Baylor Shakes Road Woes, Knocks Off Iowa State to Open Big 12 Play
No. 17 Baylor captured a win in Ames, Iowa for the first time since 2016, winning away from Waco and stifling Iowa State 31-24.
Dillon Doyle touchdown. Angry Matt Campbell. Dave Aranda road win. Penalty parade. And Blake Shapen breakout. This 11 a.m. Big 12 tilt did not disappoint.
The first half was a masterclass from Jeff Grimes and the offense. Despite looking shaky to start the year, Shapen was electric. The quarterback was 11-14 for 120 yards and two touchdowns in the first two quarters.
What's more, on the four full drives Baylor logged in the first half, the Bears scored on three of them. Grimes' first three possessions alone resulted in 17 points and 15:36 taken off the clock.
That included this gem from Shapen to linebacker turned fullback Dillon Doyle.
Iowa State was sharp offensively, too. Hunter Dekkers went 12-15 for 124 yards and two scores of his own. On the downside, the Cyclones had just 28 rushing yards and four penalties for 48 yards, resulting in the following.
With offenses churning, Baylor led 17-14 at the break.
The Bears opened the second half with moxie. The defense forced an interception from Devin Neal Jr., Richard Reese cashed in a 19-yard touchdown and Aranda... screamed?
The Bears furthered the momentum as Grimes opted to all but end this one. Stomping on the neck, Shapen connected with Gavin Holmes on the trick play.
While Iowa State would get the ball back late in the game, the comeback attempt was stifled by a strong showing from the Bears' defense, locking in the 31-24 victory.
Shapen was very impressive. Finishing 19-26, the Baylor quarterback notched three touchdown passes with 238 yards. Reese was also a bell cow with 78 yards and a score on 21 carries.
As for the defense, Iowa State was held to just 66 rushing yards, the Bears picked off two of Dekkers passes and four sacks to couple with eight tackles for loss did not hurt.
Baylor starts 1-0 in Big 12 play, and a home game against Oklahoma State just got way bigger. It is certainly a contender for an 11 a.m. kickoff on FOX's Big Noon Kickoff in Waco.
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