Baylor Stuns UCF 41-9 Behind Lagway's Four-Touchdown Performance

A Decisive Second Quarter

The second quarter proved to be the defining sequence of the contest, as the visiting Baylor Bears extended their lead from 7-0 to 20-3. While UCF managed to keep the game close early with a 39-yard field goal by Will Stone, Baylor answered with two field goals of their own.

Rhett Armstrong connected from 45 yards out, then added another from 29 yards, before Stone struck back with a 57-yard kick to close the half at 20-6. This surge set the tone for the remainder of the night at Acrisure Bounce House in Orlando, where 45,906 fans witnessed a dominant away effort.

Lagway and Freeman Shine

Baylor quarterback DJ Lagway was the engine behind the offense, completing 16 of 25 passes for 319 yards and four touchdowns. His connection with wide receiver Gavin Freeman was particularly potent; Freeman hauled in five passes for 114 yards and a score. In the third quarter, Lagway found Freeman for a 77-yard touchdown strike, capping a 14-point period for the Bears.

Earlier, Tony Livingston had opened the scoring with a four-yard reception, and Caden Knighten added a two-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter. Ryelan Morris contributed on the ground, rushing 11 times for 82 yards to provide a balanced attack.

UCF's Limited Offense

The UCF Knights struggled to generate consistent offensive pressure against the Baylor defense. Alonza Barnett III led the passing attack with 133 yards on 8 of 16 attempts, but the team could not convert drives into touchdowns. Rocco Marriott rushed for 50 yards on two carries, while Josh Derry led the receiving corps with 70 yards on three catches.

Will Stone accounted for all of UCF's points with three field goals, ranging from 35 to 57 yards. Despite their efforts, the Knights were unable to keep pace with Baylor's explosive scoring runs.

Final Records

The final score was Baylor Bears 41, UCF Knights 9. With the victory, Baylor improved their record to 5-3, while UCF fell to 4-4. The game featured a high-scoring affair for the visitors, who outscored the hosts 41-9 in a clear-cut performance that highlighted the depth of the Baylor offense against a struggling UCF unit.

Sources

ESPN