Baylor walked into the second quarter staring at a 10-point hole and an offense that had been stuck in neutral for most of the night. By the end of it, the Bears had completely flipped the game, rolling past Iowa State for a 42-31 homecoming win that pushed them to 6-3.
The turnaround came fast and loud. Baylor, which had scored just six points over its previous five quarters at home, looked lifeless early.
The first quarter was a slog: no points, 0-for-3 on third down, and only three completed passes. For a stretch, it felt like the Bears were headed for another empty offensive night.
Then everything changed.
A muffed Iowa State punt return gave Baylor the break it needed, setting the Bears up at midfield. Three plays later, DJ Lagway hit tight end Tony Livingston for a touchdown, and suddenly Baylor’s yardage total had doubled.
On the next series, Baylor finally converted on third down, and Lagway broke loose for a 54-yard rushing touchdown. From there, the offense found its rhythm and kept the pressure on.
Lagway finished with 345 yards and was central to everything Baylor did after the slow start. He kept the Cyclones off balance, either finding Gavin Freeman or taking off himself for chunk gains.
Baylor scored on 5 of its next six drives after the second-quarter spark, ripped off 28 unanswered points, and never gave the lead back. The Bears finished with six touchdowns and zero turnovers.
Iowa State still had its moments, though Aiden Flora gave Baylor’s defense plenty to handle. The running back piled up 182 yards, averaging seven yards a carry and repeatedly using the long side of the field to get around the Bears’ front for explosive gains. Baylor had controlled the run game up to that point, but Flora changed the picture with his speed.
The Bears did settle in defensively during the third quarter and shut out Iowa State in that frame, forcing the Cyclones to lean more on the passing game. Even so, Baylor surrendered a season-high 31 points, leaving some cleanup work ahead before a road trip to BYU.
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Baylor Faces A Real Home Test After Iowa States Breakthrough Win
Iowa States upset of No. 24 Oklahoma State gave the Cyclones a much-needed jolt in Week 9 and changed the feel around their stretch run. At 4-4, they are still chasing bowl eligibility, and the margin for error is thin with two more wins needed, including a road trip to face Baylor next.
For the Bears, that makes this more than just another Big 12 matchup. Baylor gets a team coming in with confidence after its first win over a ranked opponent this season, and the Cyclones will have plenty to play for as they try to keep their postseason hopes alive. The early read on this one points to a game with a lot of pressure on both sides, even if the final shape of it is still hard to pin down. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Had One Especially Encouraging Sign In This Blowout Win
Baylor opened the season 2-0 in emphatic fashion, rolling past Arkansas-Pine Bluff by 56 points and giving the Bears plenty to like beyond the final margin. The most encouraging development may have been the breakout from Isaac Williams IV, who delivered a career-high 26 points while also chipping in on the glass, in the playmaking column and on defense.
Isaac Williams was hardly the only Bear who left a mark. Dylan Mingo brought a strong defensive presence, UAB transfer Chatman added useful minutes, and the rotation got a look at Brett Decker and Elijah Williams even if the shooting was uneven at times. For Baylor, the blowout offered more than a comfortable win. It hinted at depth, versatility and a few early signs of who might be ready to carry more of the load as the schedule tightens. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Homecoming Puts One Bears Decision Under A Bigger Spotlight
Baylors homecoming weekend brings a little more than the usual pageantry to Waco, with Iowa State coming in under the watch of interim head coach Joe Klanderman after Dave Arandas firing. The matchup gives the Bears a chance to reset in front of their home crowd, but it also comes with the kind of conference wrinkle that can make a celebratory Saturday feel a lot more serious by kickoff.
Iowa State arrives off an upset of Oklahoma State, even while carrying one of the Big 12s least productive offenses and leaning heavily on running back Aiden Flora to keep drives alive. Baylors offense has been more effective by comparison, and the bigger question may be whether the Bears can keep their quarterback upright against a defense that has not piled up sacks, a detail that could shape how smoothly this homecoming game unfolds. [Read more 🡒]