The college football bowling season can be fun as it tends to pair two teams in a game that has rarely, if ever, faced on the football field. That will be the case with the Fiesta Bowl, which features Iowa State No. 10 and Oregon No. 25 on Saturday. The Cyclones and Ducks will be playing for the first time after two unconventional seasons.
Iowa is coming from a tough defeat in the Big 12 Championship Game for Oklahoma, staying just before winning its first conference title since 1912. Still, there is a lot at stake in the Fiesta Bowl. Led by running back Breece Hall and linebacker Mike Rose, the 12 greatest offensive and defensive players of the year, respectively, the state of Iowa is looking for just its third season of nine wins in the program’s history and the first since 2000.
Meanwhile, the Oregon season was a little more difficult. After winning three consecutive wins at the beginning of the year, the Ducks gave up their last two competitions and finished second in the Pac-12 North. However, they still managed to make it to the Pac-12 Championship Game because the division winner, Washington, was forced to give up due to problems with the COVID-19. Oregon beat the USC and claimed the highest bid for the conference. Welcome to 2020.
So, what program ends your fun season with a bowling win? Let’s take a closer look at what to expect when the Cyclones and the Ducks connect at Glendale and the stories to follow before making any expert choices either directly or against spread.
Storylines
Oregon: You could argue that none of the teams really deserved an invitation to the Fiesta Bowl, but Oregon is aided by its victory in the conference championship. As a small underdog, the Ducks could surprise with some major clashes. The first is in the pass race. Defensive side Kayvon Thibodeaux is a frighteningly athletic player who was named AP All-American with three sacks and 7.5 tackles per defeat in six games. The other is cornerback Mykael Wright, who will be in charge of dealing with Iowa’s slim pass catchers. Oregon has some legitimate defenders and it is possible that fewer games mean fresher legs for this game.
Iowa State: Hall is having an All-American season and, understandably, much of the focus will be on him. However, the Fiesta Bowl is a homecoming game for quarterback Brock Purdy, a native of neighboring Gilbert, Arizona. Purdy had a year of ups and downs. He had a strong finish in three games of the regular season, but he threw three interceptions against the Sooners in the big 12 title game. Purdy is a player and can make magnificent plays when his back is to the wall. But he has to reduce mistakes against a talented Oregon defense if Iowa is to stick to the schedule. Playing from behind is not something that Cyclones do very well.
Viewing information
Games: Fiesta Bowl
Meeting: Saturday, January 2 | Time: 16h Eastern Time
Location: State Farm Stadium – Glendale, Arizona
TV: ESPN | Live broadcast: fuboTV (try for free)
Fiesta Bowl preview, choices
It is true that Oregon is a little cooler entering this game than the state of Iowa. It will be interesting to see how much this becomes a factor. But the state of Iowa is about to have its best season with its most talented team of all time. With the bitter taste of the defeat of the big 12 title game still in their mouths, the Cyclones find a way to end the season on a positive note. Choice: Iowa State -4.5 | Iowa State 31, Oregon 24
So, who wins Oregon against Iowa? And which side of the spread reaches more than 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side you’re on, all from the model in a 56-36 run on college football choices that were highly rated this season.