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The 2024 Cheez-It Citrus Bowl will feature an exciting matchup between the SEC’s Tennessee Volunteers and the Big Ten’s Iowa Hawkeyes. They will clash at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. Tennessee is coming into the game with an 8-4 mark, while Iowa is at 10-3.
While this looks like a promising matchup, the game got better when former World Wrestling Entertainment and National Football League mainstay AJ Francis announced he would be the presenter of the Most Valuable Player award.
'Top Dolla' will grace the 2024 Citrus Bowl
The Citrus Bowl’s official Twitter account shared a video of AJ Francis announcing he will award the game’s best player an MVP belt. The former professional football player said:
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“Who better to give the MVP title away to than Dolla. Who hotter? Not!”
He also announced via his X/Twitter account:
Anthony Joseph Francis played college football for the Maryland Terrapins. The nose tackle tried his luck during the 2013 NFL draft but went undrafted. He was later picked up by the Miami Dolphins, but he didn’t make it to the active roster.
The New England Patriots then claimed him off waivers, but he didn’t stay with the team. Instead, the Dolphins signed him off the Patriots’ practice squad. He played three seasons in Miami but spent some time on injured reserve in 2014 and was waived in November 2015.
Francis’ six-season NFL journey included stints with the Seattle Seahawks and the Washington Redskins. He tried out with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2016) and the New York Giants (2018) but was cut before the regular season started. He had 20 tackles and a quarterback hit in nine games.
Two years later, he started his professional wrestling career by signing with the WWE’s NXT brand in January 2020. He became "Top Dolla" when he formed the Hit Row wrestling stable with Swerve Scott, Thee Adonis and B-Fab.
The WWE released Francis in November 2020, but he returned to the promotion two years later. In December 2022, he discovered having type 2 diabetes after a botched suicide dive. Nine months later, the WWE rereleased him.
Francis will continue his professional wrestling career with Game Changer Wrestling as he is set to appear in their January 2024 event.
Who are the best bets to win the 2024 Citrus Bowl MVP?
Tennessee’s Jaylen Wright could win the 2024 Citrus Bowl’s Most Valuable Player award as he comes into the game with 1,013 rushing yards and four touchdowns. There’s also Volunteers defensive lineman James Pearce Jr., who has 8.5 sacks this season.
Quarterback Joe Milton III is also a leading candidate after completing 64.7 percent of his throws for 2,813 yards and 20 touchdowns. Linebacker Aaron Beasley could be the dark horse with 67 tackles and three sacks.
As for Iowa, running back Leshon Williams has 804 rushing yards and a touchdown leading into the Citrus Bowl. Linebacker Nick Jackson is also having a fantastic season with 99 tackles and four sacks.
The Volunteers and the Hawkeyes will clash at the Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Day, 2024.
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