Game Prediction: #12 Iowa State vs #25 Oregon

Iowa State and Oregon come into the Fiesta Bowl after playing in their respective conference championships, but how those games played out is quite different.

Iowa State dropped its league title game to Oklahoma (27-21), while Oregon went from not being in the Pac-12 title game to winning it, beating USC 31-24.

Both programs will look to head into the offseason with a big win.

The IB staff has broken down the game and is ready to make its prediction.

BRYAN DRISKELL, PUBLISHER

Prediction: Iowa State 40, Oregon 28

This is one of the few non-playoff games that has a pair of teams that will look like they did during the regular season.

I think this will be a competitive game for awhile, but Iowa State is far more battle tested and they were the more impressive team during the regular season. Iowa State brings the nation's top running back (Breece Hall) into this game, where it will be matched up against an Oregon defense that struggled with any good rush offense it faced this season.

Iowa State is a physical team, but its combination of Hall and quarterback Brock Purdy gives it the kind of balance that Oregon struggled with this season.

I was impressed with Oregon's competitiveness against USC, but I don't think they'll be able to contain the balanced Cyclone offense as well as they did the one-dimensional USC offense. They also won't be able to overcome the mistakes they made against the Trojans, and Oregon turned the ball over 12 times this season. If that continues against Iowa State this game will be a blowout.

Purdy should have a great deal of success early, which will set up Purdy to hammer the Ducks and put this game away.

VINCE DEDARIO, FOOTBALL ANALYST

Prediction: Iowa State 31, Oregon 21

This is certainly an intriguing matchup. Everyone's darling in Iowa State gets the PAC-12 champion Oregon Ducks. First, the Ducks shouldn't have even played in the title game if it wasn't for Washington pulling out at the last minute only to expose USC for the sham program they are (yeah I had to say it, come on it's USC!).

There are a lot of things to like about Iowa State and it of course is all about Breece Hall. He is arguably the best running back in the country and their success will start and finish with the sophomore. Junior QB Brock Purdy will be steady in the balanced attack but a good day from Hall against a Ducks team that gives up 160 yards a game on the ground should prove to be enough for the Cyclones. Let the Matt Campbell hype continue!

NATHAN ATKINS, IB CONTRIBUTOR

Prediction: Iowa State 38, Oregon 27

At a whopping 4-2, Oregon has made its way into the Fiesta Bowl against the 8-3 Iowa State Cyclones. For the Cyclones, Breece Hall is one of the better running backs that most people don't know. He's rushed for 1,436 yards and 19 touchdowns and leads the nation in rushing yards.

The Oregon defense is giving up 159.8 yards per game and 2.2 rushing touchdowns per game. The Cyclones rely heavily on Hall; he's only had two games without 20 carries this year. Combine that with ISU's 13 personnel (3 tight ends, one receiver), and Matt Campbell will find redemption after an embarrassing 2019 bowl loss to Notre Dame.

To comment below be sure to sign up for a FREE Disqus account, which you can get HERE.

———————

Become a premium Irish Breakdown member, which grants you access to all of our premium content, our premium message board and gets you a FREE subscription to Sports Illustrated! Click on the link below for more

BECOME A MEMBER

Be sure to stay locked into Irish Breakdown all the time!

Join the Irish Breakdown community!
Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown podcast on iTunes.
Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown YouTube channel.
Follow me on Twitter: @CoachD178
Follow me on Parler: @BryanDriskell
Like and follow Irish Breakdown on Facebook

Sign up for the FREE Irish Breakdown daily newsletter