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

A Dominant Performance by DJ Lagway

The Baylor Bears established control early and never looked back, defeating the host UCF Knights with a final score of 41-9 on Friday. The game was defined by the precision passing of Baylor quarterback DJ Lagway, who accounted for all four of his team's touchdowns through the air.

Lagway completed 16 of 25 passes for 319 yards, orchestrating an offensive display that left the Knights’ defense unable to recover after the first quarter.

Scoring Breakdown by Quarter

Baylor jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the opening period when Lagway connected with Tony Livingston on a 4-yard touchdown pass. The extra point kick by Rhett Armstrong extended the advantage, setting the tone for the night.

The second quarter saw Baylor’s offense continue its relentless pace while UCF managed only field goals. Caden Knighten provided another rushing touchdown from 2 yards out, followed by three separate field goals from Rhett Armstrong, including a 45-yarder and a 29-yarder.

The Knights’ offense responded with two Will Stone field goals, one from 39 yards and a long 57-yard attempt, bringing the halftime score to Baylor 20, UCF 6.

The third quarter was entirely controlled by Baylor. Lagway found Tony Livingston again for a 21-yard touchdown strike and then connected with Gavin Freeman on a massive 77-yard touchdown pass. Freeman finished with five receptions for 114 yards and one score.

Will Stone added a 35-yard field goal for UCF, but the Knights could not match Baylor’s scoring output. The Bears entered the fourth quarter with a commanding 27-6 lead.

Final Quarter and Key Stats

Matthew Klopfenstein caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Lagway in the final period to complete the scoring at 41-9. While UCF’s Alonza Barnett III completed 8 of 16 passes for 133 yards, the Knights struggled to sustain drives beyond their field goal attempts. Rocco Marriott contributed 50 rushing yards on two carries, and Josh Derry led UCF in receiving with three catches for 70 yards.

For Baylor, Ryelan Morris provided balance on the ground with 82 rushing yards on 11 carries. The Bears’ defense held UCF scoreless after the first quarter, forcing a game that was effectively decided by halftime. The victory improves Baylor’s record to 5-3, while UCF falls to 4-4 in the standings.

Game Context

The contest took place at Acrisure Bounce House in Orlando, Florida, before a crowd of 45,906 spectators. As the visiting team, Baylor demonstrated superior execution on both sides of the ball, capitalizing on UCF’s inability to generate consistent offensive momentum outside of special teams play.

Sources

ESPN