Two teams who started the season with higher hopes will face off Wednesday when Iowa State meets No. 19 Clemson in the 2021 Cheez-It Bowl.
The game has a get-out-of-work-early kickoff time of 4:45 p.m. Wednesday at Camping World Stadium in Orlando.
Cheez-It Bowl Odds
Iowa has 17 different sportsbooks to choose from and the odds are razor-thin for the Cheez-It Bowl winner.
Betting is an easy process for fans in Iowa over the age of 21. The state took its first sports bets in August of 2019. At first, customers had to visit an Iowa casino to set up a sportsbook account.
The state allowed that requirement to sunset on Jan. 1, 2021. Now, customers can register and bet from anywhere in Iowa using a home computer or mobile device.
New Iowa customers — including guests visiting from states with limited betting — can take advantage of promotional offers to bet on the Cyclones in the Cheez-It Bowl.
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How to watch the Cheez-It Bowl
- What: No. 19 Clemson (9–3) vs. Iowa State (7–5)
- When: 4:45 p.m. Wednesday
- Where: Camping World Stadium in Orlando
- TV: ESPN
The Cyclones are playing their 17th bowl game in program history and this is the fifth-straight bowl game for the team. Iowa State also played in the Orlando-based bowl two years ago — the Cyclones fell to No. 14 Notre Dame 33-9 in 2019 when the game was called the Camping World Bowl.
Iowa State has a 5-11 record in its previous 16 bowl games. All of the wins have come since 2000:
- 2000 Insight.com Bowl (in Phoenix) — 37-29 vs. Pitt
- 2004 Independence Bowl (in Shreveport, LA) — 17-13 vs. Miami (OH)
- 2009 Insight Bowl (in Tempe, AZ) — 14-13 vs. Minnesota
- 2017 Liberty Bowl (in Memphis) — 21-20 vs. Memphis
- 2021 Fiesta Bowl (in Glendale, AZ) — 34-17 vs. Oregon
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How the Cheez-It Bowl matchup was set
The Cheez-It Bowl picks fourth from teams in the Big 12 Conference. No. 7 Baylor earned a Sugar Bowl berth as the Big 12 Champion. No. 9 Oklahoma State also earned a New Year’s Six bowl berth. The Cowboys are heading to Fiesta Bowl for a matchup with Notre Dame.
The Alamo Bowl is the Big 12’s top destination outside of the NY6 bowls. No. 16 Oklahoma finished third to earn their spot in San Antonio. The Cheez-It Bowl’s picks came down to Iowa State or Kansas State.
As for Clemson, the 2021 game marks the fourth invite to the Orlando bowl. The Tigers won two of the previous three.
The Cheez-It Bowl’s history actually began in Miami as the Blockbuster Bowl. Then it became the Carquest Bowl and the MicronPC Bowl.
The game moved out of South Florida after a dozen years. It opened in Orlando at the end of the 2001 season as the Florida Tangerine Bowl. The Mazda Tangerine Bowl, the Champs Sports Bowl, the Russell Athletic Bowl, and the Camping World Bowl all followed.
What to watch for
Clemson and Iowa State are among the nation’s best in defenses.
The Cyclones rank No. 10 nationally in total defense, allowing 310.3 yards of offense per game. The 20.6 points allowed per game is 23rd in the nation.
Clemson is even better: At 15 ppg allowed, the Tigers are ranked second in the nation in scoring defense. They are ninth nationally in total defense at 308.4 yards of offense per game.
