Recap: Iowa State football falls to No. 17 Baylor 31-24

Tommy Birch, Des Moines Register
·11 min read

AMES – After rolling through the start of the season with a 3-0 record, the Iowa State football team faced its biggest test of the young season in No. 17 Baylor Saturday.

The Cyclones didn't pass it.

Iowa State opened Big 12 Conference play with a 31-24 loss to the Bears at Jack Trice Stadium. The Cyclones fell to 3-1 on the season thanks to plenty of second half struggles.

Saturday’s showdown was an opportunity for the Cyclones to see just how good they are after picking up wins over Southeast Missouri State, Iowa and Ohio. Another win would have propelled Iowa State to 4-0 for the first time since 2000.

But Iowa State, which trailed just 17-14 at the half, struggled out of the gate in the second half. Richard Reese broke multiple tackles on his way to the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown run that gave Baylor a 24-14 lead.

Baylor unleased some trickery with a reverse and flea flicker leading to a 38-yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to 31-14. A late Iowa State comeback fell short after a field goal and then failed onside kick.

- Baylor recovers the onside kick

That should do it.

.55/4Q - Iowa State pulls to within 31-24 of Baylor

It's not over yet. An Iowa State field goal keeps the game going. Cyclones will try for an on-side kick now.

1:04/4Q - Iowa State marching

The Cyclones still have some hope. They are down to the 11-yard line.

2:42/4Q - Iowa State gets a much-needed stop

The Cyclones will get the ball back but time is ticking on them. They have just one timeout left and trail by 10.

2:48/4Q - Iowa State takes a timeout

Baylor is facing a big third-and-4 on its onw 42-yard line. Cyclones take a timeout. Iowa State needs a stop. The Bears have already converted on third down twice during this drive.

4:02/4Q - Baylor moving the ball

The Bears have converted on two big third down plays and keeps the chains moving. Iowa State is running out of times.

7:16/4Q - Hold the presses on that fumble...

Officials went to the monitor and discovered that Brock did indeed fumble it. But he also recovered it in the end zone before going out of bounds. Incredible recovery. Iowa State now trails 31-21.

7:16/4Q - Iowa State fumbles...at the goal line

Brock nearly reached the end zone but coughed up the ball at the goal line. Baylor gets the ball and a touchback. Very fitting for how the offense has played today.

9:37/4Q - Touchdown trickery for Baylor

The Bears do a double reverse, flea flicker and toss a 38-yard touchdown pass to take a commanding 31-14 lead. That might be it for Iowa State.

11:19/4Q - Baylor gets a huge interception

Iowa State's shot at a comeback may have just died. Dekkers was picked off by Baylor's Christian Morgan as Iowa State went for it on 4th-and-4 from the 47-yard line. Bears have the ball and are up 10.

11:50/4Q - Iowa State still can't get its running game going

The offense has struggled for most of the day. But the biggest issue has been the run game. The Cyclones have produced just 38 yards on the ground.

End of the 3rd quarter: Baylor 24, Iowa State 14

Cyclones head into the final quarter trailing by 10. Iowa State's offense has struggled massively since the first half.

1:15/3Q - O'Rien Vance with a huge sack

The Iowan delivers a huge third down sack to force Baylor to punt. It seemed like a very dangerous series for Iowa State's defense which desperately needed to get a stop for the struggling offense. The offense will have work to do, though. They take over at the 13-yard line.

3:09/3Q - Iowa State forced to punt again. Second half struggles continue

Dekkers takes a sack for a 6-yard loss and Iowa State is forced to punt again. The second half has not gone well for Iowa State. A look at their possessions:

-Interception.

-Punt.

-Punt.

6:05/3Q - Baylor takes a 24-14 lead

Baylor running back Richard Reese reaches the end zone with an impressive 19-yard touchdown. Reese broke multiple tackles to cap off a 93-yard scoring drive by the Bears.

7:11/3Q - Another personal foul for Iowa State keeps Baylor's drive alive

Iowa State gets whistled for its third personal foul. This one is on McDonald and it pumps new life into Baylor's drive.

11:23/3Q - Cyclones punt but put Baylor in a dangerous spot

It was another quick series for Iowa State. Dekkers was nearly intercepted on third down. That's the bad news. The great news for Iowa State is that Tyler Perkins unleashed a 61-yard punt down to the Baylor 7-yard line. The Bears will have some work to do.

12:50/3Q - Iowa State forces a turnover

Iowa State's defense comes up with a big stop. Baylor took over with great field position after the interception but couldn't take advantage of it. The Bears went for it on fourth down but a passing play fell incomplete. Huge stop for Iowa State's defense which had allowed two other fourth down conversions.

14:21/3Q - Dekkers gets intercepted

Iowa State's first series of the second half didn't last long. Dekkers' second pass of the second half popped out of Hutchinson's hands as he was being tackled and picked off by Baylor. Great play by the Baylor defense. Bad luck for Iowa State.

HALFTIME: Iowa State stat leaders

Passing: Dekkers 12-15-124-2 (TDs)

Rushing: Brock 8-29.

Receiving: Hutchinson 5-57, Noel 3-27.

HALFTIME: Baylor 17, Iowa State 14.

Iowa State gets the ball to start the second half. Nice sprint to the finish line of the first half for Iowa State.

.46/2Q - Iowa State pulls to within 17-14 of Baylor

Dekkers tosses a perfectly placed 24-yard touchdown pass to Dimitri Stanley to pull Iowa State to within 17-14 of Baylor. A really nice drive by the Cyclones who moved 63 yards over the course of 2:53. Cyclones also get the ball to start the second half. So the final 46 seconds of this quarter could be huge.

4:08/2Q - Iowa State's defense gets a big stop

Baylor's offense tallies its first three and out of the day. Gerry Vaughn came up with a huge sack to force fourth down. Iowa State gets the ball back with 3:39 left in the half. Huge series for the Cyclones who also get the ball to start the second half.

5:55/2Q - A quick series for Iowa State

Cyclones go three and out for the second-straight series. Things haven't reached the unraveling point for Iowa State. But they certainly don't seem to be trending well for the Cyclones who haven't done anything offensively since the first series of the game.

7:09/2Q - This is the call that infuriated Campbell

It was a 15-yard penalty against Iowa State. Campbell, Heacock and well, pretty much everyone inside of Jack Trice Stadium disagreed with the call. You be the judge.

7:09/2Q - Baylor takes a 17-7 lead

Former Iowa receiver Dillon Doyle catches a 1-yard touchdown pass to give the Bears a 17-7 lead. There was a lot to digest on that drive including two big penalties against the Cyclones.

9:09/2Q - Another costly penalty leads to another Matt Campbell freakout

Anthony Johnson gets whistled for an illegal block below the waste. The Cyclones had gotten a stop on third down but it won't matter after the penalty. Campbell and defensive coordinator Jon Heacock are going nuts on the sidelines.

11:03/2Q - Iowa State punts on its second series

Iowa State's second offensive series didn't go well. The Cyclones went three and out and punted it back to Baylor.

11:11/2Q - Lets take a look at the first Iowa State touchdown

Brock appears to be doing fine after coming out of the game earlier.

12:27/2Q - Baylor takes a 10-7 lead

Baylor kicked John Mayers boots a 24-yard field goal to give the Bears the lead back. Another impressive drive by Baylor which moved 68 yards down the field. Bears are averaging 10.6 yards per completion right now.

End of the 1st quarter: Baylor and Iowa State tied 7-7

Well, that was an eventful first quarter. A couple of controversial calls. An impressive opening drive by Baylor. A nice first drive by Iowa State. Buckle up.

1:33/1Q - Just how mad was Matt Campbell about that targeting call against Iowa State earlier?

Well, take a look.

2:55/1Q - Iowa State reaches the end zone and ties the game

Dekkers swings a quick fourth down pass to Brock who reaches the end zone with a 2-yard touchdown catch. Brock dropped it but officials ruled he was already it. Little surprised there wasn't a review. Baylor's sideline wanted it to be looked at. Nonetheless, it's now a 7-7 game.

4:46/1Q - Iowa State nearly reaches the end zone

Hunter Dekkers unloads a 28-yard pass to Xavier Hutchinson. Hutchinson thought he reached the end zone but after a review, was ruled down at the 1-yard line. The fans don't like that either. What a start.

5:00/1Q - Jirehl Brock goes down with an injury

The Iowa State running back went down after a hard hit but just walked off the field on his own. The crowd really wanted a targeting call on the play as they showed replay after replay on the videoboard here at Jack Trice Stadium. Iowa State coach Matt Campbell is furious...again

8:40/1Q - Baylor takes a 7-0 lead

Baylor's impressive drive ends with Ben Sims catching a 12-yard touchdown pass. What a drive for the Bears. They converted on fourth down twice (including the final play) and marched 77-yards down the field. Two costly penalties from Iowa State also helped the cause.

10:34/1Q - Baylor goes for it on fourth down

The Bears gambled on fourth-and-3 on the 24-yard line. The gamble pays off with a 7-yard completion to keep the opening drive alive.

12:45/1Q - Another call goes against Iowa State

Iowa State linebacker Colby Reeder just got whistled for a personal foul. It comes right after the Freyler play. Baylor moves into Iowa State territory.

13:06/1Q - Beau Freyler ejected for targeting

The Iowa State's safety's return didn't last long. Freyler was just ejected for targeting on Iowa State's last play. Iowa State coach Matt Campbell is pleading with officials but it won't matter. The Jack Trice Stadium crowd is furious.

11 a.m.- It's go time

Iowa State won the toss and deferred. Baylor will receive.

10:36 a.m.- What the O-line may look like today

Jake Remsburg may be returning today. But it looks like Iowa State won't be making any changes for the start of the game.

10:18 a.m. — Jake Remsburg warming up

And yet more good news for Iowa State. Offensive lineman Jake Remsburg is going through warmups. Remsburg has yet to play this season. Looks like he'll be making his season debut today.

10:10 a.m. — More injury updates

Randy Peterson reports that receiver Dimitri Stanley is in uniform right now for warmups and catching kicks. Stanley was sick last Saturday.

9:40 a.m. — Injury updates

Iowa State could be getting some much-needed help. Cyclones safety Beau Freyler and running back Cartevious Norton are both going through pre-game warmups. Freyler missed last week's game. Norton missed the last two games.

Previous Iowa State vs. Baylor coverage

Tommy Birch, the Register's sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He's the 2018 and 2020 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at tbirch@dmreg.com or 515-284-8468. Follow him on Twitter @TommyBirch.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State football vs. Baylor recap: ISU's late rally falls short