Iowa State Cyclones Predicted to Face Struggling SEC School in Bowl Game

Who will the Iowa State Cyclones face in a bowl game this winter?

Jul 12, 2023; Arlington, TX, USA; A view of the Iowa State Cyclones helmet and logo during Big 12 football media day at AT&T Stadium. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones will be heading into Week 10 in the middle of a three-game losing streak that has crippled their hopes of competing for a Big 12 title. 

This season started out with a lot of expectations and promise for the program. The Cyclones got off to a hot start, going 5-0, which included two wins in the conference. Due to their success, they were ranked 14th in the AP Top 25 poll, and they had some realistic postseason aspirations. 

Unfortunately, things have gone south since then. While injuries to their secondary have played a massive part in the struggles, Iowa State can blame themselves as well for some of the recent defeats. This is a team that has been making far too many mistakes in recent games, and it has cost them. 

Against both the BYU Cougars and Colorado Buffaloes, the Cyclones could have won each of those games if not for getting in their own way. Unfortunately, the team can’t go back and change that, which has resulted in their losing streak and a disappointing season. 

Kyle Bonagura of ESPN recently predicted that the Cyclones would be playing the Auburn Tigers in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl following Week 9. 

Auburn Would Be a Tough Task 

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This potential battle with an SEC school would be a challenge for Iowa State in a January 2nd bowl game. Even though the Tigers have a 4-4 record and have struggled in conference play, this is a team that has been extremely battle-tested. 

In their four games against ranked opponents, three of those games have been one-score losses, with the lone double-digit defeat coming against the Georgia Bulldogs. 

With the Alabama Crimson Tide and Vanderbilt Commodores still on the schedule, there will still be some challenging games ahead for the program. Furthermore, six wins could be the ceiling for them in 2025. 

Despite the fact that the Cyclones should have a better record than them at the end of the season, it would likely be the Tigers who would be expected to win barring potential players sitting out. 

Iowa State was hoping for a lot more this campaign and to be playing for a Big 12 title, but their three-game losing streak in the conference has ended those aspirations. While the Cyclones could certainly go on a run to end the season, a marquee bowl game for them seems somewhat unlikely at this point.