Iowa State Football: Preview, prediction, live stream vs. Baylor in Week 12

Baylor will host Iowa State football for an important Week 12 clash for the Cyclones. Can the Bears pull off the upset?

Since reaching the number 14 spot in the College Football Playoff Committee’s ranking, the Iowa State Cyclones have hit a bump in the road. After beating then #4 TCU, the Cyclones dropped a defensive struggle at the hands of West Virginia and lost a shootout to Oklahoma State on controversial call at the end of the game. Some may say the Cyclones are falling back to earth, but others think they have just been unlucky.

The Baylor Bears have been a train-wreck from the very first game of the season. Dropping games to non-conference foes such as Liberty and UTSA and getting blown out by top-tier teams such as Oklahoma State and Texas. The Bears have had one bright spot as they beat Kansas two weeks ago to give them their first win on the season. Coach Matt Rhule has endured more than his fair share of adversity in his first season in Waco.

Here’s how to watch Saturday’s Iowa State vs. Baylor game:

Date: Saturday, Nov. 18
Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
Location: Waco, Texas
Venue: McLane Stadium
TV: FSN
Live Stream: FOX Sports Go

Keys to Victory:

The Cyclones are hungry for a win following back-to-back losses that essentially took them out of the Big 12 title race. Matt Campbell will have little problems finding ways to motivate his team this game, especially after their collapse against the Bears a year ago in Ames.

As of right now, there is a mini-quarterback controversy between incumbent starter Kyle Kempt and redshirt freshman Zeb Noland. Noland entered the game Saturday following an injury to Kempt and didn’t miss a beat, as he completed 17-of-28 passes for 263 yards, but did throw the game-clinching interception. As of Monday, Matt Campbell had yet to announce who will start against Baylor on Saturday.

Since taking over as full-time starter halfway through the Texas game, quarterback Charlie Brewer has shown a lot of promise for the Baylor offense. In two full games as starter, Brewer has thrown for 732 yards and six touchdowns and one interception. However, Brewer will face his first real challenge, taking on an Iowa State secondary that has 11 interceptions, and is anchored by Kamari Cotton-Moya and Brian Peavy.

Iowa State’s offense looks to have another big day, facing a Baylor defense that is ranked an appalling 116th out of 130 in points allowed, allowing 36.3 points per contest. Running back David Montgomery will once again be a key figure for the Cyclone offense following his three touchdown performance against Oklahoma State. According to Pro Football Focus, Montgomery is only one broken tackle away from setting the new record for broken tackle in a season since the databases’ inception.

Next: NFL Mock Draft 2018: First round after Week 11 edition

Prediction

Baylor has given ranked opponents scares all year, from their nail-biter against Oklahoma to making a furious fourth-quarter rally against West Virginia, the Bears are never out of it. However, this game will not be close, Iowa State coming off of two consecutive losses, paired with memories of their collapse against Baylor last year, Matt Campbell will have his guys fired up for this game.

Final Score: Iowa State 48, Baylor 20