Not even two full seasons into head coach Deion Sanders’ tenure with the Colorado Buffaloes (6-2, Big 12 4-1), Boulder is going bowling.
"It's cute. It really is," Coach Prime said about making a bowl game. "We really want that, but that's not all we're after...We're happy, we're excited but that's not the end goal for us. That's the beginning."
The Buffs’ 34-23 victory over the Cincinnati Bearcats (5-3, Big 12 3-2) secured their bid for a 2024 bowl game, with the usual stars coming out to play in front of their home crowd. Sanders set a CU record for most consecutive completed passes to start a game, completing 15 straight passes to open on his way to 25-of-30 passing for 323 yards and two passing touchdowns (one rushing TD). Wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter confirmed that he was healthy, going for nine catches for 153 yards and two touchdowns. Hunter added two tackles and four pass breakups on the defensive side of the ball. The duo accounted for all three of CU’s first half TDs.
"He is the best football player in college football, hands down," Sanders said of Hunter.
The defense also came to play, forcing Cincinnati QB Brendan Sorsby to complete just 16 of his 30 passing attempts for a slim 180 passing yards and two passing TDs. The Cincy run game, facilitated by Corey Kiner and Evan Pryor, totaled 22 carries for 119 rushing yards and one TD. Safety Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig posted a team-high eight tackles (six solo), a sack and two tackles for loss.
This is the second time in the 2020s that CU has made a bowl game (2020 Alamo Bowl, loss to Texas), but it hasn’t taken home some hardware since the 2004 Houston Bowl. Joel Klatt, the previous CU record-holder for consecutive completed passes to begin a contest, was the Buffs’ starting QB and the game’s MVP.
In front of a packed, family weekend crowd, the black and gold offense once again got out to a quick start, just a week after doing so against Arizona in a blowout win. Colorado scored three touchdowns in its four first half drives, adding a field goal as it led Cincinnati 24-14 at the break. The Buffs’ final TD of the half came with less than 10 seconds as a blown coverage by the Bearcats’ secondary allowed Hunter an opening for a 34-yard score.
Yet, CU fans sweated more than they would have liked in the second half.
"I'm a little upset with the way we landed," Prime said. "I like to land a little cleaner, a little more smoother. We had a really good game going until the end with all the penalties. I don't like that. We're better than that."
While the Buffs were finally held scoreless on its fifth drive, the first of the second half, running back Isaiah Augustave found the endzone with just under six minutes to play in the third. Augustave took 22 carries of the RB room’s 32 total, going for 91 yards (4.1 yards per carry) along with his TD. Dallan Hayden got 10 carries for 36 yards.
However, the Buffs then surrendered nine straight unanswered points. A field goal late in the third quarter didn’t seem like much, but a touchdown by tight end Joe Royer made it a 31-23 ball game with three minutes and 51 seconds to play.
With a long drive needed to keep Cincy’s offense off the field, Sanders found his favorite target 34 yards downfield. With an arm around his helmet and flags in the air signaling defensive pass interference, Hunter, a Heisman candidate, reeled in the pass. Alejandro Mata capped off the drive with a 47-yarder with 1:39 to play, sealing the deal for the Buffs, 34-23, in close fashion. The kick barely cleared the crossbar.
"I don't care how high it go through the upright, they don't give you points for that," Prime said. "As long as it goes through, I'm good with that."
Now that the Buffs have a bowl game, they will look to uphold Coach Prime’s promise to CU superfan Peggy Coppom by making sure they make a “nice” bowl. With its second bye week coming up, Colorado will have two weeks to prepare to take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders (5-3, Big 12 3-2) in Lubbock, Texas on Nov. 9.
Cover photo by Tyler Phillips/Sko Buffs Sports
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