Few coaches in college football history have reached the success level of either Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers or Matt Campbell of the Iowa State Cyclones. Swinney produced College Football Playoff appearances every season from 2015 through 2020. Twice, the Tigers won the National Championship. Perspective comes from the fact that Clemson went 9-3 this season, and it was considered a near catastrophe. Iowa State has long been one of college football’s ultimate coaching graveyards. But Campbell changed that by leading the Cyclones to their fifth consecutive bowl appearance this season. That is unprecedented in Iowa State history.
The 19th ranked Clemson Tigers will take on the Iowa State Cyclones in the Cheez-It Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. This game will take place on Wednesday, December 29, 2021, at 5:45 p.m. ET, with television coverage on ESPN.
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
Iowa State Cyclones +1
Clemson Tigers -1
Total 44.5
Odds Analysis
Clemson opened as a 1-point favorite over Iowa State with a total of 44. Of course, the Tigers are the ultimate name-brand program that catches a massive amount of casual support. Squares still think of Clemson as a national power. All of the aforementioned playoff berths and national championships are impossible for the public to ignore.
By contrast, sharps may consider Iowa State in this spot. The Cyclones are at their best when ignored by the betting public. In fact, Iowa State did not fare well under the spotlight of high expectations this year. But when the masses abandoned the Cyclones, they rebounded with good wagering value.
Iowa State Cyclones
Iowa State strongly finished a disappointing season with a 48-14 home win over TCU as 16-point favorites. The game went over the total of 61.5. The win snapped a 2-game losing streak to the spread. ISU went over the total in two of their final three games. Thus, Iowa State enters this bowl game with a record of 7-5 straight up, 5-7 against the spread, and 6-6 over/under the total.
The first thing to remember for this game is that Iowa State record-setting running back Breece Hall has opted out. Hall prepares for the 2022 NFL Draft and leaves as a Cyclone legend.
Quarterback Brock Purdy will be under center for the Cyclones. The senior compiled a 153.6 QB rating with a 73% completion rate, 2984 yards passing, and an 18/7 TD/INT ratio.
Clemson Tigers
After an alarmingly bad start, Clemson kicked into high gear to finish impressively. The Tigers got the money in four of their last five games. Only once did Clemson stay under the total in their final five games.
In their season finale, the Tigers destroyed South Carolina 30-0 as 11.5-point home favorites. The game went under the total of 42.5. As a result, Clemson finished 9-3 straight up, 4-8 against the spread, and 4-7 under the total.
Clemson’s poor mark on the board this season directly results from their public status as a national championship contender. Few teams are as public as the Tigers. And then when you add in an offense that ranked 95th in the country, you have a recipe for a college football betting disaster.
Head coach Dabo Swinney faces one of the great challenges of his career. Few coaches are as coordinator-dependent as Swinney. He lost both his longtime offensive and defensive coordinators during the coaching carousel. Additionally, the school’s athletic director went home to Miami-FL. Uncertainty is the prevailing mood of the Clemson football program.
Iowa State vs. Clemson Prediction
Iowa State is a live dog with a potentially nasty bite in this situation. The Cyclones can play with anyone in the country. And they play hard for Matt Campbell.
BookMaker Pick: Iowa State Cyclones
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