DJ Lagway Collects Three National Honors as Baylor Hits the Bye With a Defense Allowing 14.2 a Game

Sic 'em. The bye week comes with some hardware.

Baylor announced Tuesday that quarterback DJ Lagway earned three national honors for his night at Arizona State: Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award National Player of the Week, a spot in the Davey O'Brien Award's expanded "Davey Double" group of 16 quarterbacks, which also puts him on the O'Brien midseason watch list, and Manning Award Star of the Week. That's on top of Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week. In his third start as a Bear, Lagway went 25-for-40 for 306 yards and a career-high four touchdown passes, and added an 11-yard touchdown run. He's the 11th Bear ever with five or more touchdowns in a game. Baylor's 564 yards were its most since 612 at Oklahoma State on Sept. 27, 2025, and its 55 points are the most by any Big 12 team in a league game this season.

The Dallas Morning News' midseason report says the defense is the real story, though. Baylor (4-1, 2-0 Big 12) is allowing 14.2 points and 321.4 yards per game and just 2.9 yards per carry. The offense is putting up 34.8 points and 461.4 yards a game, and Lagway has 860 yards and eight touchdowns through three games. The flag problem is still there: 37 penalties for 373 yards through five games, though Baylor was flagged only three times for 37 yards in Tempe. Remember, mistakes were a big part of the 17-16 opening loss to Auburn.

Next for Baylor Football: TCU in Waco on Oct. 17. Radio question: is this defense good enough to make Baylor a real Big 12 contender?

Sources: BaylorBears.com — Lagway gathers trio of national honors; The Dallas Morning News — Baylor at the midseason bye.