By Jeffrey Cohen | Sports Editor
Baylor came out of halftime with a stunning 20-6 lead over UCF. Junior quarterback DJ Lagway carved the Knights’ defense for the first 30 minutes, and he did not slow down to open the third quarter.
He threw a dot to senior tight end Tony Livingston in the end zone to make it a 21-point lead. Lagway then lasered the ball to fifth-year receiver Gavin Freeman down the middle, streaking down the field for a 77-yard touchdown to empty the typically formidable Bounce House.
“That’s Baylor energy,” interim head coach Joe Klanderman said. “ That’s what you’re going to get with this group. That’s what you’re going to get with me. And I told them just now, ‘That’s just the ground floor.’ You don’t have a chance if you don’t have energy and passion.”
The two scores capped off five straight drives ending in points as Baylor (5-3, 3-2 Big 12) emptied the Bounce House, rolling over UCF (4-4, 2-3 Big 12) 41-9 for its first win under Klanderman.
“I’m grateful that these guys have such maturity and love for each other that they could come out and do what they did tonight,” Klanderman said. “People won’t need to be congratulating me. I’m not the one that did anything; they’re the ones that did it.”
The staunch defense proved to be a noticeable change of pace for a Knights offense that tallied 463 yards against No. 9 BYU. The Bears racked up seven sacks and 12 tackles for loss while allowing 73 rushing yards.
“I told the defensive line before we left the hotel today that at the end of this game, their offensive line and our defensive line can’t be a wash,” Klanderman said. “There can be no doubt who is the superior unit.”
The Bears’ offense had its best performance since the 55-19 rout over Arizona State. Explosive plays catalyzed the group throughout the game, totaling 12 big plays resulting in two touchdowns.
Lagway led the bounce back, going 16 for 25 with 316 yards and four touchdowns. He also looked comfortable using his legs, running 11 times for 23 yards. He knew before the game the team was in store for a turnaround.
“I just knew when we came out there as a group for warmups, I could see the look in the guys’ eyes,” Lagway said. “Everybody came to play. … My goal as a leader [is] just to consistently get the best out of those guys every single week.”
The Bears’ defense was back to its old self after allowing over 20 points for the first time a week prior. The unit gave up six yards through the first quarter with one sack and two tackles for loss, quickly silencing the Bounce House.
Junior cornerback Devon Jordan added his team-leading fourth interception.
“Coach [Klanderman] was telling us play fast, play together, have fun,” Jordan said. “For example, my pick that I had today, you see LeVar [Thornton] coming across, making a play, and me coming to the ball off the tip drill.”
The offense waded through an undisciplined first 15 minutes. Despite committing three false starts in the quarter, junior quarterback DJ Lagway went 6 for 7 with 61 yards while the run game totaled 47 yards.
Lagway found senior tight end Tony Livingston wide open in the end zone to cap off the Bears’ third drive and give them a 7-0 lead.
Baylor’s offense started to attack downfield in the second quarter. Lagway connected with junior receiver Dre’lon Miller for 36 yards, junior receiver Jadon Porter for 53 yards and fifth-year receiver Jayden McGowan for 29 yards.
Lagway attributed the explosive offense to the film he went through with Klanderman earlier in the week.
“We watched film this week, and he helped me pick up something on this defense that we just played,” Lagway said. “I’ve seen it on the field, and it helped me lead to a couple of big plays.“
Those explosive plays set the Bears up deep into the Knights’ territory. Sophomore running back Caden Knighten reached over the goal line after getting popped by defensive back Caleb Flagg to move Baylor ahead 14-0. The Bears finished the half with scores in their final three drives as sophomore kicker Rhett Armstrong hit two field goals to lead 20-6 at the half.
UCF’s offense started to find some momentum in the second quarter, but Baylor continued to hold the Knights down. UCF racked up 71 yards and its first seven first downs of the night but had to settle for a pair of field goals from kicker Will Stone.
The Knights scored one more time Friday night with its third field goal of the game over halfway through the third quarter.
“[The defensive line] closing the run game, it shuts down the whole playbook,” Jordan said. “That’s why it’s just great for them to just play fast and just be physical
Following the pair of touchdowns to start the second half, the offense started to slow down. The Bears punted twice, and Armstrong missed a 50-yard field goal.
The defense set the offense up well, forcing a pair of turnovers on downs to put Baylor in plus territory. It paid off with Lagway’s lob to a wide-open senior tight end, Matthew Klopfenstein, in the end zone to push the Bears ahead 41-9 to start the fourth quarter.
The score was the third from Baylor’s tight ends. Livingston led the way for a position group that recorded only two touchdowns through the first seven games, working off his connection with Lagway from their time at Florida.
“We came from Florida together,” Livingston said. “We got closer since I’ve been here. And I think our relationship has grown so much throughout the year.”
UCF tallied only 16 rushing yards until the final drive, when quarterback Rocco Marriott broke off a 56-yard run down to the Bears’ 1-yard line. The Knights failed to score, fumbling the ball on the final play.
The win marks Baylor’s third straight win over UCF. Since the Knights led 35-7 in the third quarter of the 2023 meeting, the Bears have outscored them 100-12.
Baylor returns home to take on Iowa State on Homecoming Saturday, Nov. 7 at McLane Stadium. The game’s start time is still to be determined.
