Cheez-It Bowl Betting Prediction
For the first time since the College Football Playoffs started, Clemson will not be playing in a semi-final game this weekend. Instead, the Tigers will take on Iowa State in the Cheez-It Bowl starting at 5:45 p.m. ET on Wednesday. Will Clemson cover as a small favorite?
Game Snapshot
252 Clemson Tigers (-2.5) vs. 251 Iowa State Cyclones (+2.5); o/u 44.5
5:45 p.m. ET, Wednesday, December 29, 2021
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
TV: ESPN
Clemson Tigers Game Notes
Clemson HC Dabo Swinney announced several coaching changes for the 2022 season. Swinney shared several promotions within his staff on Tuesday, which included the promotion of senior defensive assistant Wes Goodwin to defensive coordinator/linebackers coach, and the promotion of Brandon Streeter to offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach after he spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons serving as the team’s passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach. These moves mark one of several internal promotions that Swinney and Clemson opted to do after watching several coaches leave for head coaching opportunities this offseason. Clemson was fine defensively, in 2021, but had an underwhelming passing attack that ranked 103rd in passing yards per game (191.5), which makes the promotion of Streeter from passing game coordinator to offensive coordinator an interesting one.
Iowa State Cyclones Game Notes
Iowa State senior QB Brock Purdy is headed for the pros. Purdy (6’1/220) accepted a Shrine Bowl invite this week after making strides between the 2020 and 2021 seasons and will have a chance to further elevate his stock at the showcase event. Purdy finished out the season with a completion percentage of 73.1%, 2,984 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Clemson vs. Iowa State Betting Prediction
The Tigers are 4-1 against the spread in their last five games overall, are 10-3 against the number in their last 13 bowl games and have covered in 14 of their last 16 games played in the month of December. The Cyclones, meanwhile, are 1-6 against the spread in their last seven neutral site games, are 0-5 against the number in their last five neutral site games as an underdog and are 1-6 at the betting window in their last seven games coming off a straight up win.
CHEEZ-IT BOWL BETTING PREDICTION: CLEMSON TIGERS -2.5