The Oregon Ducks are accustomed to playing in big games in the national spotlight. Whether that game comes in September as a major non-conference game or in a marquee bowl, the Ducks and their flashy Nike uniforms always find a way to carry a high profile.
The Iowa State Cyclones have not been afforded that luxury. Their big games typically come when they draw Oklahoma, either in the regular season or in the Big 12 Championship Game. Well, they’ll get a chance in that national spotlight in this year’s Fiesta Bowl on January 2.
Furthermore, they’ll get that chance as the favorite, as Iowa State is -4.5 with a total of 58 at BetOnline Sportsbook for the game in Glendale against the Pac-12 champs.
We’ll look at both sides and find a play for the 4 p.m. ET kickoff from the desert.
Oregon Ducks
It wasn’t a fun season to be in the Pac-12. For the longest time, it looked as though no football was going to be played, but as conferences across the country started to make it work, the Pac-12 changed gears and decided to play. Unfortunately, with such a cloudy future in terms of both the virus and the outlook for the season, Oregon lost several players early on to opt-outs. That included star offensive linemen Penei Sewell, who should be the first OL off the board in the NFL Draft. Thomas Graham Jr. was one of a handful of defensive players that opted out. The Ducks managed to go 3-2 in five conference games and backed into the Pac-12 Championship Game because their North Division championship game against Washington was canceled and then the Huskies couldn’t overcome the COVID protocols to face USC. The Ducks beat the Trojans, but the reality is that none of their wins were all that impressive. Twice they faced teams without their starting quarterbacks. They lost the rivalry game against Oregon State. They badly outgained Cal, but lost as almost a double-digit favorite. There really wasn’t a whole lot to like about the body of work. In fairness to Mario Cristobal’s team, replacing Justin Herbert isn’t easy. Tyler Shough did an admirable job of that with a 13/5 TD/INT ratio and a 62.7% completion percentage in his sophomore season. Travis Dye outgained CJ Verdell, who is likely to miss the Fiesta Bowl with an injury. Dye only had one rushing touchdown, despite leading the team in yards with 391. The Oregon offense had 6.75 yards per play, but turnovers were an issue and points came and went. Defensively, the Ducks allowed 5.51 yards per play. They only had seven takeaways in six games, however, which was a sign of some of the playmakers that they lost. Kayvon Thibodeaux is still a game-changer and a player that will be on Iowa State’s radar on every snap.CLAIM YOUR WELCOME BONUS FROM BETONLINE SPORTSBOOK