The Clemson Tigers and Iowa State Cyclones clash Wednesday in the college football Cheez-It Bowl from Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
The Iowa State Cyclones come in as a representative of the Big 12 after going 7-5 this past season. Brock Purdy’s thrown for 2,984 yards, 18 touchdowns and 7 interceptions on 73.1% passing while Breece Hall leads the Cyclones with 1,472 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns this season. Xavier Hutchinson also has 953 receiving yards with 5 TDs while Charlie Kolar has 723receiving yards. On defense, Jake Hummel leads the Cyclones with 76 total tackles while Will McDonald IV has 11.5 sacks and Eytoma Uwazurike has 8.5 sacks as well this season.
The Clemson Tigers will look to finish strong after going 9-3 and coming into this bowl game on behalf of the ACC. D.J. Ulagalelei has thrown for 2,059 yards, 9 touchdowns and 9 interceptions on 54.7% passing while Will Shipley leads Clemson’s rushing attack with 678 rushing yards and 10 scores. Kobe Pace has 590 rushing yards as well while Justyn Ross leads Clemson’s receiving group with 46 grabs for 514 yards and 3 TDs and Joseph Ngata has 438 receiving yards as well this season. On defense, James Skalski has a team-high 85 total tackles while Andrew Booth Jr. has 3 interceptions and Myles Murphy has a team-high 8 sacks. Trenton Simpson also has 6.5 sacks as well on the year for Clemson.
Iowa State is 4-9 ATS in their last 13 non-conference games and 1-6 ATS in their last 7 neutral site games while the under is 8-0-1 in their last 9 bowl games. Clemson is 10-3 ATS in their last 13 bowl games and 16-5 ATS in their last 21 neutral site games while the under is 6-0 in their last 6 games against the Big 12.
I get that I’ve made a living by fading Clemson this season, and it’s paid off before cooling off late, but I’m going to the well once more here. The Cyclones have a tendency to play up to their opposition and I just don’t know how Clemson will react being in a normal bowl game and not in the college football playoff. I think it speaks volumes that Iowa State’s favored here. Give me the Cyclones.