So, here’s the lowdown: December 28th is the date, and the Pop-Tarts Bowl between Mario Cristobal‘s Miami Hurricanes and Matt Campbell’s Iowa State Cyclones is about to get wild. Mario Cristobal & the Miami’s are low-key under immense pressure—10 players opting out—and Matt Campbell’s got his Cyclones rolling into this game with something to prove. While Miami’s got Heisman finalist Cam Ward, Iowa State and Matt Campbell are eyeing a hidden agenda. So, what’s really going on here?

Drake C. Toll, host of Locked on Big 12, dropped some serious insight on December 26th with TJ Pittinger. “Talk to me about Iowa State’s roster. It seems like most of Miami’s guys are suiting up for this—very few opt-outs,” said Pittinger. He wasn’t wrong. Miami’s best player, Cam Ward, is still in the game, but with 10 players opting out, the Hurricanes’ roster may be looking thinner than ever.

Drake jumped in: “For Iowa State right now, it’s Rocco Becht. He’s kind of leading the charge, but a much younger guy doing it, saying, ‘Guys, let’s go play.’” Becht is leading Iowa State with confidence, and his energy rubs off on the whole team. “I believe you’ll see Iowa State at full force,” Drake continued. That’s right. While Miami’s got issues, Iowa State is coming in ready to put on a show.

Iowa State’s coming off a tough Big 12 Championship loss, but they’re locked in for this bowl game. “The goal is for Matt Campbell to get an extra win—the 11th win. It’ll be the most in program history,” said Drake. They’ve never had a 10-win season, but with a victory here, Iowa State can notch 11, putting them in the record books.

Interestingly, with Campbell as the head coach, Iowa State’s best record has been 9-3, which they managed in the 2020 season. In that sense, a 10-win season is already a first for the head coach. Add to that the motivation of getting to 11 wins- a thing that has never been achieved at Iowa State. No wonder Matt Campbell will make his boys play hard despite it being an inconsequential (non-playoff) post-season game.

Meanwhile, Miami’s just trying to patch things together, but their star QB, Cam Ward, is gonna have to do a lot of the heavy lifting if they’re gonna pull this one off.

Mario Cristobal’s Miami Hurricanes vs. Matt Campbell’s Iowa State Cyclones: prediction and analysis

All eyes are on Heisman finalist Cam Ward as he leads Miami against Rocco Becht and Iowa State. The Hurricanes are slight favorites, but don’t sleep on the Cyclones—they’ve got firepower and motivation to burn. Iowa State’s offense, led by Becht and a pair of star receivers, is no joke. They’ve put up multiple-touchdown games like clockwork, and their time-of-possession game is elite.

Miami, on the other hand, is all about high-flying offense. Cam Ward has orchestrated a unit averaging 44.2 points per game, with explosive plays that can flip the script in seconds. But that same explosiveness comes with a cost—Miami’s defense has allowed way too many games to devolve into shootouts. With both teams at near full strength—minus Miami’s opt-outs—this game is shaping up to be a chess match between Cristobal’s offensive genius and Campbell’s balanced attack. If Miami’s secondary can’t step up, Becht and his receivers might feast.

This one’s going down to the wire. Iowa State’s motivation to erase their Big 12 nightmare and etch their name in the history books will keep them fighting until the end. But Cam Ward is a different breed. Even with a shorthanded squad, he’s got the talent and leadership to edge out the Cyclones. Final score? Miami 38, Iowa State 34—because nothing says college football like a shootout in Florida with Pop-Tarts on the line.