FORT WORTH, Texas– It was JaQuan Bailey’s world Saturday and we were all just living in it.

In the first half alone, the senior defensive lineman became Iowa State’s career sack leader and snared the career tackles for loss crown in just his second game of the season.

And that was just the beginning.

His performance against TCU was the highlight of yet another wild, weird, insane Cyclones output in their 37-34 triumph to open Big 12 play at Amon G. Carter Stadium. The win snaps the Horned Frogs 18-game home opener winning streak, which was the eighth longest in the nation.

Here’s how Bailey broke the tie at the top with Shawn Moorehead, a three-year standout for Iowa State in the mid-2000s.

Latrell Bankston and Bailey brought down TCU quarterback Matthew Downing in the opening quarter and TCU’s live stats credited the two with 0.5 tackles for loss.

It was then changed to 0.5 of a sack, meaning in less than 15 minutes of action and with eight games still to play this season, the record was solely in Bailey’s hands.

Oh, but the 260-pound grown man was far from done.

On a three-man rush, Bailey got past the Horned Frogs left tackle and wrapped Downing to leave no doubt that the senior is now one of the best defensive lineman to ever wear the Cardinal and Gold.

Actually, let me rephrase. Bailey is the best defensive lineman in Iowa State history.

Bailey owned the first half with 3.5 sacks, using swift one-armed moves to get past both tackles and imposing his will with a forced fumble and a recovery in perfect sequence.

The final tally for the individual standing at 6-foot-2: 3.5 sacks, four tackles for loss, seven total tackles and a perfect start to the conference season with No. 3 Oklahoma coming to town in a week.

His quiet second half should be an indictment on what he accomplished in front of a limited crowd.

Neither should Bailey’s story to get to this point.

His progression from a three-star recruit out of Raines High School in Jacksonville, Florida to the heartbeat of the Cyclones front seven is one to not take lightly.

There was a hunch he’d bring an immediate impact in his freshman season. Boy, did he ever.

Bailey played in all 12 games — started in the last seven — and led Iowa State with 3.5 sacks when he was just scratching the surface.

His sophomore and junior seasons were like a grown man was unleashed with 15 combined sacks, 25.5 total tackles for loss. Bailey was an integral part of the last two winning seasons under Head Coach Matt Campbell.

What makes Bailey, in my opinion, the best ever doesn’t even start with his talent on the field. It’s his ability to make the most out of a negative situation when the times get tough.

It’s well-noted that the season-ending leg injury Bailey sustained against Baylor was one of the few downs in a mostly up Iowa State season. That easily could’ve been the last time Bailey suited up in college.

His numbers were so impressive that if he opted for the NFL Draft and focused solely on rehabbing, it would’ve been met with applause and cheers. Sure, some sadness, but mostly being thankful that the Cyclones had a star for three years.

Despite all the reasons to leave, Bailey came back and is now trying to be a part of a team that some believe can reach the Big 12 Championship game.

Campbell spoke about how his stalwart has been preparing for his final season in Ames prior to the opener a couple of weeks ago.

“You see a guy that’s physically getting comfortable again,” Campbell said during one his weekly pressers. “He was rusty going into camp. You’re talking about a guy that hasn’t played football since early October.

“His process of physically getting prepared to play football, then going through the mental phase of playing, and finally preparing to play football at a really high level — JaQuan has handled each of those phases really well.”

Yes, yes he has.

Those mental hurdles any player faces when recovering from a devastating injury speak highly on the character of an individual. It’s clear, more so than ever, Bailey has insanely high character.

It’s why he has left no doubt where he stands in Iowa State lore.