Iowa State football and Clemson look toward the future for their programs at the Cheez-It Bowl

ORLANDO — Matt Campbell’s words had an edge to them. The Iowa State coach had clearly been bothered by the discussion surrounding his 7-5 football team after they began the season ranked in the top-10.

It was the question of whether the Cyclones were overrated or over-hyped that especially irked Campbell.

“I don’t think that’s a fair statement about our football team and our football program,” he said following the regular-season finale last month. “Maybe the word that should be used — and I sure hope it’s not — is underappreciated.”

So when Campbell sat just a few feet away from Dabo Swinney, who led Clemson to two national titles and six-straight College Football Playoffs before this year’s 9-3 campaign, he surely could have appreciated that one of college football’s maxims — what have you done for me lately? — endures no matter your level of success.

“We just won nine football games, and we're a couple plays away from being in the Playoff as well,” Swinney said when asked to assess the health of his program. “Our team completed every snap, all year and never made any excuses. And they are all here.

“So I mean, you can't get excited about that, I don't know what else there is to be excited about.”

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Swinney and Clemson have achieved at the height of the sport in ways that would have previously been absurd to even consider at Iowa State, but the success under Campbell — a Big 12 title game appearance, a Fiesta Bowl championship and the preseason top-10 ranking — has made it at least worth entertaining as possibilities.

So as the two prepare to faceoff in Wednesday’s Cheez-It Bowl (4:45 p.m. CT; ESPN) they’re programs not necessarily in the same place, but dealing with the same issue — what's next after a historic run of success?

“It's transformational rather than transactional,” Campbell said of philosophy of program-building. “You only continue to strengthen and build your program in a time where I think the rest of the world wants you to become transactional. The rest of the college football landscape wants you to become transactional.

“It's continuing to build your program the right way and continue to align yourself with the coaches and players that believe in that kind of system."

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The moment is certainly a transitional one for the Cyclones, who will lose some of the best players at their position to ever play at Iowa State. Quarterback Brock Purdy, running back Breece Hall, tight end Charlie Kolar and linebacker Mike Rose are the headliners departing, but the nearly entire roster is set for a turnover.

The Cheez-It Bowl offers the Cyclones the chance for a finale against one of the nation’s top programs, but also the opportunity to glimpse into the future with some younger players likely to see the field after a month of bowl practice.

“What I think is huge for those guys is they gained real-life experience this fall for our team,” Campbell said, “and in a lot of ways were a key part of our success in being able to fight through the adversities of the season and in some ways, I think our coaching staff felt like were the springboard to the future of our football program already because of what they have done this fall.

"This time of year is awesome for young players to get great opportunity and great experience.”

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Even as it says goodbye to some of its most productive players, Iowa State’ future still seems secure with a highly-regarded recruiting class coming into the fold. And with Campbell at the helm despite a particularly active collegiate coaching carousel season.

“To be able to go into a place that really hasn't won at the level he's won and do it, there's something unique there,” Swinney said. “I think when you see a team compete the way they have competed, it just says a lot about the culture that's been established around them, and that doesn't just happen.

“So good football coach, bright future, and Iowa State is a school that's not going away.”

Travis Hines covers Iowa State University sports for the Des Moines Register and Ames Tribune. Contact him at thines@amestrib.com or (515) 284-8000. Follow him at @TravisHines21.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State, Clemson look toward their futures in the Cheez-It Bowl