WACO, Texas – Baylor has won five games in a row dating to last season, the school's longest winning streak since starting 6-0 in 2016. Two years removed from a disastrous 1-11 season, the high-scoring Bears brace for a difficult test when Iowa State pays a visit to Waco for a nationally televised clash in the Big 12 opener for both teams on Saturday afternoon.
TV: 3:30 ET, ESPN. LINE: Iowa State -2.5
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Baylor steamrolled Stephen F. Austin and Texas-San Antonio in its first two games, amassing 119 points, but it had to hold off a late comeback by winless Rice in a 21-13 victory last week. "I think it will be good for us in the long run starting next week because it will be a four-quarter game next week," Bears quarterback Charlie Brewer said after his team's first road win. Conversely, the Cyclones struggled in their first two games, squeezing by Northern Iowa in triple overtime and dropping a one-point decision to No. 19 Iowa before erupting in a 72-20 mauling of Louisiana-Monroe a week ago. "We played like a football team for the first time this year," Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said. "You felt like we were playing off each other. When we play special teams, offense, defense and flow, you have an opportunity to be ... really good."
ABOUT IOWA STATE (2-1)
The Cyclones piled up a school-record 714 yards in the team's highest point total since 1906 behind quarterback Brock Purdy, who accounted for six touchdowns and became the first player in program history to eclipse 500 yards of total offense. "I think he has tremendous instincts," Rhule said. "He is a tremendous scrambler, he can push things down the field. ... I think the biggest thing is his true timing passing game is really elite right now." Deshaunte Jones is the No. 1 wideout with 20 receptions for 257 yards and a score, while Iowa State's defense has surrendered only four offensive touchdowns in regulation.
ABOUT BAYLOR (3-0)
Brewer, who threw for 288 yards and two TDs in a loss at Iowa State last year, has seven scoring passes versus zero interceptions but sports modest yardage numbers overall because the Bears have outscored their opponents 91-10 in the first half. "It's the ability to know where to go with the football with great confidence," Campbell said of Brewer's success. "That's the thing that really shows up with his play the first three games this year." Wide receiver Denzel Mims has 18 catches for 249 yards and three touchdowns while running backs John Lovett and Trestan Ebner each average at least 8.5 yards per carry.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Baylor leads the nation in third-down conversions with a success rate of 61.8 percent.
2. Iowa State has not won its conference opener since beating Kansas in 2015.
3. Baylor has six blocked kicks in its last eight games and 11 in 28 contests under Rhule.
PREDICTION: Baylor 26, Iowa State 24