Iowa players react to cancellation of Music City Bowl after being away from home during Christmas

Iowa will not get to play its bowl game after completing the eight-game slate in the B1G.

All in all, the Hawkeyes were one of the conference’s most impressive teams, proving to be one of the few teams to complete the eight-game regularly-scheduled slate. Iowa’s Champions Week game against Michigan was canceled due to issues with the Wolverines.

Entering bowl practices, the Hawkeyes were forced to shut down team activities, but the team was able to resume practices this week in anticipation of the bowl game on Wednesday. Unfortunately, that Music City Bowl was canceled on Sunday due to rising COVID-19 cases at Missouri.

It is a big blow to Iowa players as they remained on campus during the Christmas holiday and the pause in team activities. Here is how a number of players and a staff member reacted to the news of the cancellation:

We stayed in town through a pause in activities, missed Christmas with our families. Let’s play this game https://t.co/XePTnYqtla

— Spencer Petras (@spencerpetras) December 27, 2020

People don’t understand that we’re used to not seeing our families on holidays. I haven’t been with my family for Christmas in five years. We stayed in town while they went home. If you didn’t want to play in the bowl game you should’ve just said so 😔😔

— Keith Duncan (@keithdunc3) December 27, 2020

Feel like we deserved a better ending to this season…Thank you to everyone in that football building, especially my teammates over the last 5 years, for giving me so many great memories. The days in the black and gold will be missed🖤✌🏼 https://t.co/6D0rxAfaBn

— Nick Niemann (@Nniemann_5) December 27, 2020

I am sorry for all the seniors on this team. They missed Christmas and stayed in town, they been through the ups and downs as this is potentially their last season. I am thankful to play with y’all and call y’all my brothers!

— TYRONE TRACY JR (@TyroneTracy) December 27, 2020

Feel just absolutely terrible for our team. These guys battled all year long and to have your last 2 games cancelled is just brutal. This team was one of the best I’ve ever been around…thank you fellas for one heck of a year…one that will not be forgotten! #Hawkeyes 🐤🐤

— Tyler Barnes (@TylerBarnesIOWA) December 27, 2020

After missing the Christmas season for essentially nothing due to the canceled game, it has really left a bad taste for some of the Hawkeyes.

Paul Harvey

Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.