Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter help Colorado beat Cincinnati 34-23 for bowl berth

BOULDER, Colorado. — Master Sanders threw a pair of touchdown passes to Travis Hunter and a run for a score to help Colorado clinch a bowl berth with a 34-23 win over Cincinnati on Saturday night.

Sanders put on a pretty efficient air show, completing 25 of 30 passes for 323 yards. He threw his first 15 passes, the most in program history.

Hunter had nine catches for 153 yards, including a 34-yard TD grab with three seconds left in halftime. Defensively, the two-way star and Heisman hopeful broke up four passes.

The Buffaloes (6-2, 4-1 Big 12) are bowl eligible for a full season for the first time since 2016. They also participated in a bowl game in 2020 during a year shortened due to COVID. In the second year under the leadership of coach Deion Sanders, “Colorado” saw a real turnaround. The team finished 4-8 a year ago after a fast start.

Colorado took a 31-14 lead with 5:41 left in the third quarter on Isaiah Augustaive’s 7-yard run. However, Shadeur Sanders appeared to be cautiously walking on the side of the road shortly after passing. He spent time on the exercise bike when the defense was on the field.

The Bearcats (5-3, 3-2) cut the deficit to 31-23 with 3:51 remaining when Brendan Sorsby connected with tight end Joe Royer for a 6-yard TD. They tried to take two points, but could not realize.

After the snap, Sanders went for a break and completed a 34-yard pass to Hunter. The drive led to Alejandro Mata’s 47-yard field goal with 1:39 left.

Sorsby finished with 180 yards passing and two touchdowns. Corey Keener rushed for 94 yards.

The game changed before halftime when Colorado’s defense tackled Sorsby on fourth-and-1 at the 46 with 33 seconds left. Soon after, Sanders found an open Hunter to give Colorado a 24-14 halftime lead.

The Buffaloes committed three unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, including a fourth-quarter foul on Shiloh Sanders that briefly sidelined him. There was another one on Jimmy Horn Jr. early in the game. He caught a pass from Sanders and ran 57 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter, but flashed the peace sign as he passed a Cincinnati defender. He pulled out the flag and zeroed out the score.

Hunter bailed out his fellow receiver with a 3-yard TD catch.

Shortly afterward, coach Deion Sanders asked fans over the public address system not to throw anything onto the field.

“It’s not us,” he said.

TAKE AWAY

Cincinnati: The Bearcats defense struggled to get consistent pressure on Sanders and sacked him just once.

Colorado: The Buffaloes looked smart in gray uniforms with white helmets. They also found some traction on the ground, rushing for 123 yards.

FURTHER

Cincinnati: A week off before hosting West Virginia on Nov. 9

Colorado: The Buffaloes will have a second bye week before playing at Texas Tech on Nov. 9.