Predicting Final Score of Baylor Bears vs. Iowa State in Week 10
In this story:
Baylor moved to 5-3 last week after a stunning win in Orlando. It wasn't shocking to see Baylor win, but the way the Bears won. Baylor put together a dominant, complete game against UCF, a team that took down BYU.
It was also the first game without Dave Aranda on the sideline and Joe Klanderman took over as the interim head coach. Now, Baylor returns to Waco for its homecoming game against Iowa State. The Cyclones are coming off a big win against Oklahoma State.
Here's how Baylor on SI sees the game going.
Trent Knoop
Baylor put together a complete game last weekend in Orlando. That can be normal, however, coming off of a coach firing and the players having extra emotions. But one thing that hasn't changed this season is how well Baylor's defense plays.
The Bears have been dominant on that side of the ball and Iowa State has yet to attack a good defense. The Cyclones have the players to make this game close, but a healthy DJ Lagway and a good defense are too much trouble for Iowa State.
Final score: Baylor 34, Iowa State 13
Bennett Parker
Baylor is slowly putting it together on the offensive side of the Ball while still being dominant on defense. Iowa State's offense can be explosive but is pitiful when playing from behind. If the Bears' offense can jump out to a first half lead it will be an easy win in front of the Homecoming crowd.
Final score: Baylor 31, Iowa State 10
Jacob Haddadin
I think Baylor will win comfortably this weekend. While Iowa State is a good team and has been exciting to watch, they have failed miserably against the competent defenses they play against. Baylor has a more than competent defense, so they will win on that side of the ball. On the other side, the Baylor offense is up and down this year.
If Baylor can muster up some rushing yards in this game I can see it going very smoothly. Lagway plays his best when the run game is on as it frees him up to be the aggressive downfield passer he loves to be. I think the run game will have moderate success this weekend, meaning I think the offense will too.
Final score: Baylor 30, Iowa State 13
Brad Teague
The Cyclones come to Waco this week as a two-score underdog. Two weeks ago, this game worried me. Now though? Baylor being favored by two scores actually feels right. I'm predicting that Baylor's offense hiccups a few times against the Cyclones and maybe even a three-and-out here and there, but the Bears' defense is going to be able to provide the safety net to allow the offensive unit to make those mistakes.
DJ Lagway was just named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week for his performance against UCF, and I expect a similar result against the Cyclones. The offensive line will be a point of focus, as the Bears should be able to see success running the ball against ISU's defense as they've given up an average of over 200 rushing yards in each Big 12 game this season. DJ Lagway himself could have quite a bit of success on the ground as well, the +1 that he could provide in this game could easily be the tipping point.
On paper, Baylor should be able to breeze through this game. However, after the TCU and Kansas games where Baylor was also favored, I take nothing for granted anymore this season. Having said that, Baylor has an offense loaded with playmakers, and a defense stacked with studs. All that the offensive line needs to do is not lay a goose-egg and the Bears should win in exciting and dominating fashion.
ISU is going to have a hard time scoring against Baylor, as has every other team this season. The Bears have allowed a Big 12 best 16.6 PPG in conference play this season, and also have allowed an average of less than 100 yards per game. I do not see Baylor losing their Homecoming matchup against the Cyclones as the Bears just prove to be too talented and too deep to match up against the entire game.
Final score: Baylor 38, Iowa State 7
Blake Hollingsworth
Baylor looked like a different team in its 41-9 win over UCF, and I think the Bears will carry that momentum into Saturday’s matchup against Iowa State. DJ Lagway had arguably his best performance of the season, throwing for 319 yards and four touchdowns, while Baylor’s defense recorded seven sacks and held UCF to just 66 rushing yards. It was an encouraging start to the Joe Klanderman era, and I expect another strong showing this weekend.
Iowa State’s defense hasn’t been particularly impressive, allowing nearly 160 rushing yards and 231 passing yards per game. Baylor hasn’t been the most consistent offensive team this season, but this is a matchup where the Bears should be able to move the ball both on the ground and through the air.
The bigger concern is Iowa State’s rushing attack. Aiden Flora ran for 221 yards and two touchdowns against Oklahoma State last weekend, and Baylor will need to keep him in check. Fortunately for the Bears, stopping the run has been one of their biggest strengths.
Baylor is allowing just 99.4 rushing yards per game, and its defensive front has consistently created problems in opposing backfields.
I don’t expect another blowout, but I like Baylor’s chances of controlling this game.
Iowa State has enough offensive firepower to make things interesting, particularly if Flora gets going early, but I trust Baylor’s defense to make the difference.
With the Bears playing at home and needing just one more win to become bowl eligible, I’m taking Baylor to win its second straight game
Final score: Baylor 28, Iowa State 17
Sign up for our Free Newsletter and follow us on X and Facebook for the latest news.
Add us as a preferred source on Google-c6d300a6cd3bbc37e5025fa0d47bc7a7.jpeg "Trent Knoop")
Trent is the Publisher of Baylor Bears on SI and also serves as the Managing Editor for Michigan Wolverines on SI. His work has additionally been featured on Maryland on SI, Wisconsin on SI, and across the USA TODAY Sports network. Trent’s love of sports and being able to tell stories to fans is what made him get into writing.
Follow TrentKnoop
Bennett is an undergrad student at Baylor University, studying journalism on the sports track. He is from the DFW area and grew up playing and watching sports, which inspired him to pursue sports writing.
Follow bennettpBU
Brad is a writer and contributes to the Baylor Bears on SI, with aspirations to share his own unique thoughts and perspectives with fans. Whether through the facts and figures of the past or the untold potential and triumphs of the future, sports have always been a large influence on Brad's storytelling and life overall. His inspiration to write began while watching sports when he first noticed the highs and lows of each game, each quarter, each play; there's a story in each of them worth telling, and he wanted to tell them.
Follow TheBradTeague
Jacob is a contributor for Baylor Bears On SI. A lifelong sports fan, he started writing game reactions and opinion pieces during Baylor football and basketball seasons, turning that hobby into a growing presence in sports media. He brings an authentic, fan-driven voice to his work and is excited to keep building his voice and breaking down the topics Baylor fans are talking about every day.
Follow JacobHaddadinU
Blake Hollingsworth is a Baylor University graduate who began covering sports with the Baylor Roundup yearbook, where he wrote about Baylor athletics. He later worked as a reporter for the Waco Tribune-Herald, covering breaking news and enterprise stories. A lifelong sports fan, Blake enjoys telling in-depth stories that give fans greater insight into the teams and athletes they follow.