Week 11 Bowl Projections: Media narrowing down to a ‘Cuse vs. ISU matchup
The college football season is entering the home stretch, and the countdown to the 2018 Camping World Bowl is on in Orlando.
Here’s a round-up of Camping World Bowl projections from around the college football media world after Week 11:
Kyle Bonagura (ESPN): Syracuse vs. Iowa State
Mitch Sherman (ESPN): Syracuse vs. Iowa State
Eric Single (Sports Illustrated): Syracuse vs. Iowa State
Jerry Palm (CBS Sports): NC State vs. Iowa State
Bill Bender (Sporting News): NC State vs. Iowa State
Jason Kirk (SBNation): Syracuse vs. Texas Tech
Kerry Miller (Bleacher Report): Syracuse vs. Iowa State
Brant Parsons (Orlando Sentinel): Pittsburgh vs. Iowa State
CollegeFootballNews.com: Pittsburgh vs. Iowa State
Erick Smith (USA Today): NC State vs. Iowa State
Brett McMurphy (Stadium): Syracuse vs. Iowa State
Brad Crawford (247 Sports): Syracuse vs. Iowa State
Syracuse vs. Iowa State
• These programs have two previous matchups — the first was a 7-7 tie in 1957 and the second was a 14-13 Syracuse victory in 1969.
• Syracuse has played in one previous Camping World Bowl in 2004; the Orange lost to Georgia Tech 51-14.
• In the 2004 matchup, Syracuse tight end Brandon Darlington scored a two-point conversion; no other team has accomplished this in a Camping World Bowl since.
• Though Syracuse has the 14th ranked offense in the FBS (482.2 yards per game), they would be up against a Cyclones team that has been allowing its opponents only 344.4 total yards per game, good for 32nd nationally.
NC State vs. Iowa State
• The only previous matchup between these programs came in the 1977 Peach Bowl, a 24-14 victory for NC State.
• Iowa State has been to 13 total bowl games in program history, but this would be its first-ever appearance in a bowl game in the Sunshine State.
• NC State is tied with Miami for the most appearances in a Camping World Bowl with five, and also leads the bowl records in several other statistical categories including the most passing yards (481, 2003 vs. Kansas) and the best completion percentage (82.6, 2003 vs. Kansas).
• The Wolfpack’s last Camping World Bowl appearance was also quarterback Russell Wilson’s last game in an NC State uniform; the current Seattle Seahawks signal caller threw for 275 yards and two touchdowns to beat West Virginia 23-7, earning himself MVP honors.
All-Big 12 DE and nine-year NFL veteran Reggie Hayward attempts to block a field goal in the 2000 https://t.co/H9HjRm4cmo Bowl vs. Pittsburgh. #TBT #CyclONEnation
🌪🏈🌪 pic.twitter.com/i3GA872nK9
— Iowa State Football (@CycloneFB) September 27, 2018
Pittsburgh vs. Iowa State
• The Panthers and the Cyclones have faced each other one time previously, in the 2000 Insight.com Bowl, now known as the Cheez-It Bowl; Iowa State defeated Pittsburgh 37-29.
• Pittsburgh appeared in the 2001 Camping World Bowl, which was the first year the bowl game was played in Orlando; the Panthers beat NC State 34-19 in the game.
• In Pittsburgh’s 2001 appearance, Torrie Cox recorded a 42-yard kickoff return, which is tied for the sixth longest in Camping World Bowl history.
• The Cyclones’ defense, which ranks 16th in the nation against the run (109.4 yards per game), would be up against the No. 10 rushing offense in the nation in Pitt (256.9 yards per game).
Syracuse vs. Texas Tech
• This would be the first-ever matchup between the Orange and the Red Raiders.
• In Texas Tech’s only other appearance in a Camping World Bowl, current head coach Kliff Kingsbury was the team’s quarterback and led the offense to a 55-15 win over Clemson.
• This matchup would have the potential to become a high-scoring game as Syracuse (44.4 points per game) and Texas Tech (41.7 points per game) boast the No. 7 and No. 9 in scoring offenses in the FBS, respectively.
Click here to check out weekly media projections from earlier this season. For a breakdown of the latest CFP poll and what it means for the Citrus Bowl and Camping World Bowl, click here.