Travis Hunter forced a Dominic Richardson fumble at the goal line that rolled out of the end zone, securing Colorado’s 38-31 overtime win over Baylor on Saturday night in Boulder, Colo., in the Big 12 opener for both teams.
Shedeur Sanders’ 43-yard pass was caught in the end zone by LaJohntay Wester as time expired in regulation as Colorado (3-1, 1-0 Big 12) sent the game to overtime tied at 31-all. Micah Welch’s 1-yard touchdown run provided the go-ahead score on Colorado’s first possession in overtime.
Sanders was 25-for-41 passing for 342 yards, two passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown.
Sawyer Robertson threw for 148 yards, including a 24-yard, one-handed scoring grab by Hal Presley that gave Baylor (2-2, 0-1) a 31-24 lead with 5:43 left in regulation. Robertson also led the Bears with 82 rushing yards on nine carries and a touchdown.
Hunter hauled in seven catches for 130 yards, Omarion Miller had two catches for 71 yards and a touchdown and Wester finished with four catches for 68 yards and a touchdown.
An Isaiah Hankins 32-yard field goal gave the Bears a 3-0 first-quarter lead. A prolific passer, Sanders scored on a 2-yard run to put the Buffaloes ahead 7-3 late in the first quarter.
Baylor struck back on its next possession when Monterey Baldwin went into a full-extension dive to haul in a 30-yard pass from Robertson for a 10-7 lead.
A 43-yard field goal by Alejandro Mata tied the score 10-all in the second quarter. Baylor had an instant response when Jamaal Bell returned a Jace Feely kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown and a 17-10 Bears lead.
Baylor scored on a four play, 54-yard drive when Robertson turned a fourth-and-1 play into a 45-yard touchdown run when burst through the defensive line and outraced the Buffaloes’ secondary to give the Bears a 24-10 lead.
With 50 seconds left in the first half, Sanders ducked out of what looked like a sack, found an open Miller, who narrowly kept his knee from hitting the ground when he slipped a tackle, and sprinted down the sideline for a 58-yard touchdown to cut Baylor’s lead to 24-17.
It was an explosive third possession of the second half for Colorado. On the six-play, 80-yard drive, Sanders hit Hunter with passes of 46 and 31 yards to set up a 2-yard touchdown run for Welch to tie the score 24-all.
Colorado played its first Big 12 game since 2010. The Buffaloes played in the Pac-12 for the last 13 seasons.
–Field Level Media
