Cincinnati vs. Colorado Short Report | Oct 26, 2024

In a pivotal win for bowl eligibility, the Colorado Buffaloes defeated the Cincinnati Bearcats 34-23 under the bright lights of Folsom Field. Shedeur Sanders was near perfect in the opening half, connecting on his first 15 passing attempts, and finished with 323 yards and three total touchdowns. Travis Hunter, demonstrating prowess on both ends of the field, collected nine receptions for 153 yards, including two touchdowns. The Buffaloes jumped out with a 14-7 lead as Sanders found Hunter on a 3-yard strike in the opening quarter. A pivotal 34-yard touchdown just before halftime reaffirmed their ten-point cushion going into the break, capitalizing on a crucial fourth-down stop.

Isaiah Augustave's determined 7-yard dash in the third quarter put the Buffs ahead 31-14. However, Cincinnati's resilience emerged, narrowing the deficit to one score after Joe Royer's late touchdown. Yet, Alejandro Mata's 47-yard field goal with 1:39 remaining iced the game for Colorado. Despite the Bearcats' spirited efforts, spearheaded by quarterback Brendan Sorsby and standout performers like Corey Kiner, the Buffaloes' balanced offense and timely defense stymied their comeback attempts, marking an auspicious return to potential postseason play for the first time since 2016.