Iowa State vs. Clemson Odds, Date: Opening Spread, Total for 2021 Cheez-It Bowl

Iowa State vs. Clemson Odds

Iowa State is set to take on Clemson in the Cheez-It Bowl on Dec. 29 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida.

It will be the first time the Tigers are not in the College Football Playoff since the inaugural playoff in 2014.

Find our expert's projected odds, a recap of each team's seasons, plus more information on the Cheez-It Bowl below.

Iowa State vs. Clemson Projected Odds

These Iowa State vs. Clemson projections are based on Collin Wilson's college football power ratings, which help power our PRO Projections — they compare all of his projections to real-time college football odds in order to easily identify betting edges.

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How Iowa State Reached the Cheez-It Bowl

Chalk up the 2021 season as a disappointment for head coach Matt Campbell’s crew in Ames.

Despite two experienced game-changers on offense in quarterback Brock Purdy and running back Breece Hall, the Cyclones went a mediocre 7-5, a year after pushing Oklahoma for the top spot in the Big 12.

The conference was up for grabs, but Iowa State couldn’t eke out wins when it mattered. The program dropped four games by seven points or fewer.

Hall finished the regular season with 1,472 rushing yards, though, for the fifth most in the country.

The defense, meanwhile, was stout as usual, ranking top-20 nationally in rushing yards, passing yards and total yards allowed per game.

How Clemson Reached the Cheez-It Bowl

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney will wind up with three or more losses in a season for the first time since the 2014 season.

The ACC powerhouse has been accustomed to waltzing into the College Football Playoff, registering four berths — and two national titles — during the peak of the Swinney era.

This just wasn’t the Tigers’ year.

After losing generational talents in quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne — both first-round picks — the offense faltered. Clemson managed a paltry 26.8 points per game, tallying fewer than 200 passing yards per contest.

The defense, meanwhile, was excellent under coordinator Brent Venables, ranking third in points per game allowed.

Overall, the Tigers went a dreadful 4-8 against the spread during the regular season.

Iowa State vs. Clemson Matchup Analysis

Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how Iowa State and Clemson match up statistically:

Iowa State Offense vs. Clemson Defense

	Offense	Defense	Edge
Rush Success	73	4
Line Yards	72	6
Pass Success	22	14
Pass Blocking**	55	41
Big Play	15	8
Havoc	47	18
Finishing Drives	45	3
** Pass Blocking (Off.) vs. Pass Rush (Def.)

Clemson Offense vs. Iowa State Defense

	Offense	Defense	Edge
Rush Success	62	71
Line Yards	30	69
Pass Success	119	50
Pass Blocking**	53	49
Big Play	111	31
Havoc	42	28
Finishing Drives	71	74
** Pass Blocking (Off.) vs. Pass Rush (Def.)

Pace of Play / Other

PFF Tackling	52	32
Coverage	41	20
Middle 8	21	110
SP+ Special Teams	34	7
Plays per Minute	102	100
Rush Rate	48.9% (103)	54.1% (72)

Cheez-It Bowl Date, Time, TV, More Info

• Date: Dec. 29
• Time: 5:45 p.m. ET
• Location: Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida
• TV Info: ESPN