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Baylor football has received a significant boost ahead of its matchup with Colorado, as injured quarterback DJ Lagway is listed as probable on the Big 12's availability report released Wednesday. ESPN college football insider Pete Thamel shared the report, indicating that Lagway has been cleared to play on Saturday. This development comes as welcome news for the Bears, who had been uncertain about their starting quarterback's status.
Lagway, a dual-threat signal-caller who transferred from Florida, brings a dynamic element to Baylor's offense. His presence will test a Colorado defense that surrendered 41 points to Northwestern last week. In that game, Wildcats quarterback Aidan Chiles exploited the Buffaloes with his dual-threat abilities, and Lagway possesses an even higher ceiling, having starred in the SEC before his transfer. Baylor head coach Dave Aranda generated buzz in Waco by landing Lagway in the offseason.
Without Lagway, Baylor went 2-0 with Nate Bennett under center, defeating Louisiana Tech and Prairie View A&M. However, Lagway is 0-1 as the starter, having last appeared in Week 1 against Auburn, where he played through an ankle injury. That game ended with a perplexing two-point conversion attempt instead of forcing overtime.
Key Analysis
Baylor enters as a heavy 10.5-point favorite against Colorado, but the Bears will be hoping to avoid a repeat of their last meeting with the Buffaloes. In that game, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders connected with LaJohntay Wester on a Hail Mary to tie the score at 31-31 as time expired, and running back Micah Welch sealed the win with a one-yard run in overtime. Welch is the only remaining player from that trio, but now he and the Colorado defense must contend with Lagway's dual-threat capabilities.
Originally reported by yahoo.