Gambling NewsSports Betting NewsSports Betting Picks

Clemson Tigers vs Iowa State Cyclones Cheez-It Bowl Betting Preview

Get warmed up for a busy weekend of college football with the Cheez-It Bowl on Wednesday, featuring the No. 19 Clemson Tigers (9-3) against the Iowa State Cyclones (7-5). Camping World Stadium will host this game, with kickoff scheduled for 5:45 pm ET.

Despite finishing third in the ACC, the Tigers come into this one on a five-game winning streak. Their last win, on November 17, was a 30-0 shutout over South Carolina.

In the win, DJ Uiagalelei threw for just 99 yards and an interception, but the ground game was effective for the Tigers. Will Shipley, Kobe Pryor, and Phil Mafah combined for three touchdowns and 229 yards rushing.

The Cyclones did not have as much success down the stretch as they lost three of their last five games. Still, they did finish with a 48-14 win over TCU to finish their regular season.

Brock Purdy threw for 262 yards and two scores in the win, but it was Breece Hall that won the day. He had 242 yards rushing and three touchdowns. He also had 39 yards receiving with another score.

The Tigers are just slight favorites in this one. They are -130 to win while the Cyclones’ moneyline sits at +106. The spread features Iowa State +2.5 (-105), and the over/under for total points is 44 (-110).

By The Numbers

Iowa State had the better of the two offenses this season. They rank 21st in the nation in scoring, averaging 34.4 points per game. The Tigers rank 85th, averaging 24.8 points.

Defensively, it is all Clemson. They ranked tied for second in the NCAA, allowing opponents just 16.1 points per game. The Cyclones rank 24th allowing 21.5 points.

Clemson Goes For Win Number Ten

Trying to finish the season out on a strong note, head coach Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers will look to pick up their tenth win of the season Wednesday.

Leading the way under center for the Tigers is sophomore quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei. This season, he has thrown for 2,059 yards, nine touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He has also rushed for another 296 yards and four scores.

Unfortunately for Uiagalelei, he will be without his best receiver as Justyn Ross had season-ending surgery on his foot. On the flip side, the second-leading receiver, Joseph Ngata, is expected to play. This season, he has 23 receptions for 438 yards and a score.

On the ground, the Tigers are led by Will Shipley (678 yards, ten touchdowns), Kobe Pace (590 yards, six touchdowns), and Phil Mafah (285 yards, three touchdowns).

James Skalski (85 tackles), Myles Murphy (seven sacks), and Andrew Booth Jr. (three interceptions) lead the Tigers’ stingy defense.

Cyclones Will Have To Find New Answer In Backfield

While some teams are dealing with injuries or COVID concerns at this time of year, others are dealing with players leaving to prepare for the draft. For Iowa State, the latter will have a major impact Wednesday.

Top running back Breece Hall has decided to forego this game as he prepares for the NFL draft. The star running back rushed 253 times this season for 1,472 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also had the third-most receiving yards with 302 and another three scores through the air.

This is a big hole for Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell to have to fill. Luckily, he at least has star quarterback Brock Purdy under center.

This season, Purdy threw for 2,984 yards, 18 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. His favorite targets were Xavier Hutchinson (953 yards, five touchdowns) and tight-end Charlie Kolar (723 yards, five touchdowns).

Take Clemson To Win And Cover

There are obvious concerns on both sides, but the loss of Breece Hall might just loom too large for the Cyclones to overcome.

Especially with Clemson’s highly ranked defense able to focus on Brock Purdy and the passing game, it could be a long night for the Cyclones’ offense.

This one will likely be a low-scoring affair, but take Clemson to not only prevail but to cover the modest 2.5-point spread.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Check Also
Close