Iowa football returns to practice in preparation for Music City Bowl
By Joe Kipp
After a flurry of positive covid tests in the past week, Iowa football has resumed team activities.
The No. 15 Iowa Hawkeyes are back to work on Saturday after pausing all team activities earlier this week after a string of positive coronavirus results. It was Iowa football’s first team practice in 11 days.
Less than a week after head coach Kirk Ferentz tested positive, Iowa shut down all in-person meetings and practices on Monday. Six coaches and “several players” were among those who tested positive, according to Chad Leistikow of the Des Moines Register.
Based on protocols established by the Big Ten, the Hawkeyes would not have been able to resume practices if they had a 5% average positivity rate over a seven day span.
The Hawkeyes are scheduled to face the Missouri Tigers in the Music City Bowl on Wednesday, Dec. 30 in Nashville, TN. As of Saturday, all systems are a go for Iowa’s eighth straight bowl appearance. The Hawkeyes are a 14-point favorite.
As for Missouri, the Tigers are scheduled to practice Saturday after a short holiday break.
Iowa will be without star receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette against Mizzou. Smith-Marsette declared for the NFL Draft and will forgo the Hawkeyes’ bowl game. The same can be said for Missouri linebacker Nick Bolton. Both are big losses to their respective teams.
