ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — DJ Lagway threw for 319 yards and four touchdowns to lead Baylor to a 41-9 rout of UCF on Friday night in Joe Klanderman’s first game as interim head coach.
Klanderman, Baylor’s first-year defensive coordinator, took over this week after Dave Aranda was fired after more than six seasons following the Bears’ 25-24 loss to Kansas.
“We didn’t relent in the fourth quarter. We didn’t relent at halftime when we had a big lead,” Klanderman said. “These guys just kept showing up for each other, and that’s the way we’re going to keep going.”
Lagway finished 16-of-25 passing and threw touchdowns of 4 and 21 yards to tight end Tony Livingston, a 77-yard score to receiver Gavin Freeman and a 5 yard toss to tight end Matthew Klopfenstein.
Running back Caden Knighten added a 2-yard rushing score for Baylor (5-3, 3-2 Big 12), which snapped UCF’s four-game home win streak.
UCF’s Keyone Jenkins was 14-for-21 passing for 82 yards and an interception before leaving with an apparent lower leg injury in the third quarter. Alonza Barnett III, who had been sidelined the past five games with a hamstring injury, replaced Barnett and finished with 133 yards on 8-of-16 passing.
Lagway connected with Freeman — who entered Friday third in the country in receptions per game — over the middle for a score that put Baylor ahead 34-6.
Barnett found receiver Josh Derry for a 67-yard pick up on the next drive — the Knights’ best play of the day — but UCF (4-4, 2-3) went backward from 8, and the possession ended with Devin Turner’s sack, Baylor’s fifth of the game.
UCF kicker Rhett Armstrong made field goals of 35 and 39 yards and added a 57-yarder just before halftime — the longest field goal in school history.
Lagway looking comfortable
Lagway showed the arm talent and ball placement that prompted Baylor to pick up the Florida transfer.
“I thought DJ cut it loose tonight,” Klanderman said. “I thought he cut it loose like I’ve never seen him cut it loose. He’s getting healthier, and he’s just playing with a lot of confidence.”
Lagway had been limited by an ankle injury earlier in the season but appeared more comfortable running the ball on Friday, finishing with 11 carries for 23 yards, including a 10-yard scramble in the third.
UCF loses Space Game
UCF held the 10th iteration of its Space Game, a nod to the school’s ties to the country’s space program.
The Knights, wearing powder blue space-themed uniforms, fell to 8-2 in the annual game.
The takeaway
Baylor: Klanderman said this week he hopes to provide a jolt of energy for the Bears after the coaching change. It seems he did. The Bears topped 450 total yards before the end of the third quarter, had 184 yards rushing and ended a two-game skid.
UCF: The Knights’ struggled to move the ball all night, failing to pick up a first down until midway through the second quarter and finishing with just 215 total yards, one week after upsetting then-No.2 BYU for the biggest win in program history.
Up next
Baylor: Hosts Iowa State next Saturday.
UCF: At Kansas next Saturday.
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By ALANIS THAMES
AP Sports Writer
