Anyone who has covered or followed college football for a while , knows that motivation is key in bowl season. What teams are excited to be there and what teams are disappointed generally play a part in the outcome. The Cheez-It Bowl coming up on Wednesday will feature two teams who did not live up to preseason expectations. So motivation could well be a major factor in the game Wednesday. Who will be more motivated and why, after disappointing seasons.
Both teams found themselves in the top 10 in the preseason polls, with Clemson 3rd to start the year and Iowa State 7th. For Clemson, it was looked at that this season would be like the last several. The Tigers have been a top tier program for the last several years and the fan base has expectations of being in that elite group every year now. The Tigers opened with a loss to Georgia in the opening week's marquee primetime game. While Clemson fans were disappointed especially in only scoring 3 points, they knew how good Georgia was so they didn't panic with that loss. It was the losses in conference and the lackluster offensive performances in ACC play that changed the narrative for Clemson fans. The Tigers did get better once the season wore on but still had issues in the passing game. QB play was a major part of the disappointment. Still, Clemson did right the ship some late in the year. They won their final 5 games to finish the year and played their way into contention for the ACC Atlantic but fell short.
It was a season that was supposed to be historical for Iowa State. I was working in at a Cyclone affiliate in Central Iowa during last season and until August of this year. With that, I saw first hand the hype ISU came into the season with after a memorable run last year to the Big 12 Title Game and New Year's Six Bowl win. Iowa State was ranked 7th in the preseason poll, which was its highest preseason ranking in school history. They were unable to live up to the hype. The Cyclones dropped another in the Cy-Hawk Series to Iowa early in the season. They then went 5-4 in Big 12 while trying to navigate a tough road schedule. Iowa State struggled on the road as all of their league losses were road trips.
So what is the motivation for each team in the upcoming bowl game? For Clemson I think it is two-fold. The Tigers can pick up their 10th win of this season if they can down ISU. Which winning 10 games in what has felt like a down season is a measuring stick of how good the program has been lately. The 2nd factor for Clemson is too see how the in-house promotions work on the coaching staff? It'll be the first look at Clemson since the departures of Defensive guru Brent Venables and Offensive Coordinator Tony Elliott. Dabo has promoted from within for both spots which is risky, but if the Tigers look good and win in the bowl it will likely give Clemson fans more confidence in the moves during off season.
For Iowa State, I think the motivation is pretty simple. Coach Matt Campbell achieved what most thought was impossible in 2020. Prior to Campbell's tenure in Ames just making a bowl game was a high ranking accomplishment. Since his arrival, Campbell has taken ISU to unseen heights. The program underachieved this year but a win over a top tier program like Clemson would give them some solace. If Campbell can pull it off, his program would have beaten Oklahoma, Oregon and Clemson all since last season. That would be another glimmer for Cyclone fans, showing that their program is continuing to move in the right direction.
The Tigers and Cyclones will battle it out Wednesday night in the Cheez-It Bowl. The game is set to kick off at 5:45 and will air nationally on ESPN.
