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Week 10 Bowl Projections: Iowa State the media’s overwhelming Big 12 favorite

The 29th Camping World Bowl is still more than two months away, but it’s never too early to start predicting which ACC and Big 12 teams might be headed to Orlando.

Here’s a round-up of projections from around the college football media world after Week 10:

Kyle Bonagura (ESPN): Syracuse vs. Iowa State
Mitch Sherman (ESPN): Syracuse vs. Iowa State
Eric Single (Sports Illustrated): NC State vs. Iowa State
Jerry Palm (CBS Sports): NC State vs. Iowa State
Bill Bender (SportingNews): Pittsburgh vs. Texas
Jason Kirk (SBNation): NC State vs. Texas Tech
Kerry Miller (Bleacher Report): Syracuse vs. Texas Tech
Brant Parsons (Orlando Sentinel): Boston College vs. Iowa State
CollegeFootballNews.com: Boston College vs. Iowa State
Erick Smith (USA Today): NC State vs. Iowa State
Brett McMurphy (Stadium): Boston College vs. Iowa State
Brad Crawford (247 Sports): Boston College vs. Iowa State

Syracuse’s only appearance in the Camping World Bowl was a 51-14 loss to Georgia Tech in 2004.

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.
• Though Syracuse has the 15th ranked offense in the FBS (478.2 yards per game), they would be up against a Cyclones team that ranks 20th in total defense, allowing 324.4 yards per game.

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.
• This would be the Cyclones’ first-ever appearance in a bowl game in the Sunshine State.
• Both the Wolfpack and the Cyclones rank in the top-20 in rushing defense at No. 7 (91.6 yards per game) and No. 15 (104.9 yards per game), respectively.
• 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 beach West Virginia 23-7, earning himself MVP honors.

Pittsburgh vs. Texas

• Pittsburgh is 0-3 all-time against the Longhorns, with their first matchup coming in the 1987 Bluebonnet Bowl in the Astrodome in Houston, Texas.
• Texas defeated No. 19 Pittsburgh in that game behind 242 receiving yards and two touchdowns from wide receiver Tony Jones.
• This would be the Longhorns’ first-ever appearance in an Orlando bowl game; Pitt has played here one time previously.
• The Panthers only other Camping World Bowl appearance was a 34-19 win over NC State in 2001 — the bowl’s inaugural game in Orlando after 11 years in Miami.

NC State vs. Texas Tech

• The Wolfpack and Red Raiders have met on the gridiron five times previously; NC State leads the series 4-1.
• This would be the Wolfpack’s sixth overall appearance in the Camping World Bowl; NC State is currently tied with Miami for the overall lead with five.
• In NC State’s appearance in 2003, quarterback Philip Rivers set the Camping World Bowl records for touchdown passes (five), passing yards (475) and pass completions (37); the Wolfpack defeated Kansas 56-26.
• The Wolfpack and the Red Raiders both currently boast a top-10 ranked passing offense, with NC State at No. 9 (322.9) and Texas Tech at No. 2 (375.6 yards per game).

Quarterback Kliff Kingsbury led the Red Raiders to a 55-15 win over Clemson and received the 2002 Camping World Bowl MVP honors.

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.
• Kingsbury connected in 32 of 43 passes for 375 yards and three touchdowns, earning him the 2002 game MVP honors.
• A Syracuse (43.3 points per game) vs. Texas Tech (42.7 points per game) matchup would pit the No. 8 and No. 9 scoring offenses in the nation against each other.

Boston College vs. Iowa State

• The Eagles and the Cyclones have played one time previously — a 14-10 Boston College victory in 1961.
• Boston College is unbeaten in the Camping World Bowl, as it won in 2007 against Michigan State (24-21) and in 1994 against Virginia (21-13).
• In the 2007 matchup, current Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan threw three touchdown passes for the Eagles and finished 22-of-47 for 249 yards.
• The 2007 victory extended Boston College’s bowl win streak to eight, which was the nation’s longest at the time.
• Boston College has a strong rushing offense that ranks No. 23 in the nation with 225.6 yards per game, but would be up against the nation’s No. 14 run defense , which has held opponents to 104.9 rushing yards per game so far this season.

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.