Last week in Vegas was a fun one, but it’s time to move on to conference play as we head to Waco, Texas to take on the Baylor Bears. Baylor has given Iowa State some problems in the last few years, let’s see if Campbell and Co. handle another hot one in Texas.

What Went Wrong

Two-Point Conversion

Pardon my french here for a minute, but uh. What in the hell was that? Listen. I love Brock. I defend him with every breath of my being. HE IS UNCOMFORTABLE UNDER CENTER. Yeah, he’s a senior. Yeah, he should be okay in whatever formation we line up in. Yeah, that was inexcusable. But you CANNOT sit here and tell me that an under-center pass is what anyone wanted to see. If you’re going under center, throw Jared Rus or Chase Allen in at fullback and punch Breece Hall right between the tackles and let him run people over for three yards.

I mean, you’ve got Breece Hall with 190 yards on the day, averaging seven yards a carry and Brock Purdy just led you on a potential game-tying drive ALL from the shotgun. Why on God’s Green Earth are you making THAT call, That’s the game on the line, guys. I hate going in like this knowing Brock absolutely should have handled that better, but whoever called that play needs to not do that ever again.

Special Teams

Drink.

I’m not even going to talk about the muffed punt (thankfully Noel recovered it) or the abysmal punting day from Corey Dunn. I’m just so over this unit as a whole. So over it. Get a coach. Stop letting this group cost us games. It’s a 4-year old problem and it hasn’t gotten better. Fix it.

Field Goals over Touchdowns

The Cyclones found themselves down eight at the half. Why? Iowa State kicked 3 field goals (made two) and the Bears scored three touchdowns on four drives (not counting the kneel down)

Touchdowns > Field Goals and while I do agree with the decision to kick before the half, the previous two drives can’t end in field goals. Not to mention the fact that one of the kicks was made longer because of a pre-snap penalty (drink again)... Can’t be settling for field goals in an explosive conference like the Big 12.

What Went Right

Breece the Beast

It wasn’t the fastest start to the season for #28, but he came to play on Saturday. Dropped 190 yards on twenty-seven carries?!?!? Seven yards a pop including a forty-two yarder. The man is a power runner and speed runner all wrapped into one, and he showed that versatility this weekend. And speaking of that, he also added five catches for fifty-one yards and a score. The man just continues to impress and improve in all areas of the game. Iowa State is going to be fine, and with Breece Hall running hard as he does, this team can still be what we all thought they would be.

Jon Heacock adjustments

There aren’t too many guys that can give up twenty-one points and 214 yards of offense in a half and then come back and give up zero points and seventy-one yards in the second half.

Jon Heacock is one of those guys. No one is happy giving up twenty-one points in a half, but once again the defense came ready to ball in the second half. Baylor had seven drives in the second half and they gained a whopping seventy yards in the second half and 54 of that came on the opening drive that ended in an Isheem Young forced a fumble recovered by my guy Kym-Mani King (who by the way had another tremendous game yesterday.)

Weekly Grades

Offense: B-

Defense: A-

Special Teams: F

Waco: Still really hot and sunny

Big 12 Conference: WIIIIIIIIIIIDE OPEN