ORLANDO, Fla. — Returning to the state where his collegiate career first began, quarterback DJ Lagway put on a masterclass of passing precision, leading the Baylor Bears to a resounding 41-9 victory over the Central Florida Knights at Acrisure Bounce House on Friday night.
The lopsided win provided an emphatic statement for the Bears, who improved to 5-3 overall and 3-2 in Big 12 conference play. More importantly, the triumph served as a turbulent yet triumphant turning point for a program navigating profound transition. The game marked Baylor’s first outing under interim head coach Joe Klanderman, who stepped into the leadership role following the dramatic firing of seventh-year head coach Dave Aranda just days earlier on Sunday.
While the sudden coaching change could have destabilized a mid-season campaign, Klanderman and his coaching staff successfully galvanized a roster looking to salvage its trajectory. The hallmark of the interim coach’s debut was a suffocating defensive performance that completely neutralized a UCF squad (4-4, 2-3) still searching for consistent offensive rhythm. The Knights were held entirely out of the end zone, managing all of their points exclusively through the leg of kicker Will Stone, who successfully converted three field goals.
Baylor’s defensive front was relentless from the opening whistle, suffocating UCF’s offensive scheme to the tune of 281 total yards allowed. The Bears’ pass rush lived in the Knight’s backfield, accumulating an impressive seven sacks and 12 tackles for loss. That defensive dominance set a short field repeatedly for Lagway and the offense, turning the Friday night matchup into a comprehensive team victory.
Lagway, a high-profile transfer from the University of Florida playing back in familiar territory, delivered a stellar individual performance. He orchestrated the Baylor offense with poise and efficiency, completing 16 of his 25 passing attempts for 319 yards and four touchdowns through the air.
His supporting cast capitalized on every opportunity. Wide receiver Gavin Freeman put together a game-breaking performance, hauling in five receptions for 114 yards, highlighted by a catch-and-run that broke the game wide open in the second half. Tight end Tony Livingston proved to be a reliable red-zone threat, catching two passes and converting both into touchdowns. On the ground, running back Ryelan Morris added stability and clock control, churning out 82 rushing yards on 11 carries.
On the opposing sideline, UCF quarterback Keyone Jenkins experienced a stark reversal of fortunes. Just a week prior, Jenkins had engineered a thrilling, miraculous upset victory over then-No. 2 BYU, capturing the attention of the college football world. However, the Baylor defense rendered him largely ineffective on Friday. Jenkins struggled to find any offensive magic, finishing the night 14-for-21 for a meager 82 yards and tossing one costly interception.
With the offense stalling under Jenkins, the Knights turned to Alonza Barnett III to spark a comeback in the second half. Barnett provided a modest offensive boost, finishing 8-for-16 for 133 yards through the air, while teammate Josh Derry provided a bright spot in the receiving game with 70 yards on three catches. Nevertheless, the early deficit proved insurmountable against Baylor’s suffocating defense.
The tone of the contest was established early in the opening quarter when Baylor safety Devon Jordan stepped in front of a Jenkins pass, intercepting the ball for his fourth turnover-forcing play of the season. The turnover immediately set up the Bears in favorable field position. Lagway went to work, converting a crucial third down with a nifty 10-yard run. On the very next play from scrimmage, the Texas native calmly delivered a 4-yard lob pass to a wide-open Livingston in the flat, breaking the scoreless tie late in the first quarter and giving Baylor a lead they would never relinquish.
As the second period unfolded, Baylor continued to stretch the field and probe the Knights’ secondary. Lagway connected cleanly with wide receiver Dre’lon Miller on a deep 36-yard completion, instantly putting the visitors deep in scoring territory. Moments later, running back Caden Knighten polished off a crisp eight-play, 63-yard drive by plunging into the end zone on a 2-yard rush. The score extended Baylor’s lead to 14-0 with 8:58 remaining before halftime.
UCF finally managed to spark a semblance of an offensive pulse on the ensuing series, securing their initial first down of the entire game. The drive allowed Stone to salvage points for the hosts, drilling a 39-yard field goal with 3:24 left on the clock in the half.
Yet, Baylor’s quick-strike capability remained a constant threat. On the next series, Lagway targeted wide receiver Jadon Porter, who reeled in a sensational 53-yard bomb. The explosive play set up kicker Rhett Armstrong for a 45-yard field goal. Armstrong remained dialed in moments later, converting another kick from 29 yards out. Not to be entirely outdone before the break, UCF’s Stone hammered an impressive 57-yard field goal with just three seconds remaining on the first-half game clock, sending the teams to the locker rooms with Baylor comfortably ahead 20-6.
Any hopes of a UCF halftime adjustment were quickly extinguished when the teams returned for the second half. Lagway engineered an immediate scoring drive on Baylor’s first possession of the third quarter, creating crucial separation on a crisp 21-yard strike to Livingston at the 10:07 mark. The reception marked Livingston’s second touchdown catch of the evening, further cementing the tight end’s value in the red zone.
Less than two minutes later, the game firmly slipped away from the Knights in spectacular fashion. Freeman lined up on a high seam-pattern route, went up to secure a high-velocity throw from Lagway, and turned the catch into an electrifying 77-yard untouched dash to the end zone. The explosive score widened the gap to 34-6, effectively putting the game out of reach.
UCF responded with a long, methodical possession that ended with Stone connecting on his third field goal of the night, this time from 35 yards out, to improve to a flawless 3-for-3 on field goal attempts.
However, Baylor had the final say in the blowout. In the fourth quarter, Lagway put an exclamation point on his stellar homecoming performance. Facing pressure, he lofted a precise 5-yard touchdown pass to Matthew Klopfenstein, capping off the scoring summary and sealing the 41-9 victory for the visiting Bears in their first game of the Klanderman era.