Kirk Ferentz explains frustration towards officials over ending to Music City Bowl

Kirk Ferentz and the Iowa Hawkeyes were frustrated with the officials following their three-point loss to the Missouri Tigers in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl on Monday afternoon.

While the Big Ten program came close to defeating the SEC squad, Iowa fell just short to Missouri. Afterwards, Ferentz took some time to reflect on how the game went down, and while he wasn’t willing to blame the officials for the loss, there were a couple calls that he believes could’ve went the Hawkeyes’ way that had an effect.

“You know, it looked on the board, on the 4th & 1, it looked like one of their guys had his hand in the neutral zone,” Ferentz explained, regarding his frustration with the officials, via his postgame press conference. “But you know, that wasn’t the deciding factor in the game, certainly.”

All told, Iowa was in control for most of the Music City Bowl, as they didn’t trail until Missouri took a three-point lead on a field goal late in the fourth quarter. However, the Hawkeyes’ offense couldn’t muster a comeback, as they failed to tie the game or take the lead on their final two possessions of the game.

Quarterback Brendan Sullivan was serviceable for Iowa in the loss. He passed for 131 yards, one touchdown and one incompletion. The team tried to rely on their rushing attack, with Kamari Moulton leading the charge. He ran the ball 14 times for 96 yards and a touchdown.

In the end, Missouri was simply a little better, with quarterback Brady Cook getting the job done for the Tigers. He did it with his arm and his legs, passing for two touchdowns in the process.

Both Iowa and Missouri had impressive seasons, and they’re hoping it’s a sign of things to come for them. While they didn’t reach the peak of their conference in 2024, they were a formidable opponent for each and every team on their schedule, and they’re hoping that continues into next season.

Missouri may have gotten the dub, but Iowa and Kirk Ferentz are hoping they can carry some momentum into 2025. Time will tell, but Iowa has become a reliable, competitive team in the Big Ten, and we’re not expecting that to dwindle anytime soon.