Lagway’s Four Touchdowns Lift Baylor Past UCF 41-9

A Dominant Performance by the Bears

The Baylor Bears secured a decisive 41-9 victory over the UCF Knights on Friday, October 30, 2026, with quarterback DJ Lagway orchestrating an efficient offensive display. Playing as the visiting team at Acrisure Bounce House in Orlando, Florida, before a crowd of 45,906, Baylor controlled the tempo from the opening whistle to the final gun.

Lagway was the focal point of the Bear offense, completing 16 of 25 pass attempts for 319 yards and connecting on four touchdown passes. His precision allowed Baylor to build an insurmountable lead early, capitalizing on UCF’s defensive lapses throughout the contest.

Scoring Breakdown by Quarter

Baylor jumped out to a 7-0 advantage in the first quarter when Lagway found Tony Livingston for a 4-yard touchdown pass, successfully kicked by Rhett Armstrong. The Bear defense held firm thereafter, limiting UCF to scoreless drives until the second period.

The second quarter proved pivotal for Baylor’s lead expansion. Running back Caden Knighten punched in a 2-yard touchdown run to make it 14-0 before UCF managed its first points via a 39-yard field goal by Will Stone, bringing the score to 14-3.

However, Baylor responded immediately with three consecutive field goals from Armstrong (45 yards and 29 yards) to extend the lead to 20-3 at halftime. UCF added another Stone field goal, this one from 57 yards out, ending the half at 20-6.

The third quarter saw Baylor pull away definitively. Lagway connected with Tony Livingston again, this time on a 21-yard pass, and later threw a deep 77-yard touchdown strike to Gavin Freeman. These scores pushed the margin to 34-6 before UCF’s Stone drilled a 35-yard field goal late in the period, making it 34-9.

Closing Out the Game

Baylor did not slow down in the fourth quarter. Matthew Klopfenstein caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Lagway, sealed with Armstrong’s kick, to finalize the 41-9 scoreline. UCF was unable to respond, leaving the visiting team in control of the game's narrative.

Key Statistical Contributions

While Lagway dominated the passing game, other players contributed significantly to the win. Ryelan Morris provided balance on the ground for Baylor with 11 carries for 82 yards. In the receiving corps, Gavin Freeman was a key target, hauling in five receptions for 114 yards and one touchdown.

For UCF, Alonza Barnett III attempted to keep the offense afloat with an 8-of-16 passing performance for 133 yards. Running back Rocco Marriott offered some ground threat with two carries for 50 yards, while Josh Derry led the Knights in receiving with three catches for 70 yards.

With this result, Baylor improves its record to 5-3, while UCF falls to 4-4 on the season.

Sources

ESPN