A Decisive Victory for the Bears
The visiting Baylor Bears dismantled the home Arizona State Sun Devils with a 55-19 victory on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. The final score reflected a dominant performance by the Bears, who improved their season record to 4-1, while the Sun Devils fell to 2-2.
With an attendance of 54,063, the crowd witnessed a one-sided affair that was largely decided in the first half.
First-Half Dominance
Baylor established an early lead that they never relinquished. The Sun Devils struck first in the first period when Carson Smith kicked a 46-yard field goal, putting Arizona State up 3-0. However, the Bears responded immediately.
Ryelan Morris rushed for a 63-yard touchdown, followed by a 3-yard pass from DJ Lagway to Tony Livingston. This sequence gave Baylor a 14-3 lead by the end of the first quarter.
The momentum continued into the second quarter. Lagway connected with Louis Brown IV for a 10-yard touchdown pass, extending the lead to 21-3. Although Smith added a 32-yard field goal and Cutter Boley threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Omarion Miller to close the gap to 24-13, Baylor added a 36-yard field goal by Rhett Armstrong to end the half.
Baylor led 24-13 at the break, having outscored the Sun Devils 24-13 in the first two quarters.
Quarter-by-Quarter Breakdown
The scoring breakdown highlights the disparity between the teams. In the first quarter, Baylor scored 14 points while Arizona State managed only 3. In the second quarter, the Bears added 10 points, and the Sun Devils scored 10, bringing the halftime score to 24-13 in favor of Baylor.
In the third quarter, the gap widened significantly. Baylor outscored Arizona State 21-3. DJ Lagway found Hawkins Polley for a 3-yard touchdown and Jadon Porter for an 8-yard score. Caden Knighten also contributed with a 75-yard rushing touchdown. The Sun Devils only added a 36-yard field goal from Carson Smith during this period, leaving them trailing 45-16 entering the fourth quarter.
Final Stretch and Statistics
The fourth quarter saw Baylor add 10 points while Arizona State scored the final 3. DJ Lagway scored on an 11-yard run, and Rhett Armstrong kicked a 23-yard field goal to seal the 55-19 victory. The Sun Devils' last points came from a 40-yard field goal by Carson Smith.
Statistically, DJ Lagway was the standout performer for Baylor, completing 25 of 40 passes for 306 yards and four touchdowns. Ryelan Morris rushed for 84 yards on nine carries and one touchdown, while Gavin Freeman caught seven passes for 115 yards. For Arizona State, Cutter Boley threw for 304 yards on 25 of 43 attempts with one touchdown and one interception.
Kyson Brown rushed for 34 yards, and Reed Harris led the receiving corps with 125 yards on seven catches.
Sources
ESPN
