Miami vs Iowa State Preview & Picks
Miami are tipped to win the Pop-Tarts Bowl… if Cam Ward plays.
Ward, who led the nation’s number one offense, has said he will play, and if he does he is likely to have his way with a Cyclones defense that got gashed by Kansas and ASU.
- Miami are 3-1-0 ATS against non-conference opposition
- Miami are 2-0-0 ATS when favored by 4 points or less
- Iowa State are 2-4-0 ATS in their previous 6 games
- The Over cashed in 8 of Miami’s 12 games this season (1 push)
Head To Head
- This is the first ever meeting between the two teams
Miami Form
Miami were forced to settle for a Pop-Tarts Bowl invite after they lost their final game of the regular season to finish 10-2.
The Hurricanes made an early statement as they blew out Florida in ‘The Swamp’ on opening day, 41-17.
They built on that with three more non-conference wins, before kicking off their ACC schedule with five consecutive victories, including two epic comebacks.
Miami’s streak was ended at nine games by a 28-23 loss at Georgia Tech, but they bounced back a fortnight later to take down Wake Forest 42-14.
That meant the Hurricanes would reach the ACC Championship Game with a victory at Syrcause on the final day, but they crashed to a 42-38 defeat, ending their playoff hopes too.
Iowa State Form
Iowa State go into this matchup having missed out on the College Football Playoffs following the Big 12 Championship Game loss to Arizona State.
The Cyclones enjoyed a historic season that started with a seven-game win streak, which included a 20-19 victory over Iowa.
That run was finally ended in early November as they dropped back-to-back games, losing 23-22 to Texas Tech and 45-36 at Kansas.
Iowa State rallied to win their next three though, beating Cincinnati 34-17, Utah 31-28 and Kansas State 29-21 to make it to the Big 12 Championship Game.
A victory in that would have sent the Cyclones into the playoffs, but a couple of turnovers early in the second half sparked a collapse that resulted in a 45-19 loss to Arizona State.