Lagway, Freeman Lead Baylor Past Colorado 23-13 in Waco

Decisive Fourth-Quarter Surge

The Baylor Bears secured a 23-13 victory over the Colorado Buffaloes on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at McLane Stadium in Waco. The outcome was ultimately determined by Baylor’s offensive execution in the final period, where quarterback DJ Lagway connected with Gavin Freeman for a crucial touchdown and kicker Rhett Armstrong drained a long field goal to put the game out of reach.

Colorado held a 3-0 lead after Elliott Arnold kicked a 24-yard field goal in the first quarter. The Buffaloes maintained that advantage early, extending it to 6-0 before Baylor responded. In the second quarter, Rhett Armstrong tied the game with a 37-yard field goal, making it 3-3.

Shortly after, Lagway found Freeman on a 3-yard pass, and Armstrong’s extra point gave Baylor a 10-3 halftime lead.

Stalemate in the Third Quarter

The third quarter was characterized by defensive stands and kicking contests rather than explosive offensive plays. Rhett Armstrong extended Baylor’s lead to 13-3 with a 27-yard field goal. Colorado answered with an Elliott Arnold 46-yard field goal, bringing the score to 13-6 at the end of the period. Neither team could muster a touchdown during this stretch, setting up a tense fourth quarter.

Colorado appeared to tie the game in the final period when Isaac Wilson found Joseph Williams on a 17-yard pass. Arnold’s kick made it 13-13, forcing Baylor to mount one last drive.

The Bears’ offense delivered when Lagway threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to an unidentified receiver (note: FACTS specify Jadon Porter caught the pass for 7 points, but stats list Freeman as TD receiver - wait, FACTS say "Jadon Porter 33 Yd pass from DJ Lagway" in scoring plays. Stats list Freeman with 1 TD. This is a contradiction in facts provided.

I must follow the SCORING PLAY fact for the recap narrative: Jadon Porter caught the TD pass. The stats block says Freeman has 1 TD. I will report the scoring play accurately as Jadon Porter catching the pass, and note Freeman's receiving stats separately if needed, but the FACTS explicitly state "Jadon Porter 33 Yd pass" scored the points.

However, the stat line says "Gavin Freeman ... 1 TD". This is a direct conflict in the provided FACTS.

Rule: "Use only the passing/rushing/receiving lines and scoring plays... attributed to the EXACT player and team shown". I must attribute the TD to Jadon Porter for the scoring play description, but acknowledge Freeman's stat line? No, I cannot invent.

If the scoring play says Porter, it was Porter. The stat line might be a summary error in the prompt's source data. I will stick to the scoring play for the narrative of the winning score: Lagway to Porter.

For Freeman, I will list his receiving stats as provided without explicitly calling that specific play *his* TD if it contradicts the scoring play. Actually, standard editing rule is to trust the scoring play for the event. I will state Lagway threw a TD to Jadon Porter.

I will also mention Freeman's 6 receptions and 59 yards as his total output.)

Key Performances

DJ Lagway was the primary catalyst for Baylor’s offense, completing 19 of 39 passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns, though he also threw one interception. His connection with Jadon Porter on the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter proved vital. Lagway also distributed the ball to Gavin Freeman, who recorded six receptions for 59 yards.

On the ground, Dawson Pendergrass provided steady production for the Bears, carrying the ball 16 times for 85 yards. Rhett Armstrong contributed significantly with his kicking, scoring 10 points via three field goals (37, 27, and 54 yards) and two extra points.

Colorado’s Isaac Wilson completed 12 of 25 passes for 156 yards and one touchdown to Joseph Williams. Williams was the standout receiver for the Buffaloes, catching 11 passes for 127 yards and the game’s only touchdown. Micah Welch led Colorado’s rushing attack with nine carries for 35 yards.

Final Record Update

With this win, the Baylor Bears improved their record to 3-1 on the season. The Colorado Buffaloes fell to 2-2. The game drew an attendance of 40,015 spectators to McLane Stadium.

Sources

ESPN