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It is time to continue our college football odds series with a UCF-Iowa State prediction and pick. Find out how to watch UCF-Iowa State.
Iowa State and head coach Matt Campbell have an opportunity to do something really special. The Big 12 Conference has involved all sorts of crazy plot twists so far this season. Utah quarterback Cam Rising has not been able to stay healthy, meaning that the Utes — the preseason favorite in the conference — are a non-factor now. The league has been volatile and unstable and very hard to predict. From that chaos, however, a few teams have risen above the mess to become conference championship contenders and College Football Playoff possibilities. Iowa State and BYU are two such programs. They are both unbeaten, both ranked in the top 15, and both presented with an amazing scenario which will be hard to replicate in future seasons. They have a legitimate chance to make the Big 12 Championship Game and go to a big-time bowl game at the very least.
Whereas BYU has won a national championship — in 1984 — and has had a number of big-stage moments as a college football program over the years, Iowa State's only elite bowl game was the 2020 Fiesta Bowl, in the pandemic season. It was certainly a tremendous achievement to finally make a New Year's Six bowl game, something the program had never previously achieved, but the fact that it came in the pandemic year obviously detracts from the magnitude of the occasion — not a lot, but enough to make it seem “less” in the eyes of outside experts. Iowa State fans rightly cherish that Fiesta Bowl victory, but in terms of the national college football community and its attitude toward Iowa State, it would do wonders for the program if it can go 11-1 this season and either make the playoff or, at the very least, return to a top bowl game. Iowa State will have proved that the 2020 pandemic season wasn't a one-hit wonder, and that the program can continue to achieve at the highest level.
Beating UCF this Saturday, in a game ISU is fully expected to win, is another important part of the step-by-step process the Cyclones need to complete in order to reach the thrilling goals which lie in front of the program right now.
Here are the UCF-Iowa State College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: UCF-Iowa State Odds
UCF: +13.5 (-108)
Moneyline: +430
Iowa State: -13.5 (-112)
Moneyline: -600
Over: 48.5 (-106)
Article Continues Below
Under: 48.5 (-114)
How to Watch UCF vs Iowa State
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT
TV: FS1
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why UCF Could Cover The Spread/Win
The Iowa State Cyclones are going to feel increasingly more pressure to win and live up to their lofty national ranking. This is a level of pressure ISU players have not previously experienced. That pressure could be suffocating. Meanwhile, UCF has absolutely nothing to lose. The Knights can play freely and take all sorts of risks. The spread is large. UCF can lose by 13 and still cover.
Why Iowa State Could Cover The Spread/Win
The Cyclones are a lot better than a UCF team which has been one of the biggest disappointments in college football this season. ISU was a 12.5-point favorite over Baylor a few weeks ago. The Cyclones did stumble early, but they recovered and won by 22, easily covering. We envision a similar scenario here.
Final UCF-Iowa State Prediction & Pick
Iowa State is a lot better than UCF, playing at home, and in good form with a huge opportunity in front of itself. Iowa State is taking care of business and has earned the benefit of the doubt, very much unlike UCF. Take Iowa State here.
Final UCF-Iowa State Prediction & Pick: Iowa State -13.5
