Nico Iamaleava will be just the fourth Tennessee freshman quarterback to start a bowl game

Nico Iamaleava on Monday will become just the fourth Tennessee freshman quarterback to start a bowl game when the Vols face Iowa in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Day at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. 

The five-star freshman was named the new starter at quarterback for Tennessee on Wednesday after redshirt senior Joe Milton III announced he was opting out and beginning preparations for the 2024 NFL Draft.

Iamaleava, the headliner in Tennessee’s 2023 recruiting class after signing with the Vols as the No. 1 overall player in the country in the On3 ratings, appeared in four games during the regal season, throwing for 163 yards and a touchdown while completing 16 of 26 passes (61.5%). He rushed five times for 48 yards.

Now he’s set to join Peyton Manning, Casey Clausen and Tyler Baron as Tennessee’s only freshmen starters at quarterback in a bowl game when the Vols and Hawkeyes kick off at 1 p.m. Eastern Time Monday on ABC.

Here’s a look back at how the other three performed in their respective bowl games:

2010 Music City Bowl: Tyler Bray

Freshman Tyler Bray completed 27 of 45 passes for 312 yards, with four touchdowns and three interceptions in the 30-27 double-overtime loss to North Carolina in the Music City Bowl in December 2010. Controversy surrounded the end of regulation, with officials calling the game final after North Carolina seemingly failed to get a snap off with time on the clock while trying to spike the football and set up a field goal attempt to tie the game.

Tennessee’s Derek Dooley and North Carolina’s Butch Davis had shook hands at midfield and were headed off the field when officials announced a review of the final play. North Carolina had more than 11 players on the field, a five-yard penalty, but replay showed one second on the clock when the ball was spiked.

The Tar Heels tied the game on the 39-yard field goal and then won it on a 23-yard field goal in the second overtime. Bray threw touchdown passes of 8, 20, 29 and 45 yards in the loss. He threw for 1,849 yards, 18 touchdowns and 10 interceptions as a freshman in 2010. During his three years with the Vols he would threw for 7,444 yards and 69 touchdowns and 28 interceptions, completing 58.5% of his passes in 26 carer games.

2001 Cotton Bowl: Casey Clausen

The 2001 Cotton Bowl was one to forget for freshman starter Casey Clausen. He completed just 7 of 25 passes for 120 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions in the 35-21 loss to Kansas State on a frigid New Year’s morning at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. 

Cedric Wilson was the only Tennessee receiver with more than one catch on the day, hauling in three passes for 54 yards, including long of 41. David Martin caught Clausen’s touchdown pass on a 17-yard connection. Travis Henry led the Vols with 180 rushing yards and a touchdown on 17 carries, but Kansas State rushed for 329 yards and three touchdown on 59 attempts as a team. K-State quarterback Aaron Lockett completed 13 of 27 passes for 210 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. 

Tennessee finished the season 8-4 after entering the Cotton Bowl on a six-game win streak. Clausen over his four season with the Vols would throw for 9,707 yards with 75 touchdowns while completing 61.0% of his passes in 45 career games. As a freshman in 2000 he appeared in nine games, throwing for 1,473 yards and 15 touchdowns and six interceptions. 

1994 Gator Bowl: Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning started in the 1994 Gator Bowl, a 45-23 win over Virginia Tech. Manning completed 12 of 19 passes for 189 yards in the win, with one touchdown and no interceptions. 

Manning connected with Marcus Nash on a 36-yard touchdown late in the first quarter, building Tennessee’s lead to 14-0.  The Vols controlled the game on the ground, rushing 47 times as a team for 245 yards.

Manning appeared in 11 games as a freshman during the 1994 regular season, competing 89 of 144 passes (61.8%) for 1,141 yards with 11 touchdowns and six interceptions. He was named SEC Freshman of the Year and set a Tennessee record for passing yards by a freshman.

Manning would go on to throw for 11,201 yards and 89 touchdowns during his legendary Tennessee career. The win over Virginia Tech in the Gator Bowl took place at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, with the stadium in Jacksonville under renovation for the Jaguars debut season in the NFL in 1995.