The Bears overwhelmed Arizona State 55-19 on Saturday night, piling up a season-high 564 yards and seven offensive touchdowns in their most complete offensive showing of the season. Baylor’s defense did its part as well, forcing multiple turnovers and holding the Sun Devils to 19 points despite allowing 409 total yards.
Beyond the lopsided final score, Saturday also offered some insight into how individual roles are evolving. Some Bears took significant steps forward, while increased competition made the outlook a little less certain for others.
Unsurprisingly, there weren’t many stocks trending downward after a 36-point road win. Here are three Bears whose stock rose in Tempe and two whose standing became a little less certain.
Stock Up
QB DJ Lagway
DJ Lagway’s undeniable talent has been a ticking time bomb since arriving at Baylor, and the former five-star recruit unexpectedly exploded Saturday night against a Sun Devils defense that entered the matchup allowing just 161.3 passing yards per game. Lagway completed 25 of 40 passes for 306 yards and accounted for five total touchdowns, including one on the ground. His QBR also soared to 92.9, a dramatic improvement from marks of 57.5 and 45.9 in his first two games with the Bears.
Not only did Lagway’s efficiency improve, but so did his decision-making. He threw four touchdowns to four different receivers without an interception, marking his first turnover-free game at Baylor. Lagway consistently took what Arizona State’s defense gave him rather than forcing the ball into trouble.
S Tyler Turner
Tyler Turner made his presence felt in Baylor’s secondary Saturday night, forcing a key first-quarter turnover while bouncing back from a difficult performance against Colorado.
Turner earned a 53.7 PFF grade against the Buffaloes, tied for the lowest on Baylor’s defense, before jumping nearly 25 points to a team-best 78.6 against Arizona State.
His biggest contribution came with about six minutes left in the first quarter. Facing third-and-7 from Baylor’s 35-yard line, Arizona State quarterback Cutter Boley completed a short pass to Omarion Miller near the first-down marker. Turner forced the ball loose at the Baylor 29, and Kedrick Walker recovered it at the 28 to end a promising Sun Devils drive.
Baylor immediately capitalized on the takeaway, marching 72 yards for a touchdown to extend its lead to 14-3. After an uneven showing against Colorado, Turner’s performance in Tempe was an encouraging response from the senior safety.
WR Jadon Porter
After being limited to one reception against Colorado — albeit a crucial 33-yard go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter — Jadon Porter saw significantly more action against Arizona State. He caught three of four targets for 62 yards and another touchdown, giving him scores in consecutive Big 12 games.
The increased production came with increased opportunity. Porter more than doubled his offensive snaps from the Colorado game, an encouraging sign after an injury sidelined him for two games following the season opener. Before the injury, Porter caught five passes for 77 yards against Auburn, showing early what he could provide with a larger role.
Three receptions against Arizona State hardly make Porter a featured piece of Baylor’s passing attack. But with his playing time increasing and meaningful production in consecutive games, Saturday may have marked the beginning of a more consistent role.
Stock Down
RB Dawson Pendergrass
Saturday night introduced some unexpected competition into a Baylor backfield that had relied heavily on Dawson Pendergrass through the first month of the season.
Pendergrass entered the game with 73 carries, nearly matching the 74 combined attempts of Caden Knighten, Michael Turner and Ryelan Morris. He had rushed for 287 yards and one touchdown, averaging just 3.9 yards per carry with a long of 17.
Pendergrass finished with 29 yards on eight carries against Arizona State, though his lighter workload may have been partly a product of the lopsided score. With Baylor comfortably ahead in the second half, there was no reason to put unnecessary mileage on a running back who missed the entire 2025 season after suffering a foot injury in fall camp that required surgery.
Still, what happened behind him was difficult to ignore. Sophomore Caden Knighten and true freshman Ryelan Morris each rushed for 84 yards and a touchdown, breaking loose for scores of 75 and 63 yards, respectively, while sophomore Michael Turner turned 10 carries into 51 yards. Outside of their two scores, Knighten and Morris combined for 30 yards on their other 13 carries, reflecting the inconsistency that has plagued Baylor’s backfield this season.
Pendergrass should remain Baylor’s lead back, but Knighten, Morris and Turner showed they’re capable of handling larger roles, whether to lighten Pendergrass’ workload or give Baylor the flexibility to ride the hot hand.
WR Jayden McGowan
Jayden McGowan entered the Arizona State game second on the team with 193 receiving yards on just eight catches, averaging more than 24 yards per reception. His four receiving touchdowns also led the Bears, as the speedy senior appeared to be carving out a role as one of Baylor’s primary deep-ball threats.
However, his momentum stalled against the Sun Devils. McGowan caught one of his three targets for 17 yards, while Porter’s increased involvement added another player to an already crowded competition for opportunities. Gavin Freeman, meanwhile, further cemented himself as Baylor’s clear No. 1 receiver with seven catches for 115 yards, his third 100-yard performance of the season.
McGowan still found ways to contribute, but his most established role remains on special teams. After returning seven punts for 130 yards against Colorado, McGowan remained Baylor’s primary return man against Arizona State, fielding all three Sun Devils punts with one 12-yard return and two fair catches. His speed and early-season production should keep him involved offensively, but the emergence of Porter raises uncertainty about how large that role will ultimately become.
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