The Iowa Hawkeyes, a team accustomed to cloudy skies and chilly temperatures, stepped off the plane in Tampa on Christmas Day, greeted by a radiant sun and balmy 80-degree weather. For players like Kamari Moulton, a running back from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the change of scenery was a welcome respite from the gloomy Iowa City weather that had dominated since the regular season ended in November. "It definitely gives me a boost of energy and just a boost of excitement being here," Moulton said, his enthusiasm palpable.
Moulton, along with freshman running back Nathan McNeil and redshirt freshman Rashad Godfrey, had a personal stake in the ReliaQuest Bowl, with all three hailing from the Tampa area. McNeil, a Tampa native, grew up just 30 minutes from Raymond James Stadium, where the game would be played, and had often envisioned himself competing on that very field.
Godfrey, from Plant City, a short drive east of the stadium, had grown up a Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan, while McNeil's allegiance lay with the Carolina Panthers, thanks to his admiration for Cam Newton. The opportunity to face No. 14 Vanderbilt in their backyard was a tantalizing prospect for the trio.
TAMPA, Fla. ⁘ Clouds have covered most of the skies in Iowa City since Iowa football wrapped up its regular season in November.Alternative viewpoints and findings: Visit website
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