Peterson: It’s a Liberty Bowl guessing game with Iowa State All-American T.J. Tampa

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – All-American cornerback T.J. Tampa got off one of eight Iowa State team buses Sunday afternoon. Does that mean he’s playing in the Dec. 29 Liberty Bowl against Memphis?

Not so fast.

“He is here,” head coach Matt Campbell said while standing in the lobby of the Peabody Hotel. “He will practice. He’s been practicing every step of the way.”

If he’s not playing, the veteran coach isn’t ready yet to confirm it. If he’s playing, Campbell isn’t going there, either.

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Coaches relish keeping opponents in the dark on player situations like this. The more uncertainty, the better.

Memories of Breece Hall? Iowa State’s now-a-Jet tailback accompanied the team to the 2021 Cheez-It Bowl in Orlando, but he’d already said he wasn’t returning for his senior season.

Obviously he didn’t play in the game but was on the sidelines giving as much encouragement to Jirehl Brock as he could.

The assumption is that Senior Bowl-bound Tampa won’t play in Friday’s 2:30 p.m. game, considering most NFL mock drafts peg him as a second-rounder.

“For Breece a couple years ago – simple decision,” Campbell said two weeks ago. “T.J. probably is really close to that. What’s the player want to do? What’s the family want to do? We’re going to support what’s best for our player.

“It’s a whole person and a whole entity decision. We’ve got great kids that really want to play, and sometimes you’ve got to be the one that says, ‘Hey listen, this probably isn’t in your best interest.’”

Iowa State is an 8 ½-point favorite to win its third of what will be the sixth bowl game under Campbell. It’s just the second time the Cyclones will be a bowl favorite. The other? Iowa State was a 4-point favorite to beat Oregon in the 2020 Fiesta Bowl.

The Cyclones arrive in Memphis

The Iowa State football team is escorted to their hotel in Memphis ahead of the Liberty Bowl.

While waiting in the hotel’s large, holiday-festive lobby for the team’s arrival …

… someone wearing an Iowa State hat asked about safety Malik Verdon.

“Malik is still questionable,” Campbell said. “He’s practiced. It’s a matter if we can get the hard cast to a soft cast in the next day or two. It’s a matter of how far he’s healed.”

Verdon has a hand injury. True freshman Drew Surges replaced him in the season-ending game against Kansas State.

While waiting for the team’s arrival …

… I then looked at the proposed lineups for both Memphis and the Cyclones. Curious which team was the youngest? You’re not alone.

Here’s the discovery:

Iowa State’s lineup (excluding special teams) could very well include three true freshmen, four redshirt freshmen, five sophomores, seven juniors and the senior trio of tight end Easton Dean, left guard Jarrod Hufford and linebacker Gerry Vaughn.

More: Matt Campbell praises Iowa State recruits Aiden Flora, Garret Rutledge on National Signing Day

Memphis, meanwhile, regularly has among its starters eight seniors and just two redshirt freshmen.

Takeaway: For the 13^th time this season, the Cyclones will be the youngest team on the field.

While waiting for team’s arrival …

… I checked in on The Register’s Iowa State text group. Here are some of their comments:

• Fans are maybe not as jazzed about the bowl as in past years, but you’ve got to think the team and staff are looking ahead to a wonderful opportunity.
• One fan is looking forward to Abu Sama having a good game and a 10- to 14-point point win.
• Is 9.5 points the most (the Cyclones) have been favored in a game this year?
• A texter felt bowl games have lost their luster in the current NIL, transfer portal, draft sit-out environment.
• Another fan would like to see the offensive line get nasty and dominate. Run, Sama, Run.

While waiting or the team …

… an Iowa State fan walked by, exchanged pleasantries with me, then asked which of the 22 recruits in the 2024 class will be the first to become a star.

Let’s go through the process. The most likely to play early (alphabetical order), in one person’s opinion, are tight end Cooper Alexander, Brent and Wade Helton on the offensive line, running back Dylan Lee, and safety Carson Van Dinter.

Rarely one to hedge on an answer, I suggested the fan keep an eye on Lee, but let me explain.

You all know how Campbell has played the running backs since Jirehl Brock last played. Eli Sanders averaged 11.3 rushes this season, and Cartevious Norton averaged 7.9. They entered the portal before the season-ending win at Kansas State.

Abu Sama averaged 5.6 carries before his 16-carry, 276-yard game in the snow against the Kansas State Wildcats.

Which brings me back to the question. Lee should have a chance to be 2024’s best freshman, because he’ll likely get the most opportunity. That’s goes along with being a running back under Campbell.  

He’s more into running fresh legs in and out of games than having one player not named David Montgomery or Breece Hall have a large majority of the carries.