Baylor Football

Game Thread: Bears Look to Bounce Back against UCF in Orlando

Baylor football faces off against UCF.
By SicEm365 Staff
October 29, 2026
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SICEM365 GAME THREAD

Baylor at UCF

Joe Klanderman’s Interim Debut • Space Game
Friday, October 30, 2026 • 6:30 p.m. CT • ESPN
Acrisure Bounce House • Orlando, FL
Records Baylor 4-3 (2-2 Big 12) | UCF 4-3 (2-2 Big 12)
Coaches Joe Klanderman (interim) vs. Scott Frost
Kickoff 6:30 p.m. CT / 7:30 p.m. ET
TV ESPN — Mike Monaco, Jordan Rodgers, Dana Boyle
Radio John Morris, Geff Gandy, Bryson Jackson • KRZI 1660 AM / 92.3 FM
Stream ESPN / ESPN app • BaylorBears.com radio
Series Baylor leads 2-1
Last meeting Baylor 30, UCF 3 (Waco, Nov. 1, 2025)
Last in Orlando Baylor 36, UCF 35 (2023 comeback from 35-7)
Last game Kansas 25, Baylor 24 (Oct. 24)
Line UCF -1.5 • O/U 48.5 • as of Oct. 29

Why This Game Matters

  • Joe Klanderman’s first game as interim head coach after Dave Aranda was fired Sunday following the Kansas loss
  • UCF’s annual Space Game, coming off a 39-31 double-OT upset of then-No. 2 BYU
  • Both teams are 4-3, 2-2 in the Big 12. Critical for bowl positioning and momentum
  • Baylor has won the last two meetings (36-35 in Orlando in 2023, 30-3 in Waco in 2025)
  • Klanderman will continue calling the defense, which has been the team’s strength

Series History

  • Baylor leads 2-1 all-time
  • 2014 Fiesta Bowl: UCF 52, Baylor 42
  • 2023 in Orlando: Baylor 36, UCF 35 (rallied from 35-7)
  • 2025 in Waco: Baylor 30, UCF 3
  • UCF this year: W vs. Bethune-Cookman, L at Pitt, W vs. Georgia State, W vs. TCU, L at Houston, L at Oklahoma State, bye, W 39-31 (2OT) vs. No. 2 BYU

Keys for Baylor

  1. Respond to the change. Players have talked about Klanderman’s energy. First game without Aranda has to show it on the field.
  2. Contain Keyone Jenkins. He accounted for four touchdowns (293 pass yards, 3 TD; 35 rush yards, 1 TD) against BYU.
  3. Find any run game. The ground game has been the clear weakness. UCF is not an elite defensive team, but run defense is their strength.
  4. Keep the defense rolling. Klanderman stays on the headset. The unit has been near the top of the Big 12 in sacks, TFLs, and turnovers.
  5. Avoid the letdown on the other side. UCF just beat a top-2 team at home. Bounce House will be loud for the Space Game.

Players to Watch

Baylor: QB DJ Lagway • RB Dawson Pendergrass • WR Gavin Freeman, Jayden McGowan • LB Travion Barnes • TE Matthew Klopfenstein • Interim HC / DC Joe Klanderman

UCF: QB Keyone Jenkins • RB Duke Watson • WR Josh Derry, Tyren Hornes • HC Scott Frost • Space Game uniforms (Mercury/Gemini/Apollo theme)

SicEm365 UCF week reading

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Game Thread Baylor-UCF Baylor at UCF Football Baylor Central Florida 2026
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Discussion from...

Game Thread: Bears Look to Bounce Back against UCF in Orlando

40,296 Views | 548 Replies | Last: 12 hrs ago by boognish_bear
bear2be2
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In reply to Stranger • 10:07p, 10/30/26
Stranger said:
bear2be2 said:
I was covering a high school game tonight, so I had to listen to John Morris, but what a performance by the good guys.

A hell of a head coaching debut for the Klandy Man.

who won the high school game?

Abilene Cooper beat up on an overmatched Lubbock Coronado team. It was a good one to give split attention to.
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Aliceinbubbleland
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In reply to Dia del DougO • 10:07p, 10/30/26
Dia del DougO said:
A goal line stand would seem appropriate here.


CLAIRVOYANT
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Jack Bauer
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10:08p, 10/30/26
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Jack Bauer
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whitetrash
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10:10p, 10/30/26
Radio broadcast hasn't updated their lead-in to the post game show. Still says "We'll recap the game and hear from Coach Aranda".
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boognish_bear
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10:12p, 10/30/26
Now I'm actually interested in looking at going to one of these last two games at McLane...or maybe both of them
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Jack Bauer
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10:13p, 10/30/26
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Dia del DougO
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10:13p, 10/30/26

A few things...

Klanderman is undefeated as a head coach.

KLanderman has never been behind in a game as head coach.

Baylor only beat the spread by 30 points. Need to do better.

Tenacious D! WOW!!!

One more win away from bowl eligibility.

What a weird league. Baylor crushed the team that beat BYU, who was supposed to be the best in the league. CFP?

Freeman is still a badass!

DJ really shined tonight.

O-line penalties and struggles really need to be ironed out. Don't expect them to dominate, but at least play clean.

Beat Iowa State!
"The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you're uncool."
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DTBear
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10:14p, 10/30/26
This is a better defense than the Rhule 2019 defense or the Aranda 2021 defense
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bear2be2
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In reply to boognish_bear • 10:17p, 10/30/26
boognish_bear said:
Now I'm actually interested in looking at going to one of these last two games at McLane...or maybe both of them

I may try to get to the Tech game if I can make it work.
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Big12Fan2024
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10:17p, 10/30/26
Critics wonder what will put butts in seats at McLane.

That kind of energy and even the potential of that kind of performance will bring people back.
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boognish_bear
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In reply to DTBear • 10:17p, 10/30/26
DTBear said:
This is a better defense than the Rhule 2019 defense or the Aranda 2021 defense


2019 I agree. 2021...not sure about that.

But this is a B12 Title contending defense. If we just could have had a little more O the last 2 weeks.
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GoldBoy232
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10:20p, 10/30/26
Great win. But it's what we thought after Arizona State too. We need to see some consistency now.
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historian
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In reply to BUDOS • 10:23p, 10/30/26
It would be interesting if we played against Iowa Stats the way we did in 2013. That was also HC, I believe. I don't expect it.
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Timbear
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In reply to Blackout Sniper • 10:32p, 10/30/26
Blackout Sniper said:
To be honest, the defense has played pretty good all season. Even in the losses.

PaperBear89 said:
BearlyBeloved said:
Question: If Klanderman wins the HC job, would Spav stay?

To follow on to the Tap the Brakes comment earlier, this is a crap defense we're scoring on.


Hey,Baylor SHUT DOWN the team that beat the #2 team in the Nation. Show some respect, please. Dave was a cancer to this program. Klan proved he's a COACH.
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Space Cutter
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10:32p, 10/30/26
How much was Amanda holding us back. Definitely a great performance all around tonight. Defensively the best game all season.

Just think had AD not fired Amanda and we won tonight and next week, we'd be stuck with him for ever
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Waco1947
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10:33p, 10/30/26
gtownbear
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10:43p, 10/30/26
The effort was simply inspiring! Fantastic job by coaches and players. Klanderman is an easy man to root for. Has paid his dues. I wish him well!
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JXL
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10:48p, 10/30/26
One game is one game but that sure didn't hurt Klanderman's bid to remove the "interim" from his head coach designation.
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boognish_bear
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11:43p, 10/30/26
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boognish_bear
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boognish_bear
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11:45p, 10/30/26
That's a clean stat line

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PaperBear89
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In reply to Timbear • 11:50p, 10/30/26
Timbear said:
Blackout Sniper said:
To be honest, the defense has played pretty good all season. Even in the losses.

PaperBear89 said:
BearlyBeloved said:
Question: If Klanderman wins the HC job, would Spav stay?

To follow on to the Tap the Brakes comment earlier, this is a crap defense we're scoring on.



Hey,Baylor SHUT DOWN the team that beat the #2 team in the Nation. Show some respect, please. Dave was a cancer to this program. Klan proved he's a COACH.

Hey folks, my comment was solely in regards to getting delusional about our OFFENSE. No doubt our D has played lights out all year. As for beating the team that beat #2 last week, I think we all should know by now how transitional reasoning holds up in sports. All that said ... very well done on all 3 sides tonight.
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oldbear69
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In reply to boognish_bear • 12:08a, 10/31/26
boognish_bear said:
That's a clean stat line



And 224 qbr,,
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william
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12:49a, 10/31/26
pro ecclesia, pro javelina
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Bandito
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In reply to boognish_bear • 8:40a, 10/31/26
boognish_bear said:


You gotta love it! The players truly like Klanderman.
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Johnny Bear
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8:52a, 10/31/26
I'm as excited as anybody about that performance, but I'm also wanting to see some consistency - like beating ISU for Homecoming and finding a way to win at least one of the last three while at least being competitive for 60 minutes in the other game(s) during that stretch. If we somehow do even better than that, I think at a minimum Klandy deserves serious consideration to replace Aranda.
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Jacques Strap
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8:54a, 10/31/26
Had a conflict last night which didn't bother me at all after TCU and Kansas. Then CDA was let go and I was as bummed I couldn't watch live.

Anyway I got up and watched the replay while scrolling thru the game thread. Great game I like what Klandy brought to the table. Would love to see that he can do this consistently!

Like many here I went from apathy to interest with a new coach.
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BearFan33
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In reply to boognish_bear • 8:59a, 10/31/26
boognish_bear said:


Interim head coach Joe Klanderman on his conversations with quarterback DJ Lagway leading into the UCF game:

"He sometimes has so much pressure on him to be perfect that it would affect anybody. I tried to relieve that. I wanted to tell him we'd rally around him, and you don't have to have all that on your shoulders."

#SicEm

It may be that simple to get DJ out of his funk. The thing I noticed about Kkanderman is he can communicate; something DA really struggled with. He's gifted at it actually.
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True Grit
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In reply to BearFan33 • 9:23a, 10/31/26
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat? DA struggled with communication? Just crazy talk...

I have said it before and will say it again... how could any hiring committee interview DA for probably several hours and rounds and come to the conclusion that he should be the face of our program for the last 6+ years. Are you telling me that he left the room and everyone looked at each other and said... that's our guy.
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Quinton
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In reply to Johnny Bear • 9:32a, 10/31/26
They need to smash Iowa St at home.. would go a long way for Klanderman
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bear2be2
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In reply to BearFan33 • 11:09a, 10/31/26
BearFan33 said:
boognish_bear said:


Interim head coach Joe Klanderman on his conversations with quarterback DJ Lagway leading into the UCF game:

"He sometimes has so much pressure on him to be perfect that it would affect anybody. I tried to relieve that. I wanted to tell him we'd rally around him, and you don't have to have all that on your shoulders."

#SicEm

It may be that simple to get DJ out of his funk. The thing I noticed about Kkanderman is he can communicate; something DA really struggled with. He's gifted at it actually.

I don't think it was probably the best fit to have an anxious, neurotic head coach working with an anxious, neurotic quarterback.

Klanderman is just a ball coach and as such he can better deliver the, "Just go play ball, man," message.

I was really proud of DJ Lagway last night. A lot of people -- myself very much included -- have been very hard on him. But that dude delivered a performance for the ages last night in a big spot for the trajectory of this team ... and potentially even the program.

I would love to see the lightbulb finally go on for him, and not only because it would help us win more football games. He seems like a really good kid and he deserves to experience some success after the tumultuous start his college career has gotten off to.
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boognish_bear
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12:03p, 10/31/26
Not that the players have a say... but if they keep winning I would bet the players will start being more vocal about wanting him to be the coach.

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boognish_bear
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12:10p, 10/31/26
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boognish_bear
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12:11p, 10/31/26
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