NASHVILLE – Iowa and Missouri may be playing a fierce football game on Monday, but the two teams put their rivalry aside on Saturday evening.
One of the perks of qualifying for a bowl game are the annual team welcome events organized by the bowl. Needless to say, the TransPerfect Music Bowl team put together a brilliant show that made both teams forget why they were in Nashville to begin with.
The event was held at Category 10, a live music bar and restaurant located near the famous Broadway street in downtown Nashville. The bar is owned by star country music singer Luke Combs.
Here are some of the events that were featured during the festivities:
Hot Chicken Eating Contest
After the two teams enjoyed a delicious dinner, it was time for the most anticipated event of the night, a hot chicken eating contest. The competition was between both teams, but the primary objective was from a player standpoint. The athletes would be tasked with eating as many tenders as possible in two minutes.
And you can’t have a proper eating competition without prizes. The player who ate the most tenders received a WWE-esque championship belt, while trophies were also awarded to the other competitors. Notable Iowa competitors included offensive lineman Connor Colby and Beau Stephens.
Iowa and Missouri are about to battle for the most prestigious trophy in Nashville this weekend pic.twitter.com/3cJjfiguFh
— Collin Carrithers (@c_carrithers33) December 28, 2024
Once the battle started, it was clear the competitors didn’t know what they were getting into. Most of the players wore gloves to protect themselves from the heat, but some were fearless and went the dangerous route. It must have seemed like a lifetime for the players, who reluctantly trudged through each tender while battling intense meat sweats. Their only saving grace was the loud roar from their teammates, making this feel like a football atmosphere.
Once the horn sounded, the loud eruptions turned into a tense silence as the final count was being tallied. A young Missouri lineman took home the individual title with a whopping 18 tenders consumed, but the Hawkeyes took the team title with 59 total tenders eaten to the Tigers’ 58.
Missouri player takes home the title with 18 wings consumed! pic.twitter.com/uWK4TMxWZw
— Brad Schultz (@BradMSchultz) December 28, 2024
Finish the LyricÂ
The night concluded with a game of finish-the-lyric, where players were tasked with listening to a famous country music song and finishing the line. All of the players competing were freshmen, adding another nice touch to the evening.
Some of the songs played were: “Friends in Low Places” by Garth Brooks, “Hurricane” by Combs, and “Wagon Wheel” by Darius Rucker.
Both teams nailed the assignment, but it was Missouri who stole the victory in the competitions final moments. Despite a controversial repeat of the song, Iowa failed to finish Morgan Wallen’s “I Had Some Help,” resulting in the Tigers claiming the victory on their next song.
The event concluded following the game, and both squads filed out to enjoy a fun night out on the town to celebrate another successful college football season.