Boulder, Colo—-The energy in Boulder was palpable ahead of the showdown with Cincinnati, as Colorado had its first chance in years to secure bowl eligibility. The sidelines buzzed with excitement, packed with alumni, VIPs, and media members, all eagerly anticipating the outcome.
The game lived up to the hype. Colorado struck first, with Shedeur Sanders connecting on a 3-yard touchdown pass to Heisman hopeful Travis Hunter, putting the Buffs up 7-0. Cincinnati responded quickly, matching Colorado with a touchdown pass of their own, tying the game early in front of a sold-out crowd of 50,183 fans.
Hunter had nine catches for 153 yards, including a 34-yard TD grab with three seconds left before halftime. On defense, the two-way star and Heisman hopeful broke up four passes.
“Travis is the best football player in the country,” Colorado coach Deion Sanders said. “We all know that. Why are we even deliberating over that?”
Shedeur Sanders led another scoring drive, capping it off with a 4-yard touchdown run. But the Bearcats refused to back down, answering with another short touchdown pass. As the first half wound down, Colorado seized the momentum. A late drive culminated in a 34-yard touchdown strike from Sanders to Hunter with just three seconds left on the clock, sending the Buffs into halftime with a 24-14 lead.
Sanders put on a show, completing 25 of 30 passes for 323 yards. He completed his first 15 passes, which was the most to start a game in program history. Not too shabby considering he’s getting over the flu.
The third quarter featured only one score, as Colorado extended its lead with a 7-yard touchdown run by Isiah Augustave, making it 31-14. The Bearcats fought back in the fourth quarter, putting together a long drive that resulted in a field goal, narrowing the gap to a two-possession game.
Colorado (6-2, 4-1 Big 12) are eligible for a bowl game over a full season for the first time since 2016. They also went to a bowl game in 2020 during the COVID-shortened year. It’s been quite a turnaround for Colorado in year two under Coach Prime. The team finished 4-8 a season ago after a fast start.
Cincinnati kept the pressure on, scoring again with just 3:51 remaining. Although they missed a two-point conversion attempt, they closed the deficit to 31-23. The Buffs, however, kept their composure, and a late field goal sealed the 34-23 victory, clinching Colorado’s first bowl appearance in four years.
“That momentum swing right before halftime was huge, obviously, in their favor,” Bearcats coach Scott Satterfield said. “Just obviously disappointed in the loss, not playing great.”
The Buffs are now expected to head to Las Vegas, likely facing an SEC opponent. In just two seasons, Coach Prime has transformed a team that once had the worst roster in Division I into a bowl contender—a remarkable turnaround that has Colorado fans dreaming big.