Oct 33 min read

No. 16 Iowa State to Face Struggling Baylor Bears

The No. 16 Iowa State Cyclones (4-0) look to continue their win streak against the Baylor Bears (2-3) at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa, on Oct. 5 at 7:30 pm EST. The Cyclones are red-hot, tied for the Big 12 Conference lead in the standings, while the Bears' comeback against another Big 12 leader, the No. 22 BYU Cougars (5-0), fell short on Sept. 28.

Bounce Back Bears?

The Bears fell behind early against the Cougars, digging themselves a 28-7 hole at the half. A huge offensive surge saw them come within one possession but to no avail as they fell 34-28. They have to come out firing this game as the Cyclones' offense is known for high explosiveness and can easily pile on the points. If the defense can hold, then the Bears have a chance to bounce back and salvage the first half of this season. If not, then the Cyclones continue their win streak to 5-0 and set themselves up nicely for the back half of the season.

Key Players: Iowa State Cyclones

Iowa State has a ton of playmakers on offense, but just as important will be slowing down a Baylor offense that can also put up points. This will be the best offense the Cyclones have faced so far this season, so getting stops and not allowing the Bear offense to keep up will win this game with ease.

Jayden Higgins, Wide Receiver

Baylor's passing defense ranks No. 21 in the country. However, it showed a lot of weaknesses last week against BYU. Darius Lassiter had 8 catches for 120 yards and a touchdown and with Higgins having a promising start, this could be the game where he breaks out in a big way should he take some notes from Lassiter's book.

Beau Freyler, Linebacker

Beau Freyler is the leader of this Cyclones' defense. Freyler has 27 tackles, 1 interception and 2 pass deflections through 4 games. Given the dual-threat capabilities that Baylor quarterback Sawyer Robertson showed last game, his discipline and skill in keeping Robertson honest and contained will make the difference in this game.

Key Players: Baylor Bears

Baylor cannot come out flat offensively like they did against BYU. A slow start all but dooms them in this matchup, given Iowa State's high-powered offensive explosiveness. Who will step up to the plate to give the Bears the best chance?

Sawyer Robertson, Quarterback

Robertson has had a solid past couple of games in the place of Dequan Finn, but this upcoming Saturday he will need to be at his best. Robertson has 787 yards, 6 touchdowns and 2 interceptions with an 83.3 quarterback rating through 4 games played this season. The Iowa State pass defense ranks No. 2 in the country with just 102.5 yards per game allowed, which will prove to be a major challenge.

Keaton Thomas, Linebacker

Keaton Thomas has a very similar play style to Iowa State's Freyler in that he has a balanced skillset. Given the Cyclones' ability to kill you in the air or on the ground with Abu Sama and Co., Thomas will need to be on his A-game. Thomas has 41 total tackles, 1 sack and 1 interception this season.

Cyclone Surge?

The Cyclones looked slow-moving against conference bottom feeders the Houston Cougars (1-4), putting up just 20 points. The run game, however, looked like a well-oiled machine, rushing for 240 yards. Against a Bears' front seven that allows 141.2 yards per game, that could likely be the case again.

However, even with the threat of the run game in their back pocket, the Bears' secondary has looked plenty vulnerable in their past two games. Higgins and fellow receiver Jaylin Noel have a chance to finally open it up. Quarterback Rocco Becht will just need to push it downfield, which is something he's had a bit of an issue with this season. Should they make Baylor respect the run, though, expect those lanes to open up and allow for the young quarterback to gain some confidence in his deep ball.

If Baylor has a complete game, then it has a shot in this one. Shutting down both the run and pass game for the Cyclones and their offense playing a full game will give them the best chance. Given the inconsistent and suspect nature of both those things happening for the Bears in a given game so far this season, it's tough to imagine them doing that. The Cyclones should continue their win streak, winning 31-17.