**Iowa State Cyclones Secure Commanding 43-21 Win Over Baylor Bears**

In a thrilling game at Jack Trice Stadium, the Iowa State Cyclones celebrated a significant 43-21 triumph over the Baylor Bears on Saturday night. Head coach Matt Campbell and defensive back Caden Matson became the center of attention following Matson's impressive recovery of a blocked punt, leading to a touchdown and a pivotal momentum shift.

For Matson, a walk-on defensive back hailing from Humboldt, it was a moment to remember. He found himself in the crucial position of chasing down a spinning football, making his first career blocked punt recovery for a touchdown. "It kind of hopped and kind of caught - it sat right in there," Matson recalled, describing his critical 25-yard return for a touchdown. This play notably changed the atmosphere of the game, right before halftime, when the Cyclones were trailing 14-12.

Reserve defensive end Myles Mendeszoon played a key role by blocking the punt, allowing Matson to recover the ball and score. The blocked punt for a touchdown was the first for Iowa State since 2004. Coach Matt Campbell praised Matson, noting, "Caden Matson has kind of been just a warrior for this program."

The impactful special teams play marked Iowa State's second game-changing moment of the season, following walk-on kicker Kyle Konrardy's game-winning 53-yard field goal against then-No. 21 Iowa. Cyclones' quarterback Rocco Becht also had a notable performance, completing 16 of 25 passes for 277 yards, including two touchdowns. Wide receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel were instrumental, combining for 214 receiving yards.

Higgins, setting a program record with touchdown catches in seven consecutive games, notched an 11-yard touchdown that secured the game late in the third quarter. Additionally, transfer tailback Jaylon Jackson shone brightly with 170 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries.

The Cyclones, who are now 5-0 for the first time in 44 years, achieved a season-high total of 265 rushing yards, with another significant contribution from Carson Hansen who added 97 yards on the ground. The defense also excelled, holding Baylor scoreless in the last 17 minutes of the game and cornerback Jontez Williams contributing with a crucial end-zone interception.

A raucous crowd of 61,500 fans clad in white-outs witnessed Iowa State's most decisive win over Baylor since 2001, celebrating their offense surpassing 500 yards for the first time in three years.

Reflecting on the success, head coach Campbell said, "I appreciate our team not panicking when it was a little bit, maybe, not the start we probably want to have in the football game." Expressing pride in the team's resilience and collective effort, he added, "Special teams is really definitive of the character of your team in a lot of ways, right?"

As the Cyclones prepare to face West Virginia next Saturday, Matson and his teammates remain committed to their hard-working ethos. "Everybody just puts their head down and grinds," Matson remarked, highlighting the unified spirit that propelled Iowa State to victory.