Cyclones headed to Fiesta Bowl; Oregon awaits in ISU’s first New Year’s Six draw

Who is up for a new year’s fiesta?

Iowa State (8-3, 8-2 Big 12) is headed to a New Year’s Six bowl game for the first time in program history as they’ll square-off with the Oregon Ducks (4-2) in the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Az. on Jan. 2, 2021. Iowa State came in at No. 10 in the College Football Playoff committee’s final rankings while Oregon is No. 25.

The Ducks, led by head coach Mario Cristobal, won the PAC-12 championship game on Friday against USC. Oregon played in the game despite not winning the PAC-12 North due to a COVID-19 outbreak in the Washington program.

The Cyclones lost to Oklahoma on Saturday 27-21 in the Big 12 championship game.

Iowa State will participate in a bowl game for the fourth-straight season, the longest such streak in school history.

The Cyclones are 2-0 in bowl games played in Arizona. The program’s first bowl win came at the 2000 Insight Bowl played in Phoenix then won the same game again in 2009.

This will be the first meeting between the Ducks and Cyclones. Iowa State is 21-59-2 all-time against Pac-12 schools, including a two-point loss to Washington State in the 2018 Alamo Bowl.

We’ll have plenty more on the announced matchup as the day goes along.

Jared Stansbury

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Jared a native of Clarinda, Iowa, started as the Cyclone Fanatic intern in August 2013, primarily working as a videographer until starting on the women’s basketball beat prior to the 2014-15 season. Upon earning his Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Iowa State in May 2016, Jared was hired as the site’s full-time staff writer, taking over as the primary day-to-day reporter on football and men’s basketball. He was elevated to the position of managing editor in January 2020. He is a regular contributor on 1460 KXNO in Des Moines and makes regular guest appearances on radio stations across the Midwest. Jared resides in Ankeny with his four-year-old puggle, Lolo.

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