Baylor returns home to Waco, Texas, on Saturday looking to build on an emphatic win last week when Iowa State pays a visit.
The Bears (5-3, 3-2 Big 12) went into their Oct. 30 visit to UCF just days removed from the dismissal of head coach Dave Aranda, and with the Knights fresh off defeating then-No. 2-ranked BYU.
Baylor proceeded to rout UCF 41-9, behind 16-of-25 passing for 319 yards and four touchdowns from quarterback DJ Lagway.
Gavin Freeman caught five passes for 114 yards with a score, his third game eclipsing the century mark in the Bears’ last four. Freeman’s 63 total receptions lead the Big 12.
Lagway also connected with tight end Tony Livingston for a pair of touchdowns against UCF. Livingston transferred to Baylor from Florida with Lagway, and last week’s performance could mark a breakout point for the duo.
“To just see him flourish and make plays and used well, it’s just great to see,” Lagway said of Livingston.
Iowa State (4-4, 2-3) is ranked just 97th nationally against the pass, allowing 231.3 yards per game.
The Cyclones also seek their first road win of 2026. Iowa State won a 51-49 shootout against then-No. 24 Oklahoma State last Saturday in Ames, Iowa, one week after a 39-3 blowout loss at Arizona.
“My mind has kind of moved on from last week’s success, because (if) we go out and lay an egg and play like how we did against (Arizona), (the win over Oklahoma State) doesn’t do anything,” Cyclones coach Jimmy Rogers said in his Tuesday press conference.
One key difference for Iowa State last week was running back Aiden Flora. He recovered from mustering only 36 yards at Arizona to rip off a career-best 221 yards and two touchdowns against Oklahoma State.
It was Flora’s third multi-touchdown rushing performance and second 200-yard rushing effort this season.
Baylor has been stingy against the run this season, limiting opponents to fewer than 100 yards per game on the ground. Rogers credited Baylor interim head coach Joe Klanderman, someone Rogers said is “defensive-minded.”
Saturday will not be the first time Rogers and Klanderman are on opposite sidelines. Both spent time at Football Championship Subdivision powerhouses and conference rivals South Dakota State and North Dakota State, respectively.