Iowa State vs Arizona State Big 12 Championship Game Prediction – 12/7/24

The last conference to determine which two teams would face off in their championship game was the Big 12. Late on the final Saturday night of the regular season, we learned that it would be Iowa State and Arizona State doing battle in Arlington, TX for the right to be crowned Big 12 champs. Iowa State is a one-point favorite going into this game, while the total has been set at 50.5 points. Here, we break down Iowa State vs Arizona State and give you our college football picks for the 2024 Big 12 Championship Game, in a game where the winner will win its first-ever Big 12 crown.

Can Iowa State Snag First Big 12 Title?

It was a chaotic final day of the regular season in the Big 12, as there were many combinations of teams that could have played in the conference championship game. But thanks to a win over Kansas State and a BYU win over Houston, Iowa State joined Arizona State as a finalist in this conference. The Cyclones have reached 10 wins for the first time in program history with their win over Kansas State and they will look for their first Big 12 title game triumph against Arizona State.

The Cyclones are appearing in their second Big 12 Championship Game on Saturday. They lost their first trip to this game, losing to the Oklahoma Sooners 27-21 in 2020. Technically, the Cyclones have the experience edge in this game against a Big 12 debutant in Arizona State. But without either team having current experience on this stage, it will be interesting to see how both teams come out to start this contest.

For Iowa State, the key to this game is going to be stopping the run. Arizona State is very dangerous on the ground thanks to running back Cam Skattebo. Bottling Skattebo up on early downs and forcing the Sun Devils to beat them through the air in predictable passing downs would give Iowa State a much-needed advantage on defense at AT&T Stadium.

Arizona State Looks For Sixth Straight Win, Big 12 Title

Going into the Big 12 Championship Game, the Arizona State Sun Devils are red-hot, having won five games in a row. They won the Territorial Cup game over Arizona in the final week of the regular season, putting a 49-7 hurting on their rivals on the road in Tucson. Here, the Sun Devils will look for a sixth win in a row, one that would give them the Big 12 title despite being picked to finish dead last in the conference in the league’s preseason poll.

For Arizona State, their balance offensively has been instrumental to their success this season. The Sun Devils average just over 200 yards per game through the air and just under 200 yards per game on the ground. They can air it out with quarterback Sam Leavitt when they need to and grind opponents down with running back Cam Skattebo when they need to. That versatility will come in handy when dealing with the pressure of a conference championship game on Saturday.

This is, of course, the first Big 12 Championship Game Arizona State has ever played in. They are playing their first season in the conference here in 2024, as they will look to go one-for-one winning football championships in this league after Saturday. For that to happen, they will need to find a way to move the ball against a very good Iowa State defense.

Iowa State vs Arizona State Prediction

We will take the over as our best bet for Iowa State vs Arizona State for the Big 12 championship. Arizona State is 7-5 to the over so far this season, while both teams have proven themselves capable of putting up big offensive numbers down the stretch this season. Look for the winner of this game to score into the high-20s or low-30s and for the combined score in this matchup to exceed 50.5 points when all is said and done.

For more on today's game check out the comprehensive statistics, betting odds, and trends below. Be sure to check out all our free NCAAFB picks here.