By Foster Nicholas | Sports Writer
Silenced by 24 unanswered points to close the game, Baylor football dropped its eighth consecutive game against Big 12 programs dating back to 2023 as No. 16 Iowa State slammed the door on a 43-21 victory Saturday night at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames.
After the Bears (2-4, 0-3 Big 12) raced out to a 14-3 lead with 13:46 in the second quarter, the Cyclones (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) tossed together a 40-7 run. Head coach Dave Aranda watched as his team allowed a blocked punt was returned for a touchdown, giving Iowa State the momentum to rack up 265 yards on the ground, including nine carries going for 10 or more yards.
“What a tough, tough loss. Disappointing loss, especially defensively. [We] just really did not play well. It’s tough to kind of walk around in it,” Aranda said. “[It’s] very disheartening. [We’re] very frustrated. I think players, for sure, feel that. Coaches do. I sure do. There’s a bunch of emotions. Disheartening would be probably the most pleasant one.”
The green and gold set the tone early as redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Devonte Tezino recorded a tackle for loss on fourth-and-2 to force a turnover on downs. The big play halted the Cyclones’ progress on a 13-play drive that had them set up in the end zone.
Baylor followed up the stop with a nine-play, 84-yard drive that was capped off with a four-yard touchdown reception by redshirt junior wide receiver Josh Cameron. The touchdown marked the first time the Bears scored a touchdown on their first offensive drive since a 59-25 loss at Kansas State on Nov. 11, 2023.
https://twitter.com/CFBONFOX/status/1842717272839745855
After holding Iowa State to a field goal, Baylor held a 7-3 lead, their first lead against a Power Four opponent heading into the second quarter since Nov. 18, 2023, when it had a 7-0 lead over TCU in a game the Bears would ultimately end up losing 42-17.
“I thought we started fast. I thought that there was good energy and execution in the beginning. I thought we were able to silence a crowd, and we’re able to move the ball, and we’re able to make some timely stops,” Aranda said.
Redshirt junior quarterback Sawyer Robertson completed 25 of 44 passes for 258 yards and tied a career high he set against then-No. 22 BYU with three touchdowns. The gunslinger only turned over the ball once, an interception in the end zone on fourth-and-3 from the Iowa State 26-yard line.
“We just came out and, instead of feeling everything out and testing the water to see if we can compete or not, we just did it,” Robertson said. “Obviously, they slowed us down a bit, and they’re a good defense. Credit goes to them. But we’ve just got to figure out ways to maintain that momentum and keep scoring points. We’ve just got to help our defense out more.”
Baylor added its second touchdown of the game with 13:46 in the second quarter when Robertson zipped an eight-yard pass into the arms of redshirt junior tight end Michael Trigg to extend the lead to 14-3. Trigg, who last week was suspended one game for off-the-field issues, led the Bears with six catches for 61 yards and a touchdown.
Baylor now holds a 14-3 lead over No. 16 Iowa State in Ames 👀@BUFootball pic.twitter.com/1BJXQWvt0g
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 6, 2024
Iowa State sophomore quarterback Rocco Becht, who finished 16 of 25 passes with 277 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, responded with a quick touchdown drive to cut the lead to 14-12 after a missed extra point. The Bears couldn’t muster much on their next drive as Robertson fired two incompletions after a first down and a check-down pass, forcing Aranda to trot out the kicking unit.
Sophomore punter Palmer Williams saw the snap skip off the turf at his feet and with weak blocks in front of him, his punt attempt was swatted backward. As the defenders launched Williams into the air with the diving deflection, another Cyclone scooped up the ball and jogged 25 yards to the end zone to give Iowa State its first lead, 19-14.
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“In those moments, you have to find ways that you can win the game and not have ways that you can lose it. And I think in these last couple losses, there’ve been those instances where we’ve almost found a way to lose a game and to be talking about it and to focus on it,” Aranda said. “To still have something like that happen is very disheartening, and it’s frustrating. We’re better than that, and I take responsibility for it. I have to coach them better.”
On his birthday, sixth-year senior outside linebacker Garmon Randolph snagged an interception with less than a minute left in the first half to prevent Iowa State from tacking on. Redshirt sophomore linebacker Keaton Thomas and Tezino each led the Bears with seven tackles. Despite the pressure each team was able to provide, neither was able to record a sack.
INTERCEPTED
The @BUFootball defense makes a big time play in the red zone 💪🐻 pic.twitter.com/8IsPyebiuM
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 6, 2024
“We’ve just got to finish. I’m still a firm believer in this team. I still think we have the capability to be great. We’ve just got to play four quarters of ball,” Thomas said. “Everybody goes through hardships. Everybody goes through the rain. But you’re going to experience a sunny day soon, so we’ve got to push to that sunny day.”
Robertson helped the Bears retake the lead and land the first blow in the second half. On fourth-and-3, the redshirt junior evaded an unblocked defender in the pocket, rolled out right and uncorked a 26-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Ketron Jackson with 12:55 in the third quarter. Jackson finished the day with five receptions for 66 yards and a touchdown grab.
WIDE OPEN
Sawyer Robertson uses his legs and finds Ketron Jackson Jr. for the @BUFootball TD 🐻🙌 pic.twitter.com/eOhj82QXIF
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 6, 2024
The score would be the last of the day for Baylor as Iowa State chewed the clock with 153 second-half rushing years. Senior Cyclone running back Jaylon Jackson led the team on the ground with 15 rushes for 107 yards and rushing touchdowns in the third and fourth quarters.
Redshirt freshman running back Bryson Washington led the Bears on the ground with eight carries for 28 yards but left the game in the third quarter due to an injury after taking a hit to the head that was later ruled targeting. The green and gold finished with 20 rushes for 79 yards.
“Our run game has to improve. [It] was at times, non-existent today,” Aranda said.
Baylor strung together one more competitive second-half drive, which was highlighted by a fourth down flip pass to Jackson before Robertson threw an interception on the next fourth down play. After the 10-play, 55-yard drive that ended in a turnover, the final three offensive drives for the Bears were three-and-outs. Meanwhile, Iowa State scored on each of its four second-half drives to stay undefeated, 43-21.
What a play by Sawyer Robertson 🔥
On 4th & 4 he comes up with some magic to create a big time @BUFootball first down 👉 pic.twitter.com/njdYDO3HZy
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 6, 2024
“We’re a little bit beat up right now. I think we’re in the phase of being beat up and then getting guys back. And so tonight was a physical game,” Aranda said. “I think that there’s great matchups ahead for us. You have a locker room that’s just really pissed off and frustrated, I know that we’ll be able to get them turned in the right direction.”
The Bears will take a breather and regroup as they work through the bye week. Baylor will take on Texas Tech (4-1, 2-0) on Saturday, Oct. 19, at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock. The Red Raiders will also go into a bye week before facing the Bears in two weeks.
