The biggest win of the Jimmy Rogers era is in the rear view mirror, and this is the week that says the most about a coaching staff. Anyone can get a team up for a ranked opponent on Halloween night. The harder job is getting that same group to show up in Waco the following Saturday, after the emotional high has worn off, against a team with nothing to lose.
These are my favorite weeks of the season for judging whether a coach can keep a team on track.
Know Your Opponent
Baylor is 5-3 overall and 3-2 in the Big 12, and it has been a strange year in Waco. Losses to Auburn, to Kansas by a single point and to TCU led to Dave Aranda being fired on Oct. 25. Defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman took over as interim head coach and won his first game 41-9 over UCF, a team that had just come off an emotional win over BYU. That is a 32 point margin on a short week with a brand new head coach.
The name to know is DJ Lagway, the former Florida quarterback. He was limited by an ankle injury earlier in the season, but against UCF he completed 16 of 25 passes for 319 yards and four touchdowns, and Klanderman said afterward that he cut it loose like he had never seen. It was one of three 300 yard games for Lagway this season, so this is a quarterback who can beat you through the air on any given Saturday.
The defense is also a problem. Baylor finished with seven sacks and 12 tackles for loss against UCF, and Klanderman has been calling the defense himself while serving as head coach. Iowa State's offensive line is going to have to be sharp.
The Iowa State Angle
Iowa State is 4-4 and 2-3 in the Big 12 after beating No. 24 Oklahoma State 51-49. Jaylen Raynor played one of his best games of the season, completing 18 of 28 passes for 309 yards and three touchdowns while adding a rushing score.
That came a week after he was replaced in the second half at Arizona, and it came after a bad interception on the second drive against Oklahoma State. Bouncing back from a play like that is exactly what this offense needs from him. Aiden Flora continues to make play after play and was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week.
Then there is Jamal Polite Jr. The true freshman caught six passes for 171 yards and a touchdown, the most receiving yards by a true freshman in school history and the first 100 yard game by an Iowa State freshman receiver since Darius Darks in 2008. His 43 yard touchdown catch in the first half was a toe tap, and his 33 yard reception with 49 seconds left set up the game winning field goal. It was the most important catch of the season when it mattered most. Kyle Konrardy then hit a 34 yard field goal as time expired, Provo is officially forgiven.
On defense, the group needs to lock in. Giving up 49 points to Oklahoma State is not a recipe for beating a quarterback who has thrown for 300 yards three times. Sullivan Schlimgen is expected to suit up, which is a big deal for this defense. The injury report will be a talking point right up to kickoff, with several more key defensive players in question.
The Outlook
Both teams have something to play for. Baylor sits one win away from bowl eligibility and has an interim coach providing a jolt of energy. Iowa State needs two more wins to get to six, and the Cyclones are coming off a big emotional win, which can cut either way.
Iowa State has the offense to hang with Baylor and a freshman receiver who just announced himself to the Big 12. The question is whether the defense can hold up in Waco and whether this team can handle success the week after it arrives.
