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The Iowa State Cyclones finished at the top of the Big 12 in 2020, with an 8-1 record. This came as a shock to many college football fans who had the Oklahoma Sooners winning the conference. The strange bit is now the Cyclones have regressed to the expected number two team in the Big 12.
Iowa State only lost one player to the NFL Draft this year, RB Kene Nwangwu. Still, even with their team mostly intact, the Sooners are the favorite in the Big 12. The Cyclones yet again, find themselves as the underdogs heading into 2021. Fifth-year Head Coach Matt Campbell has his work cut out for him as the organization looks to build on last year’s success.
2021 Iowa State Cyclones Futures Betting Odds
Iowa State Cyclones National Championship Odds: +4000
Iowa State Cyclones Conference Champion Odds: +225
Iowa State Cyclones Win Totals Odds: Over 9.5 (-110) Under 9.5 (-110)
The Cyclones have the odds stacked against them to win the National Championship and for good reason. There are plenty of other contenders Iowa State would have to defeat and the Cyclones aren’t ready yet. They’re also a close bet to win the Big 12 this year, following closely behind Oklahoma. A big argument advocating for a repeat win of the Big 12 is losing one player to the draft. Since most of the team is still intact, the Cyclones are already set up for success this season.
The Cyclones win total sits at 9.5 games, giving them little margin for error. The good news is they have a relatively fair schedule, the toughest game being Oklahoma. With two games allocated for a loss, the -110 odds for a 9.5 game season is an attractive bet. Again, don’t waste your money betting on the Cyclones to win the National Championship. There are plenty of other teams the money is better spent, including the Big 12 Oklahoma Sooners.
2021 Iowa State Cyclones Offseason Grade: C+
Key Additions: (S, Jeremiah Cooper), (QB, Rocco Becht), (TE, Andrew Keller), (ILB, Carson Willich)
Key Departures: (RB, Kene Nwangwu)
The Iowa State Cyclones aren’t a huge market which is why they didn’t land some of the more notable recruits. The recruits they were able to sign are fully capable of coming into the season and making an impact. This creates a huge upside for the Cyclones as these players will develop over time in the program.
Perhaps the best news for the Cyclones is that most of their team is still intact. Losing RB Kene Nwangwu is still a big hit to the team’s offense though. Expect the coaching staff to feed the ball to All-American Breece Hall.
They also have a strong quarterback in Brock Purdy, who ranked 20th in passing touchdowns last season. With the duo of Hall and Purdy, the Cyclones are in great shape to have another great offensive season.
Iowa State Cyclones Preview 2021
Although the Cyclones are far from winning the National Championship, they could be in for another successful season. The offense is already set to look identical. Plus, the Cyclones don’t have to worry about replacing their QB. Frankly, Iowa State leaves the least questions heading into the 2021 season.
The only problem is they’re in the Big 12 and have to deal with the Oklahoma Sooners. Even with them retaining their core group from 2020, the Cyclones haven’t found a way to beat the Sooners. Not to mention, they lost two other games to the Oklahoma State Cowboys and Louisiana in 2020.
2021 Iowa State Cyclones Futures Best Bets
The best bet here is the over 9.5 win total and one you should definitely take. Considering their toughest game is against Oklahoma at the end of the season, the Cyclones are set for 11 wins. Even then, they’ll still have one more game allocated to lose, just in case.
If you’re feeling risky, take the Cyclones to win the Big 12. They were able to steal it from Oklahoma last year, perhaps they can do it again. Just be sure to leave them out of the National Championship talk.
View our expert sports handicappers rankings.
