It took until deep into the night, but the Colorado Buffaloes were victorious in their battle and won their Big 12 opener on a 1-yard touchdown run by Micah Welch in overtime for a 38–31 win over the Baylor Bears on Saturday. The Bears appeared to tie the game on the ensuing possession, but Colorado’s two-way superstar and the front runner for the Heisman Trophy, Travis Hunter, hit Dominic Richardson jarring the ball from his grasp and forcing a fumble as the tail back attempted to leap over the goal line.
“I knew they were coming at me,” Hunter said of the last play. “They didn’t think I could tackle, so I had to show them.”
Four quarters was just not enough to declare a winner. The game went to an extra session after Baylor took a one-score lead, 31-24, with just under six minutes remaining on backup quarterback Sawyer Robertson’s 24-yard touchdown pass to Hal Presley. Colorado was then given a life preserver and had an opportunity to drive down the field for a game-tying touchdown after place kicker Isaiah Hankins missed a 45-yard field goal that would have extended Baylor’s lead to double figures. Will Sheppard dropped what would have been a 43-yard touchdown at the 5-yard line.
However, on the last play of regulation, with two seconds left on the clock, signal caller Shedeur Sanders worked his magic and rolled left and connected with LaJohntay Wester on a sliding catch in the end zone that knotted the score at 31-31. Three decades after Kordell Stewart, who is a legend in those parts, hit Michael Westbrook for a 64-yard Hail Mary at Michigan Stadium, the Buffaloes scored on another miracle throw.
The shocking ending became even more hectic when Colorado fans stormed the field before the game was officially over, not knowing that Richardson’s fumble was under replay review.
“Great, great, great, great, great win,” Deion Sanders said. “These young men were resilient. They never gave up, never surrendered.”
Shedeur Sanders finished with 341 yards and two touchdowns through the air, completing 25-of-41 passes. Hunter was fantastic once again on both sides of the ball, hauling in seven receptions for 130 yards. His spectacular diving 31-yard grab late in the third quarter led to the Buffaloes tying the game at 24-24 on a 2-yard touchdown run by Welch. And on defense, he forced that game-deciding fumble.
Embed from Getty ImagesHunter has 37 catches for 472 yards and five touchdowns on the season. He also has five consecutive 100-yard receiving games, making a little history, becoming the first Colorado player to achieve that feat. All this while he also plays full time as a cornerback.
“T told me ‘I’m gonna go get a pick,’” Shedeur Sanders said of his conversation with Hunter before the Buffs went on defense in overtime. “I said ‘Make sure you do.’ He went out and made a play that was amazing. That’s stuff T does.”
The Buffaloes scored the game’s first touchdown, finishing a methodical 75-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown run by Sanders. But Baylor was not rattled and responded quickly, getting to the end zone on three of its next four possessions. First, Monaray Baldwin made a spectacular diving catch for a 30-yard touchdown.
Following a Colorado field goal to tie the game 10-10, the Bears scored on the ensuing kickoff when Jamaal Bell did his best Devin Hester impression and returned the kick 100 yards for a touchdown. After finding a crease at the Baylor 30-yard line, Bell outran all pursuit the rest of the way.
Baylor took a 24-10 lead when Robertson ran a quarterback draw up the middle on fourth-and-1, and he broke free for a 45-yard touchdown run.
Colorado got within 24-17 on its final possession of the first half. After a holding penalty on Jordan Seaton pushed the Buffaloes back to their own 25-yard line, Sanders completed a 17-yard pass to Jimmy Horn Jr. to get to the 50. On the next play, Sanders evaded a tackle by Steve Linton rushing around the edge before rolling out to his right and fired a missile to Omarion Miller.
Miller appeared to be tackled low, but his knee never touched the ground and he regained his balance to run 35 yards to the house, completing a 58-yard touchdown pass. Replay review confirmed that Miller’s left knee did not hit the ground and the score held up.
“Heart-wrenching loss,” Baylor coach Dave Aranda said. “Haven’t really been a part of something like that, especially down to the last play of overtime. … Very hard to take. The team is very is gutted right now, and so frustrated. We’re probably going to be hurting all the way back to Waco.”
Saturday’s contest was the Buffaloes’ first Big 12 matchup at Folsom Field since 2010. Colorado exited the conference to make a new home in the Pac-12 the following season, but rejoined the Big 12 this year.
Colorado travels to UCF (3-0) next Saturday, while Baylor takes on BYU. Kickoff times for both games have not yet been announced.
