Spring ball may be in the rearview mirror, and training camp still feels like a distant horizon, but in the world of college football, it's never too early to start dreaming about bowl season. CBS Sports has already fired up the projection machine, and they've cooked up a tantalizing rematch for the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Under the steady hand of head coach Kirk Ferentz, the Hawkeyes are practically a bowl season fixture. The big question isn't whether they'll make a postseason appearance—it's where they'll land and who they'll face. While Iowa has its sights set on the College Football Playoff, a goal that remains on Ferentz's bucket list, CBS Sports sees them heading to Nashville instead.

Their post-spring bowl projections have the Hawkeyes squaring off against the Missouri Tigers in the Music City Bowl. This would be a rematch of the 2024 encounter, a game that still stings for Iowa fans. Missouri edged out a 27-24 victory after the Hawkeyes let a double-digit lead slip away in the second half—a frustrating pattern that plagued the 2024 squad.

Iowa came out strong, holding a 21-14 halftime lead and extending it to 24-14 in the third quarter. But the Tigers clawed back, leaving the Hawkeyes with a bitter taste that's lingered ever since. For a team that prides itself on grit and discipline, this rematch would be more than just another bowl game—it would be a chance at redemption.

The history between these two programs runs deep, with 14 meetings total. Missouri holds a slight edge at 8-6, but every matchup has been a battle. As the Hawkeyes gear up for another season, this projection adds an extra layer of intrigue to an already promising campaign.