Saturday, November 7
Waco, Texas
11 AM
Baylor
vs
Iowa State
11/1/2026 3:53:00 PM | Football
WACO, Texas -- Fresh off a 41-9 pasting of UCF in Orlando on Friday night, Baylor football will return home to host Iowa State in Homecoming, with kickoff set for 11 a.m. on Saturday at McLane Stadium. The game will be televised live on FS1 and broadcast live on the Baylor Sports Media Network.
The game will be voiced on FS1 by Eric Collins (play-by-play) and Spencer Tillman (analyst), and on the Baylor Sports Media Network, will be called by the Voice of the Bears, John Morris (play-by-play), Geff Gandy (analyst) and Bryson Jackson (sideline).
The Bears won the debut game under interim head coach Joe Klanderman on Friday night in Orlando, during UCF's annual Space Game. The Bears routed UCF, 41-9, behind an efficient offensive outing and a furious defensive performance.
SCOUTING THE CLONES
• Iowa State enters the clash with the Bears coming off a thrilling matchup at No. 24 Oklahoma State on Saturday, earning a 51-49 win. The Clones opened the year with a 38-10 win over SEMO, before a narrow loss at No. 21 Iowa, 15-13. A 55-7 beating of Bowling Green wrapped up non-conference play, before falling 31-17 vs. No. 15 Utah, and posting a 45-42 win over West Virginia in Ames, Iowa, on Oct. 3. BYU posted a home 24-10 win over ISU on Oct. 9 and following an idle week, ISU lost at No. 25 Arizona 39-3.
• Iowa State is in the first year under head coach Jimmy Rogers, who took over following Matt Campbell's departure to Penn State and following a 7-6 season at Washington State as the head man in 2025. Rogers is a highly accomplished FCS coach over his two seasons at his alma mater, South Dakota State, where he was the head coach from 2023-24. He led SDSU to a 15-0 record and a national championship in 2023 and a 12-3 mark and a first-place finish in conference play in 2024, before taking WSU to the Potato Bowl. He started his coaching career at SDSU as a GA from 2010-2-11, before a season at FAU. He then served as the LB coach at SDSU from 2013-18, as the assistant head coach/co-DC-LB coach from 2019-21, before serving as stand-alone DC in 2022.
• Jesse Bobbit is the defensive coordinator after coming with Rogers from SDSU and Washington State. He took over as the DC at SDSU following Rogers' elevation to head coach. Tyler Roehl is the offensive coordinator and was previously the AHC/RB coach for Iowa State during an 11-win season in 2024. He spent five seasons as the OC at North Dakota State from 2019-23. Roehl served as the TE coach for the Detroit Lions in 2025. Robe Grande is in his seventh season working on the ISU staff and his fourth year working with special teams.
• ISU is averaging 29 points, 370 yards, 193.4 passing and 176.6 rushing yards per game, while hodling foes to 27.3 points, 390.5 yards, 231.3 passing and 159.3 rushing yards per game.
• QB Jaylen Raynor has thrown for 1,416 yards with 10 TDs and five interceptions, completing 111-of-186 passes, while adding 193 yards rushing with four scores. Aiden Flora leads the rushing attack with 131 totes for 937 yards and eight TDs, averaging 117.1 yards per game. Omari Hayes has a team-leading 21 catches for 246 yards and a score. Vince Benetti has a team-best three TDs. Sullivan Schlimgen leads the team in tackles with 79 tackles, adding five TFLs. Isaac Terrell owns three sacks to lead the club.
BEATDOWN IN ORLANDO
• DJ Lagway threw for four TDs, including a pair to tight end Tony Livingston, leading Baylor to a 41-9 throttling at UCF, for the first win for interim head coach Joe Klanderman, in front of 45,906 at the Bounce House.
• Baylor routed UCF with a stingy defensive effort under the defensive coordinator Klanderman, who took over as the interim head coach on Sunday following the departure of seven-year head coach Dave Aranda. Klanderman's defensive unit was stifling, holding UCF to 66 yards of rushing offense – 40 of which came in the final possession – and 281 yards total. UCF managed three field goals, with 148 yards of offensive output coming on those possessions. Beyond 122 yards of total offense in the closing minutes of the blowout, UCF managed six yards of total offense on the other 10 possessions.
• It marked the third straight win for Baylor over UCF since the Knights entered the Big 12, which also featured a comeback win in 2023 that saw the Bears rally from down 35-7 in the third quarter to win 36-35. Since UCF went up 35-7 in the third quarter of the game in 2023, and featuring a 30-3 beating in 2025 in Waco, Baylor has outscored the Knights 100-12. Baylor has now held seven opponents to 20 points or less in their first eight games, the most since 2021, when the Bears held eight foes to 20 or fewer points in a game during the Big 12 Championship season. UCF was coming off a double-overtime win over No. 2 BYU last weekend in Orlando and were hosting the Bears in its annual Space Game, played for the 10th straight season. UCF had only lost its Space Game once, vs. fellow space city foe Houston in 2025.
• The Bears entered the game ranked in the nation's top five in sacks and tackles for a loss, and added to its total, collecting a season-high seven sacks and 12 TFLs. A game after going for 13 tackles, Travion Barnes led the defensive effort, alongside Micah Gifford, as the duo had six tackles each. Jamaal Whyce Jr. and Kaleb Burns each chipped in 1.5 sacks, with Traveon Mitchell and Devin Turner each earning solo sacks. Garrick Ponder had at least 1.5 tackles for a loss for the fifth time in eight games. Lagway turned in a complete performance, throwing for a career-high tying four touchdowns and 319 yards on 16-of-25 passing. He reached 300 yards passing for the third time in 2026 and the fifth time in his career. Lagway found Livingston, twice, Matthew Klopfenstein and Gavin Freeman for touchdown passes in the win. Freeman notched his fifth game of the year with over 100 yards receiving and his second straight, going for five catches for 114 yards, including a 77-yard scamper. Jadon Porter finished with a pair of catches for 74 yards, including a career-long 53 yarder. Dre'lon Miller had two catches for 44 yards. Freshman Ryelan Morris had 11 carries for 82 yards. Michael Turner added 12 rushes, a team-high, for 41 yards. Caden Knighten had a rushing TD, his third of the year, with 31 yards rushing. Lagway rushed a career-high 11 times.
BEARS TURN TO KLANDERMAN IN INTERIM ROLE
• Baylor has turned to first-year defensive coordinator and safeties coach Joe Klanderman in an interim role following the Kansas loss in Lawrence.
• BU Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Doug McNamee made the decision to relieve seventh-year head coach Dave Aranda of his duties following consecutive losses to TCU and Kansas.
• "Anyone who knows Dave Aranda understands what a genuine and honorable person he is and how much he deeply cares for his players, staff and this University," McNamee said. "He is a gifted coach and a brilliant football mind whose leadership brought some of our best Baylor football memories. While this is a difficult moment, we believe a change in leadership is necessary at this time for our program. We will forever be thankful to Dave and his family for their time here at Baylor, and we wish them well."
• Klanderman came over to the Bears following seven years leading the defense at Kansas State. He has paced one of the nation's top defensive units in 2026 in his first year in Waco and brings a championship pedigree as a four-time national champion at North Dakota State.
RUSH DEFENSE TURNAROUND
• Baylor ranks as the third-best rushing defense turnaround in the last two years through eight games. Under Joe Klanderman, the Bears have gone from the nation's No. 122 rush defense in 2025, to the nation's No. 17 unit. Only Georgia Southern (133rd to 28th) and UCLA (119th to 10th) rank above the Bears.
CONNECTING THE TEAMS
• The most notable connection between the two teams is interim Baylor head coach Joe Klanderman was on the same North Dakota State staff as Iowa State offensive coordinator Tyler Roehl from 2018-18. Roehl was the RB and TE coach while Klanderman was the DB coach at NDSU.
HOMECOMING HISTORY
• Baylor's homecoming began in 1909, marking the first recognizable collegiate homecoming celebration in the nation. The Bears are 52-43-4 all-time on homecoming and have won six their last seven and 13 of their last 15 homecoming matchups.
• The first homecoming came in 1909 after six months of planning by faculty and students. Large delegations of former students converged on the Baylor campus to participate in a concert, receptions, speeches, class reunions, singing, a parade, a pep rally and a football victory. It was Baylor's first "homecoming" which, except during the later years of World War II, has been an annual tradition and has grown to be the largest collegiate Homecoming celebration in the United States.
SERIES HISTORY
• Baylor leads the all-time series with Iowa State, 12-11, with the Bears owning a 7-4 lead in the series in Waco.
• Iowa State's win in 2023 in Waco snapped a two-game BU win streak in the series. In the last meeting in Ames, the Bears posted a 31-24 win in 2022. Baylor has won seven of the last 12 meetings in the series.
BEARS FALL AT NO. 16/16 IOWA STATE IN LAST MEETING IN 2024
• The Bears opened the game at No. 16/16 Iowa State strong, taking a 14-3 lead in the first quarter before ISU rallied to own a halftime margin. Baylor took a 21-19 lead with a TD drive to open the second half but Iowa State finished the game on a 40-7 run to close with a 43-21 win and remain unbeaten.
• Baylor got another heroic performance from QB Sawyer Robertson, who completed 25 of 44 passes for a career-high tying three TDs, while also rushing for 24 yards. He found Ketron Jackson Jr., Michael Trigg and Josh Cameron for TD strikes.
• Iowa State could not be stopped offensively however as the Clons rolled to 542 yards of total offense, including 265 on the ground and 277 passing. QB Rocco Becht had two TDs and Jaylon Jackson rushed for 107 yards and two scores and Carson Hansen added 98 yards. WR Jayden Higgins had eight catches for 116 yards and Jaylin Noel had five grabs for 98 yards.
LAST MEETING IN WACO
• The Bears had a four-game winning streak on Homecoming snapped with a 30-18 win in 2023 vs. Iowa State at McLane.
• Baylor fell behind 27-6 midway through the third quarter but couldn't complete a comeback bid.
• QB Blake Shapen threw for 239 yards and connected with Monaray Baldwin for 117 yards and a score. Freshman Dawson Pendergrass had 37 yards rushing and two TDs, adding 39 yards receiving on three catches.
FACING CLONES IN 2021, 2022
• In the meeting in 2021 in Waco, the Bears posted a 31-29 win over No. 14 Iowa State.
• The win came despite Iowa State owning a 479-282 edge in total offense, a 216-123 margin in rushing yards and committing 85 fewer yards in penalties.
• Baylor took a 21-13 lead at the half after scoring TDs on its first three series of the game. After the Cyclones narrowed the margin to 21-16 with a field goal midway through the third quarter, Trestan Ebner returned the ensuing kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown.
• Gerry Bohanon threw for 159 yards and two TDs and rushed for a score, with Abram Smith owning 47 yards on 10 carries. Tyquan Thornton and Ben Sims each had TD grabs and Dillon Doyle led a defense with nine tackles and two for a loss.
• Iowa State's Brock Purdy threw for 263 yards and a TD, with Breece Hall going for 190 yards and two TDs on 27 carries.
• Baylor rolled to a 31-24 win over Iowa State in Ames to open league play in 2022, owning a 31-14 lead in the fourth quarter and using an efficient offensive attack to secure the win. The Bears got 238 yards and three TDs passing from Blake Shapen, and 78 yards and a rushing TD from freshman Richard Reese to pull away from the Cyclones and earn the first Baylor win in Ames since 2016. The Baylor defense forced two interceptions and held ISU to just 66 yards rushing, totaling four sacks, including two from linebacker Bryson Jackson. Shapen found Ben Sims, Dillon Doyle and Gavin Holmes for TD strikes, with Holmes going for three catches and 92 yards. His 38-yard scoring grab pushed Baylor's lead to 31-14 with 9:37 left in the fourth quarter. The Cyclones cut the lead to 10 with a 75-play drive and added a field goal to set up an impactful on-side kick attempt in the closing seconds, which was grabbed by BU linebacker Matt Jones to clinch the win.
SACKED LUNCH
• Baylor sits just 12 sacks shy of equaling the program standard for sacks in a season. The Bears rank second in the nation in sacks and third in tackles for a loss entering the clash with Iowa State.
NEXT UP
• Baylor travels to face No. 8 BYU on Saturday in Provo.
The game will be voiced on FS1 by Eric Collins (play-by-play) and Spencer Tillman (analyst), and on the Baylor Sports Media Network, will be called by the Voice of the Bears, John Morris (play-by-play), Geff Gandy (analyst) and Bryson Jackson (sideline).
The Bears won the debut game under interim head coach Joe Klanderman on Friday night in Orlando, during UCF's annual Space Game. The Bears routed UCF, 41-9, behind an efficient offensive outing and a furious defensive performance.
SCOUTING THE CLONES
• Iowa State enters the clash with the Bears coming off a thrilling matchup at No. 24 Oklahoma State on Saturday, earning a 51-49 win. The Clones opened the year with a 38-10 win over SEMO, before a narrow loss at No. 21 Iowa, 15-13. A 55-7 beating of Bowling Green wrapped up non-conference play, before falling 31-17 vs. No. 15 Utah, and posting a 45-42 win over West Virginia in Ames, Iowa, on Oct. 3. BYU posted a home 24-10 win over ISU on Oct. 9 and following an idle week, ISU lost at No. 25 Arizona 39-3.
• Iowa State is in the first year under head coach Jimmy Rogers, who took over following Matt Campbell's departure to Penn State and following a 7-6 season at Washington State as the head man in 2025. Rogers is a highly accomplished FCS coach over his two seasons at his alma mater, South Dakota State, where he was the head coach from 2023-24. He led SDSU to a 15-0 record and a national championship in 2023 and a 12-3 mark and a first-place finish in conference play in 2024, before taking WSU to the Potato Bowl. He started his coaching career at SDSU as a GA from 2010-2-11, before a season at FAU. He then served as the LB coach at SDSU from 2013-18, as the assistant head coach/co-DC-LB coach from 2019-21, before serving as stand-alone DC in 2022.
• Jesse Bobbit is the defensive coordinator after coming with Rogers from SDSU and Washington State. He took over as the DC at SDSU following Rogers' elevation to head coach. Tyler Roehl is the offensive coordinator and was previously the AHC/RB coach for Iowa State during an 11-win season in 2024. He spent five seasons as the OC at North Dakota State from 2019-23. Roehl served as the TE coach for the Detroit Lions in 2025. Robe Grande is in his seventh season working on the ISU staff and his fourth year working with special teams.
• ISU is averaging 29 points, 370 yards, 193.4 passing and 176.6 rushing yards per game, while hodling foes to 27.3 points, 390.5 yards, 231.3 passing and 159.3 rushing yards per game.
• QB Jaylen Raynor has thrown for 1,416 yards with 10 TDs and five interceptions, completing 111-of-186 passes, while adding 193 yards rushing with four scores. Aiden Flora leads the rushing attack with 131 totes for 937 yards and eight TDs, averaging 117.1 yards per game. Omari Hayes has a team-leading 21 catches for 246 yards and a score. Vince Benetti has a team-best three TDs. Sullivan Schlimgen leads the team in tackles with 79 tackles, adding five TFLs. Isaac Terrell owns three sacks to lead the club.
BEATDOWN IN ORLANDO
• DJ Lagway threw for four TDs, including a pair to tight end Tony Livingston, leading Baylor to a 41-9 throttling at UCF, for the first win for interim head coach Joe Klanderman, in front of 45,906 at the Bounce House.
• Baylor routed UCF with a stingy defensive effort under the defensive coordinator Klanderman, who took over as the interim head coach on Sunday following the departure of seven-year head coach Dave Aranda. Klanderman's defensive unit was stifling, holding UCF to 66 yards of rushing offense – 40 of which came in the final possession – and 281 yards total. UCF managed three field goals, with 148 yards of offensive output coming on those possessions. Beyond 122 yards of total offense in the closing minutes of the blowout, UCF managed six yards of total offense on the other 10 possessions.
• It marked the third straight win for Baylor over UCF since the Knights entered the Big 12, which also featured a comeback win in 2023 that saw the Bears rally from down 35-7 in the third quarter to win 36-35. Since UCF went up 35-7 in the third quarter of the game in 2023, and featuring a 30-3 beating in 2025 in Waco, Baylor has outscored the Knights 100-12. Baylor has now held seven opponents to 20 points or less in their first eight games, the most since 2021, when the Bears held eight foes to 20 or fewer points in a game during the Big 12 Championship season. UCF was coming off a double-overtime win over No. 2 BYU last weekend in Orlando and were hosting the Bears in its annual Space Game, played for the 10th straight season. UCF had only lost its Space Game once, vs. fellow space city foe Houston in 2025.
• The Bears entered the game ranked in the nation's top five in sacks and tackles for a loss, and added to its total, collecting a season-high seven sacks and 12 TFLs. A game after going for 13 tackles, Travion Barnes led the defensive effort, alongside Micah Gifford, as the duo had six tackles each. Jamaal Whyce Jr. and Kaleb Burns each chipped in 1.5 sacks, with Traveon Mitchell and Devin Turner each earning solo sacks. Garrick Ponder had at least 1.5 tackles for a loss for the fifth time in eight games. Lagway turned in a complete performance, throwing for a career-high tying four touchdowns and 319 yards on 16-of-25 passing. He reached 300 yards passing for the third time in 2026 and the fifth time in his career. Lagway found Livingston, twice, Matthew Klopfenstein and Gavin Freeman for touchdown passes in the win. Freeman notched his fifth game of the year with over 100 yards receiving and his second straight, going for five catches for 114 yards, including a 77-yard scamper. Jadon Porter finished with a pair of catches for 74 yards, including a career-long 53 yarder. Dre'lon Miller had two catches for 44 yards. Freshman Ryelan Morris had 11 carries for 82 yards. Michael Turner added 12 rushes, a team-high, for 41 yards. Caden Knighten had a rushing TD, his third of the year, with 31 yards rushing. Lagway rushed a career-high 11 times.
BEARS TURN TO KLANDERMAN IN INTERIM ROLE
• Baylor has turned to first-year defensive coordinator and safeties coach Joe Klanderman in an interim role following the Kansas loss in Lawrence.
• BU Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Doug McNamee made the decision to relieve seventh-year head coach Dave Aranda of his duties following consecutive losses to TCU and Kansas.
• "Anyone who knows Dave Aranda understands what a genuine and honorable person he is and how much he deeply cares for his players, staff and this University," McNamee said. "He is a gifted coach and a brilliant football mind whose leadership brought some of our best Baylor football memories. While this is a difficult moment, we believe a change in leadership is necessary at this time for our program. We will forever be thankful to Dave and his family for their time here at Baylor, and we wish them well."
• Klanderman came over to the Bears following seven years leading the defense at Kansas State. He has paced one of the nation's top defensive units in 2026 in his first year in Waco and brings a championship pedigree as a four-time national champion at North Dakota State.
RUSH DEFENSE TURNAROUND
• Baylor ranks as the third-best rushing defense turnaround in the last two years through eight games. Under Joe Klanderman, the Bears have gone from the nation's No. 122 rush defense in 2025, to the nation's No. 17 unit. Only Georgia Southern (133rd to 28th) and UCLA (119th to 10th) rank above the Bears.
CONNECTING THE TEAMS
• The most notable connection between the two teams is interim Baylor head coach Joe Klanderman was on the same North Dakota State staff as Iowa State offensive coordinator Tyler Roehl from 2018-18. Roehl was the RB and TE coach while Klanderman was the DB coach at NDSU.
HOMECOMING HISTORY
• Baylor's homecoming began in 1909, marking the first recognizable collegiate homecoming celebration in the nation. The Bears are 52-43-4 all-time on homecoming and have won six their last seven and 13 of their last 15 homecoming matchups.
• The first homecoming came in 1909 after six months of planning by faculty and students. Large delegations of former students converged on the Baylor campus to participate in a concert, receptions, speeches, class reunions, singing, a parade, a pep rally and a football victory. It was Baylor's first "homecoming" which, except during the later years of World War II, has been an annual tradition and has grown to be the largest collegiate Homecoming celebration in the United States.
SERIES HISTORY
• Baylor leads the all-time series with Iowa State, 12-11, with the Bears owning a 7-4 lead in the series in Waco.
• Iowa State's win in 2023 in Waco snapped a two-game BU win streak in the series. In the last meeting in Ames, the Bears posted a 31-24 win in 2022. Baylor has won seven of the last 12 meetings in the series.
BEARS FALL AT NO. 16/16 IOWA STATE IN LAST MEETING IN 2024
• The Bears opened the game at No. 16/16 Iowa State strong, taking a 14-3 lead in the first quarter before ISU rallied to own a halftime margin. Baylor took a 21-19 lead with a TD drive to open the second half but Iowa State finished the game on a 40-7 run to close with a 43-21 win and remain unbeaten.
• Baylor got another heroic performance from QB Sawyer Robertson, who completed 25 of 44 passes for a career-high tying three TDs, while also rushing for 24 yards. He found Ketron Jackson Jr., Michael Trigg and Josh Cameron for TD strikes.
• Iowa State could not be stopped offensively however as the Clons rolled to 542 yards of total offense, including 265 on the ground and 277 passing. QB Rocco Becht had two TDs and Jaylon Jackson rushed for 107 yards and two scores and Carson Hansen added 98 yards. WR Jayden Higgins had eight catches for 116 yards and Jaylin Noel had five grabs for 98 yards.
LAST MEETING IN WACO
• The Bears had a four-game winning streak on Homecoming snapped with a 30-18 win in 2023 vs. Iowa State at McLane.
• Baylor fell behind 27-6 midway through the third quarter but couldn't complete a comeback bid.
• QB Blake Shapen threw for 239 yards and connected with Monaray Baldwin for 117 yards and a score. Freshman Dawson Pendergrass had 37 yards rushing and two TDs, adding 39 yards receiving on three catches.
FACING CLONES IN 2021, 2022
• In the meeting in 2021 in Waco, the Bears posted a 31-29 win over No. 14 Iowa State.
• The win came despite Iowa State owning a 479-282 edge in total offense, a 216-123 margin in rushing yards and committing 85 fewer yards in penalties.
• Baylor took a 21-13 lead at the half after scoring TDs on its first three series of the game. After the Cyclones narrowed the margin to 21-16 with a field goal midway through the third quarter, Trestan Ebner returned the ensuing kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown.
• Gerry Bohanon threw for 159 yards and two TDs and rushed for a score, with Abram Smith owning 47 yards on 10 carries. Tyquan Thornton and Ben Sims each had TD grabs and Dillon Doyle led a defense with nine tackles and two for a loss.
• Iowa State's Brock Purdy threw for 263 yards and a TD, with Breece Hall going for 190 yards and two TDs on 27 carries.
• Baylor rolled to a 31-24 win over Iowa State in Ames to open league play in 2022, owning a 31-14 lead in the fourth quarter and using an efficient offensive attack to secure the win. The Bears got 238 yards and three TDs passing from Blake Shapen, and 78 yards and a rushing TD from freshman Richard Reese to pull away from the Cyclones and earn the first Baylor win in Ames since 2016. The Baylor defense forced two interceptions and held ISU to just 66 yards rushing, totaling four sacks, including two from linebacker Bryson Jackson. Shapen found Ben Sims, Dillon Doyle and Gavin Holmes for TD strikes, with Holmes going for three catches and 92 yards. His 38-yard scoring grab pushed Baylor's lead to 31-14 with 9:37 left in the fourth quarter. The Cyclones cut the lead to 10 with a 75-play drive and added a field goal to set up an impactful on-side kick attempt in the closing seconds, which was grabbed by BU linebacker Matt Jones to clinch the win.
SACKED LUNCH
• Baylor sits just 12 sacks shy of equaling the program standard for sacks in a season. The Bears rank second in the nation in sacks and third in tackles for a loss entering the clash with Iowa State.
NEXT UP
• Baylor travels to face No. 8 BYU on Saturday in Provo.
- BaylorBears.com -
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