DJ Lagway’s first month as Baylor’s starting quarterback was shaped by setbacks, but Saturday finally gave him the kind of outing that can change the conversation.
Two days after he lit up Arizona State, the Big 12 rewarded him with Offensive Player of the Week honors. It was a fitting recognition for a performance that looked much more like the player Baylor expected when he arrived.
Lagway’s start to the season had been rocky. He sprained his ankle badly in the opener against Auburn, then missed the next two games. When he came back for Week 4 against Louisiana Tech, he still didn’t look like himself and lacked his usual burst as a runner.
Against the Sun Devils, though, he looked healthier and far more comfortable operating the offense. He moved better in the pocket and even finished the game by ripping off an 11-yard touchdown on his final snap.
The numbers backed up the eye test. Lagway completed 62.5% of his passes for 306 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. Before Saturday, he had never put together a game against an FBS opponent with three or more touchdown passes and no turnovers.
This wasn’t just a quick-hit passing day built on receivers doing the heavy lifting after the catch, either. Pro Football Focus had him averaging 11.6 air yards per attempt. By comparison, backup quarterback Nate Bennett, who entered in garbage time, averaged just 4 air yards per attempt.
Lagway also spread the ball around. His four touchdown passes went to four different receivers, and that list did not include Gavin Freeman. In all, three Baylor receivers finished with at least three catches and 62 or more yards.
There’s still a long way to go before one strong outing turns into a real turnaround, but this one mattered. Lagway had never topped 300 passing yards against an FBS opponent without also throwing a turnover, and Arizona State came in with a defense ranked in the top 50 by ESPN’s SP+ metric.
The talent has never been the question. Lagway has the physical tools that turn heads. The challenge has always been cleaning up the mistakes and consistently stacking productive games together.
He did that Saturday. And if he keeps building on it, the path to becoming a real NFL prospect gets a lot clearer. Last month, he told Baylor Bears On SI that he chose Baylor partly because of the way the program could help get him ready for the next level.
For now, Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week is a good place to start.
In Other News...
Baylor Vs TCU Just Got A Bigger Stage Than Fans Expected
Baylors midseason meeting with TCU just picked up a little more shine. The Big 12 announced that the rivalry game in Waco will kick off at 6 p.m. CT in Week 7 and air on FS1, giving the Bears a prime-night backdrop for a matchup that already carries plenty of weight in conference play. Baylor enters at 4-1, and the program also plans to lean into the occasion with blackout uniforms for the occasion.
The timing only adds to the intrigue for a series that has delivered its share of memorable moments over the years. With both the current seasons momentum and the history between the two programs in play, this one was already going to matter inside the league race. Now it will do so under the lights, with a little more attention than fans may have expected when the schedule first came out. [Read more 🡒]
Baylors Arizona State Breakout Just Turned Into Something Bigger
DJ Lagway and Ryelan Morris turned Baylors trip to Arizona State into a showcase, and the Big 12 took notice. The junior quarterback and freshman running back were both honored for Week 5 after helping the Bears roll to a 55-19 win, with Lagway earning Offensive Player of the Week and Morris taking home Freshman of the Week.
Lagway piled up 306 passing yards and accounted for five total touchdowns, giving Baylor the kind of efficient, explosive night it has been chasing. Morris added another layer to the rout with 84 rushing yards and the first touchdown of his career, a strong follow-up that gives the Bears more reason to feel good about their young backfield as the season settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Just Sent A Strong Message About What This Team Can Be
Baylors latest result did more than add another win to the ledger. It gave a clearer picture of what this group can look like when it puts together a complete performance, and that matters in a Big 12 race where every week seems to reshape the conversation. The Bears decisive victory over Arizona State stood out in a weekend that also featured TCU pushing BYU to the wire and Pittsburgh beating Virginia Tech despite losing starting quarterback Mason Heintschel to a torn ACL.
The broader ripple effect is easy to see from here, too. BYU is headed to UCF soon and arrives ranked No. 8 in the AP poll after surviving that tight game against TCU, while Pittsburghs rise into the AP Top 25 shows how quickly the national picture can shift. Baylors performance, though, may have been the most convincing reminder that this team still has a higher ceiling than its record sometimes suggests, and the next few weeks will go a long way toward proving whether that message holds up. [Read more 🡒]