing just nine sacks all year. Against Iowa, they allowed three in the first quarter alone and four in the game. 

383: Diego Pavia finished the game with 383 yards of offense. 

2: Vanderbilt came into this game converting 53.23 percent on third down this season. That was the third best mark in the entire country. Iowa held them to 2-of-9.

10: Vanderbilt had ten penalties in this game. That’s tied for the second most in any game under Clark Lea. 

The Social Media Reaction 

Chris Marler

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