Two questions for the Outback Bowl

One year ago, both the Iowa Hawkeyes and Florida Gators were in their respective conference championship games. Florida was able to get back to the SEC final, only to lose once again to Alabama, while Iowa followed up its surprising 2015 run with an up and down season, losing to North Dakota State yet defeating Michigan and Nebraska.

In this battle of 8-4 teams, which one can end on the right foot?

Outback Bowl
Florida (8-4, SEC) vs. Iowa (8-4, Big Ten)
Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa
Time: Monday, Jan. 2, 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT
Channel: ABC 

The Gators have been a mess this season (true by SEC standards, but really, they're not great in most football metrics outside of their defense against the pass). Despite this, they still slid into the final rankings at No. 17. Do they even deserve their ranking and a higher-profile bowl outside of reputation? 

Shiloh Carder: Well, there's a bit of inflation when it comes to SEC teams, don't you think? This hasn't been a brilliant SEC season outside of Tuscaloosa, yet they litter the bottom half of the rankings. Don't get me wrong: The SEC has solid teams and there seems to be a lot of 8-4 squads out there, but what has Florida done this year? Win at LSU?

Sam Greszes: Yes and no. It's always tough having this conversation because statistics don't really have any direct relation to rankings or for that matter to what bowl a team ends up going. If you look at the record, sure, No. 17 seems like a decent place for Florida, but that doesn't change the fact that the Gators are an utterly mediocre team.

Lucky for them, Iowa is equally mediocre and was a massive disappointment in the Big Ten.

Lucky for us, nobody is forcing us to watch this game.

Daniel Tran: Looking at Florida’s schedule, there is nothing that’ll blow anyone away. It went 1-3 against ranked teams this year and has been able to take advantage of a vastly weaker SEC East Division to pump up its résumé to get to the SEC Championship Game.

Should the Gators have been ranked No. 17? Probably not, but I think they’re a top 25 team.

That said, Iowa isn't very flashy either. Who is going to need to step up for the Hawkeyes to make this a game? Desmond King? C.J. Beathard?

Shiloh Carder: Running back LeShun Daniels has been big in Iowa's final two games, hitting the 159-yard mark and two scores each time. The Hawkeyes don't throw the ball that often and rely on that tough defense so if Daniels (along with Akrum Wadley) can keep the chains moving, then Iowa has a good chance to win this one.

Sam Greszes: It'll have to be Beathard. He's had his struggles this season, as has the rest of the Iowa team, and I really do believe that Florida should dominate this game from start to finish. For Iowa to have a chance, Beathard will have to challenge Florida's secondary — and win — with a few explosive long passes.

Daniel Tran: LeShun Daniels Jr. needs to have a big game against Florida to keep the Gator pass defense honest. If Daniels can pound the ball consistently, he can open up passing lanes if Florida loads up against the run.

C.J. Beathard isn’t a game-breaking quarterback, but he is coming into the game a little hot, beating ranked Nebraska with three touchdowns and no interceptions. If Daniels keeps Florida honest, Beathard can add another dimension to this team.

Mascot edge: I'm going to be honest, I wouldn't want to stare down Hawkeyes or Gators, and seeing as both are pretty much dinosaurs, they know how to survive. Still, who isn't more terrified of Gators than any type of bird, no matter how ferocious?