In the long, quirky history of bowl games, there have been few marketing successes as complete as the Pop-Tarts Bowl. The toaster pastry brand took over the Orlando-based bowl game in 2023 and immediately won plaudits for its lighthearted approach—complete with an edible mascot.
In 2024, the game has been blessed with a quality matchup—a showdown between No. 15 Miami and No. 18 Iowa State. It's the first meeting between the Hurricanes and Cyclones despite their similar nicknames, and will throw a spotlight on the teams' vastly different bowl histories.
Here's a look at Iowa State and Miami's postseason histories, along with some notes on particularly notable matchups.
Iowa State Bowl History: How the Cyclones Have Fared
SEASON
BOWL
OPPONENT
RESULT
1971
Sun
LSU
L 33–13
1972
Liberty
Georgia Tech
L 31–30
1977
Peach
NC State
L 24–14
1978
Hall of Fame Classic
Texas A&M
L 28–12
2000
Insight
Pittsburgh
W 37–29
2001
Independence
Alabama
L 14–13
2002
Humanitarian
Boise State
L 34–16
2004
Independence
Miami-Ohio
W 17–13
2005
Houston
TCU
L 27–24
2009
Insight
Minnesota
W 14–13
2011
Pinstripe
Rutgers
L 27–13
2012
Liberty
Tulsa
L 31–17
2017
Liberty
Memphis
W 21–20
2018
Alamo
Washington State
L 28–26
2019
Camping World
Notre Dame
L 33–9
2020
Fiesta
Oregon
W 34–17
2021
Cheez-It
Clemson
L 20–13
2023
Liberty
Memphis
L 36–26
2024
Pop-Tarts
Miami
TBD
Notes on Iowa State's Bowl History
The fact that the Cyclones did not reach any bowl game until 1971 is telling, as the Big Eight and its predecessors were quick to embrace the bowl system. Shaking off years of struggles in a difficult conference, Iowa State played in the Sun Bowl that year under coach Johnny Majors.
Unfortunately, the Cyclones would have to wait nearly three decades to win their first bowl game. That came in 2000, when quarterback Sage Rosenfels piloted Iowa State to a 37–29 win over Pittsburgh in the Insight Bowl.
Even more elusive for the program was a major bowl appearance, which finally came in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Coach Matt Campbell, shaking off a season-opening loss to Louisiana-Lafayette, guided his team to a 9-3 mark and a resounding Fiesta Bowl win over Oregon.
Miami Bowl History: How the Hurricanes Have Fared
SEASON
BOWL
OPPONENT
RESULT
1934
Orange
Bucknell
L 26–0
1945
Orange
Holy Cross
W 13–6
1950
Orange
Clemson
L 15–14
1951
Gator
Clemson
W 14–0
1961
Liberty
Syracuse
L 15–14
1962
Gotham
Nebraska
L 36–34
1966
Liberty
Virginia Tech
W 14–7
1967
Bluebonnet
Colorado
L 31–21
1980
Peach
Virginia Tech
W 20–10
1983
Orange
Nebraska
W 31–30
1984
Fiesta
UCLA
L 39–37
1985
Sugar
Tennessee
L 35–7
1986
Fiesta
Penn State
L 14–10
1987
Orange
Oklahoma
W 20–14
1988
Orange
Nebraska
W 23–3
1989
Sugar
Alabama
W 33–25
1990
Cotton
Texas
W 46–3
1991
Orange
Nebraska
W 22–0
1992
Sugar
Alabama
L 34–13
1993
Fiesta
Arizona
L 29–0
1994
Orange
Nebraska
L 24–17
1996
Carquest
Virginia
W 31–21
1998
Micron PC
NC State
W 46–23
1999
Gator
Georgia Tech
W 28–13
2000
Sugar
Florida
W 37–20
2001
Rose
Nebraska
W 37–14
2002
Fiesta
Ohio State
L 31–24
2003
Orange
Florida State
W 16–14
2004
Peach
Florida
W 27–10
2005
Peach
LSU
L 40–3
2006
MPC Computers
Nevada
W 21–20
2008
Emerald
California
L 24–17
2009
Champs Sports
Wisconsin
L 20–14
2010
Sun
Notre Dame
L 33–17
2013
Russell Athletic
Louisville
L 36–9
2014
Independence
South Carolina
L 24–21
2015
Sun
Washington State
L 20–14
2016
Russell Athletic
West Virginia
W 31–14
2017
Orange
Wisconsin
L 34–24
2018
Pinstripe
Wisconsin
L 35–3
2019
Independence
Louisiana Tech
L 14–0
2020
Cheez-It
Oklahoma State
L 37–34
2023
Pinstripe
Rutgers
L 31–24
2024
Pop-Tarts
Iowa State
TBD
Notes on Miami's Bowl History
Contrary to the beliefs of those who believe Hurricanes football was invented in the 1980s, Miami was reaching bowl games within a decade of its program's inception. Yes, the Hurricanes played in the very first Orange Bowl, losing 26–0 to Bucknell on its home turf.
It was a fitting beginning to Miami's bowl odyssey, as the Hurricanes would become more associated with the Orange Bowl than any other bowl game. Only Oklahoma, Nebraska and Florida State have appeared in more editions of that game, and at some point the Hurricanes have taken on all three teams in their backyard. Miami last appeared in the game in 2017, losing 34–24 to Wisconsin.
Befitting their status as one of the late 20th century's most dominant teams, the Hurricanes have competed for numerous national titles in bowl settings. Miami teams de facto clinched championships in bowls in 1983 (Orange), 1987 (Orange), 1989 (Sugar) and 1991 (Orange), and de facto lost a championship to Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl of 1986.
The Hurricanes' success continued into the era of a structured national championship system; they lost games in 1992 and 1994 that would have given them the Bowl Coalition national title. Less than a decade later, they beat the Cornhuskers in the Rose Bowl to win the 2001 BCS national title, and lost a Fiesta Bowl heartbreaker to Ohio State that would've given them that accolade in 2002.
Amazingly, Miami has not won a bowl game since upsetting West Virginia 31–14 in the 2016 Russell Athletic Bowl.
Iowa State, Miami Records in Bowl Games
Here's how the two teams' bowl records compare.
TEAM
WINS
LOSSES
WINNING PERCENTAGE
Iowa State
5
13
.278
Miami
19
23
.452
The Cyclones are trying to improve upon a rough bowl history, while the Hurricanes seek to end their eight-year bowl victory drought and creep back toward .500.
