UCF Falls to Baylor 41-9 in Home Opener

A Lopsided Home Debut

The UCF Knights found themselves on the wrong side of a lopsided contest on Friday, October 30, 2026, as the Baylor Bears secured a commanding 41-9 victory at Acrisure Bounce House in Orlando. The game drew an attendance of 45,906 spectators who witnessed a performance where the visiting offense dominated from the opening whistle.

First Half Scoring

Baylor struck first and never looked back. Early in the first period, DJ Lagway connected with Tony Livingston on a 4-yard touchdown pass, putting the Bears ahead 7-0. The Knights struggled to generate offensive momentum, managing only field goals throughout the second quarter.

Will Stone kicked a 39-yard field goal to narrow the deficit to 14-3 before Rhett Armstrong added two more kicks for Baylor, extending the lead to 20-3 by halftime. UCF’s offense managed another Stone field goal from 57 yards out just before the break, making the score 20-6 at the half.

Second Half Dominance

The Bears continued their offensive surge in the third period. Lagway found Livingston again on a 21-yard pass and then threw a spectacular 77-yard touchdown to Gavin Freeman. These scores pushed Baylor’s lead to 34-6.

UCF attempted to rally with a 35-yard field goal by Stone, bringing the score to 34-9 heading into the final period. However, Baylor sealed the game in the fourth quarter when Lagway found Matthew Klopfenstein on a 5-yard touchdown pass, finalizing the 41-9 margin.

Statistical Leaders and Final Records

Lagway was instrumental in the victory, completing 16 of 25 passes for 319 yards and four touchdowns. Gavin Freeman led Baylor’s receivers with five catches for 114 yards and one score. Ryelan Morris contributed on the ground with 11 carries for 82 yards.

For UCF, Alonza Barnett III threw for 133 yards on 8-of-16 passing, while Rocco Marriott rushed twice for 50 yards. Josh Derry was the top receiver for the Knights with three receptions for 70 yards.

With this result, the UCF Knights fall to a 4-4 record, while the Baylor Bears improve to 5-3.

Sources

ESPN