The Iowa State Cyclones entered Week 9 on a low note.

They were embarrassed in their game in Week 8 on the road against the Arizona Wildcats, losing 39-3. It was a mess in every facet of the game, as their offense couldn’t move the ball and the defense had no answer for Noah Fifita and the Wildcats’ offense.

Worst of all, starting quarterback Jaylen Raynor was benched at halftime with his team down 25-3. It was a low point for the veteran signal caller, who had not performed up to the level anyone had expected after transferring to Iowa State following three successful seasons with the Arkansas State Red Wolves.

In a surprising move, Raynor was named the starter for Halloween night under the lights at Jack Trice Stadium against the Oklahoma State Cowboys. It was possibly his last chance to prove that he should be the starter for this team for the remainder of the season, and he responded accordingly.

Jaylen Raynor had monster game against Oklahoma State

The senior quarterback led the team to the biggest win thus far in the Jimmy Rogers era. After being unsuccessful in four attempts against ranked foes, the Cyclones finally picked up a win over a team in the top 25.

It was a shootout, which many expected given how productive the Cowboys’ offense is and how underwhelming the Iowa State pass defense has been. It was a question of whether the Cyclones’ offense could keep up, and Raynor was up for the task.

Offensive coordinator Tyler Roehl has done a great job of simplifying things given how many injuries to skill position players the team is dealing with. Four wide receivers who were expected to play roles are sidelined with injuries, which has pushed freshman Jamal Polite Jr. and Malcolm Watkins into prominent roles.

Chemistry has quickly developed with Polite, who had a coming-out party against the Cowboys. He caught six passes for 171 yards and one touchdown, constantly getting behind the defense for big plays.

Raynor completed 18-of-28 passes for 309 yards and three touchdowns with one interception, which came in the first half. He didn’t let that throw faze him, as he continued taking shots downfield when they were presented to him. 48 yards and another score were added on the ground.

It is the exact kind of performance Iowa State fans have been waiting to see from their quarterback. He looked to be showing signs of a breakout during a 45-42 victory over the West Virginia Mountaineers, but regressed against the BYU Cougars and Arizona.

With his starting job on the line, Raynor stepped up and responded. Iowa State is now 4-4 on the season, moving one step closer to being eligible for a bowl game bid and exceeding all expectations that were placed on them coming into the season.

The veteran signal caller will now look to ride this positive momentum into the final four weeks of the season, starting with a game in Week 10 on the road against the Baylor Bears.