Baylor’s 41-9 win over UCF in Orlando gave Dave Aranda’s team a clean snapshot of what clicked and what still needs work. The Bears got big days from their quarterback, their defensive front, and enough help from several other spots to leave with an emphatic result.
DJ Lagway was the headline on offense. He finished 16-of-?
no, 16 completions for 319 yards and four touchdowns, and he added 23 rushing yards as well. It was a much sharper version of Lagway than Baylor had seen in recent weeks.
He moved well, looked healthy, and showed more confidence in the pocket. The deep ball was there, too.
Most importantly, he did not throw an interception.
If that version of Lagway sticks, Baylor’s offense has a much higher ceiling.
The Bears also got production from a wider group of pass catchers. Six different receivers hauled in at least one pass, with Freeman pacing the group on five catches for 114 yards.
Jadon Porter added two grabs for 74 yards, while Dre'lon Miller chipped in two receptions for 44 yards after not being featured much this season. Baylor needed others to step forward in the receiver room, and against UCF, they did.
The ground game showed signs of life as well. Baylor ran for 161 yards, led by Ryelan Morris, who went for 82 yards on 11 carries and averaged 7.5 yards per attempt.
Michael Turner added 41 yards on 12 carries, Caden Knighten finished with 31 yards on seven carries, and Dawson Pendergrass had seven yards on his lone run. For a team that has struggled to build momentum on the ground, this was a welcome step forward.
The tight ends also made their mark in the red zone. Tony Livingston caught two passes for 25 yards, and both went for touchdowns.
Matthew Klopfenstein added a five-yard touchdown catch of his own. Those three scores helped make this a strong outing for the group.
Up front, the run blocking was better than it had been for much of the season. The Bears still had penalties to clean up, and they allowed three sacks, but the line did enough to support the offense and contribute to the overall success.
On the other side of the ball, Baylor’s defensive line kept controlling games the way it has all season. UCF managed just 66 rushing yards, and the pressure never really let up.
Baylor piled up seven sacks and 12 tackles for loss, with the front playing a major role in both totals. It remains Baylor’s most reliable position group.
The linebackers helped bottle up the Knights on early downs and stayed active around the football. That effort helped keep UCF from getting much going on the ground and supported another strong defensive showing.
In the secondary, UCF’s passing numbers were mostly built after the Knights had already fallen behind. They finished with 215 passing yards, but much of that came while chasing the game.
Devon Jordan added another interception, continuing to make plays back there. Overall, the group did its job in limiting the passing attack and keeping UCF out of the end zone.
Special teams were steady enough to round out the performance. Rhett Armstrong hit two of his three field-goal tries and made all five extra points, while Palmer Williams punted five times and averaged 41.4 yards per kick. Armstrong did miss once, but the unit still turned in a decent day overall.
In Other News...
UCFs Space Game Collapse Exposed A Problem Fans Cant Ignore
Scott Frost had little choice but to own the moment after UCFs Space Game turned into a lopsided 41-9 loss to Baylor, and the Knights coach did exactly that in apologizing to fans afterward. The night was supposed to be one of the programs showcase events, but instead it laid bare how much the offense struggled, especially on the ground and in protecting the quarterback, leaving the Knights chasing answers after a flat outing.
The bigger concern was the toll the game took on the offense, with the line unable to keep things clean long enough to settle in. Even in a rough night, there was one bright spot for UCF, as Will Stone provided a rare highlight by drilling a 57-yard field goal to set a program record, a reminder that not everything about the evening went sideways even if the final score said plenty. [Read more 🡒]