AMES — After giving up a season-high 38 points to Kansas last weekend, the depleted Cyclone defense looked to flush out the big loss and bounce back against Cincinnati.

With the help of returning players in linebacker Will McLaughlin, defensive lineman Domonique Orange and defensive back Malik Verdon, the Iowa State defense helped shut down the Bearcats passing attack in the Cyclones’ 34-17 win Saturday night.

To start, there was the return of the team-leading tackler and pass defender, Verdon.

Although he had started out the game against the Jayhawks, he was not able to play the majority of the game due to re-aggravating a hand injury, which he had dealt with by wearing a giant club on his left arm.

His presence had been evidently missed in the Kansas game, as the Iowa State defense went on to have one of its worst performances of the season.

In Saturday’s game against Cincinnati, Verdon played the entirety of the game and was integral in allowing the Bearcats’ offense to have only 66 total passing yards.

Verdon finished the game with four total tackles, one solo tackle and a forced fumble that resulted in the Cyclones getting the ball back at a crucial point in the third quarter.

“It was beautiful,” Verdon said. “Last week was a little more unfortunate, but you put the past behind us and go win the game.”

With Iowa State getting its first lead of the game following a 26-yard touchdown from tight end Stevo Klotz the drive prior, Verdon’s forced fumble helped give the Cyclones the ball back at a point where they never gave Cincinnati a real chance to win the game.

“[Verdon] is maybe one of the best safeties in the country,” head coach Matt Campbell said.

Then there was the return of Orange.

In the game against the Jayhawks, Orange was a surprise inactive and did not end up traveling with the team to Kansas City with an undisclosed injury.

Like Verdon, Orange’s presence could’ve made the Iowa State defense’s day just a little bit better in the thrashing they had given up last Saturday.

But in the game against the Bearcats, Orange played a huge role in the Cyclones’ bounce-back win, as he finished the game with three total tackles, two solo tackles and one of his tackles being for a loss of yards.

“[Orange] is a super talented defensive lineman who’s having a great year for us,” Campbell said.

Conveniently, all of Orange’s tackles had been acquired on a singular drive, back in Cincinnati’s final drive of the first half. Orange’s performance in this drive helped force a three-and-out that ended up resulting in a game-tying field goal from kicker Kyle Konrardy to end the first half.

Finally, that brings us to the junior linebacker McLaughlin.

Unlike Verdon and Orange, this was McLaughlin’s season debut, as he had dealt with a couple of injuries that kept him out until this game against the Bearcats.

McLaughlin’s return is potentially the biggest acquisition that this Iowa State defense could’ve had, as he returned to a linebacker room that had been very depleted of veteran leadership.

In his return, McLaughlin had four total tackles, a solo tackle and a quarterback hit after missing the entirety of the 2024-25 season.

“I couldn’t stop smiling,” McLaughlin said. “It was so much fun playing out there with my best friends and I enjoyed every moment of that.”

Despite not starting and not seeing as much playing time as he had wished for, McLaughlin was still able to provide a key presence in halting the Cincinnati offense from making any potential comeback while giving up the second-lowest amount of passing yards this season (UCF – 62 passing yards).

“As depleted as that room is and has been, to get a guy with that veteran-ness, communication, awareness and almost a sense of poise was great,” Campbell said.

With his return, McLaughlin’s play also helped elevate the play of another linebacker in sophomore Jack Sadowsky V, who finished his game with two total tackles, one solo tackle, 1.5 tackles for a loss and a pass breakup.

Combined, all three players played an essential part in the much-needed bounce-back game for this depleted Cyclones defense.

“I just think their talent, let alone their leadership and their poise, just helped,” Campbell said.