Baylor football lacks offensive rhythm, points against Iowa State

No. 24 Terrance Ganaway runs for a huge gain late in the first half against Iowa State at Floyd Casey Stadium on Saturday. Ganaway finished the game with a career-high 200 rushing yards and three touchdowns. The Bears celebrated a 49-26 victory over the Cyclones.Matthew McCarroll | Lariat Photographer

By Krista Pirtle

Four turnovers cost Baylor on the road at Iowa State, falling 35-21 to the Cyclones.

Iowa State quarterback, senior Steele Jantz, finished the game with 381 yards for five touchdowns and an interception.

Sophomore receiver Jarvis West also had a career night with a trio of touchdowns and 99 yards.

West came in for senior Aaron Horne who dropped several passes in the first half.

For Baylor, senior quarterback Nick Florence threw for 417 yards, a pair of touchdowns and an interception.

Senior wide receiver made it look easy with 186 yards on the night.

As a whole, the Baylor offense could not find any rhythm.

Iowa State began the game with an onside kick that Baylor would recover

After a 38-yard pass to senior receiver Lanear Sampson put the Bears on the Iowa State two-yard line, senior quarterback Nick Florence fumbled on the goal line, turning the ball over to the Cyclones.

The Baylor defense would force Iowa State to punt on the next drive, but the football made contact with a Baylor player and the Cyclones recovered the miscue.

Iowa State, however, could not capitalize off two Bears’ turnovers, hanging a 32-yard field goal wide left.

Baylor’s next drive was capped off by a two-yard touchdown run by junior running back Jarred Salubi.

Iowa State answered and tied the ball game at seven with a 23-yard touchdown pass by Jantz to West.

The Bears would get the ball for the final possession of the first quarter.

At third-and-six, Florence scrambled in the backfield. As he was being tackled, he flipped a pass to Levi Norwood who ran the ball for a 14-yard gain and a first down.

When play resumed in the beginning of the second quarter, junior receiver Tevin Reese caught a 49-yard pass for a touchdown.

The Cyclones would end the half with two more touchdowns of their own, leading Baylor at half time 21-14.

The third quarter was rather silent.

Midway through the quarter, Reese was the target of the biggest hit of the game, sandwiched between two defenders. He was later taken to the locker room, unable to bend over or stand up straight, walking slowly and slightly hunched over.

He would not return to the game.

Iowa State broke the lull with little of four minutes remaining in the third with an eight-yard touchdown pass to wide-open junior running back Jeff Woody in the end zone.

The Cyclones would add insurance with a 22-yard touchdown pass to West, his third of the night.

Early in the fourth quarter, junior offensive lineman Cyril Richardson kicked a Cyclone lineman in the groin and was ejected for the remainder of the game.

Baylor would finally find the end zone in the second half with 6:18 remaining in the game off a three-yard pass to Sampson. The play was set up by a 31-yard reception by Williams.

With less than three minutes to go, Jantz fumbled deep in Baylor territory, and it was recovered by junior safety Sam Holl.

The final drive for Baylor, however, ended with a pick by freshman defensive back Deon Broomfield who caught it with his elbows and his one good arm while the other was in a cast.

Three wins stand between the Bears and their third straight bowl game.

Next on the schedule is Kansas at 2:30 p.m. at Floyd Casey on Saturday for Homecoming.