When Colorado lined up for the ultimate play of regulation Saturday night time towards Baylor, the plan known as for Travis Hunter, the Buffaloes’ do-it-all star, to function … a decoy?
Colorado wanted a Hail Mary landing to tie the rating and figured Hunter, who had six receptions for 126 yards, would appeal to essentially the most consideration. Hunter would run towards the center of the top zone, ideally making a extra favorable matchup for LaJohntay Wester, a 5-foot-11, 167-pound wideout.
“We put Travis bottom, he will get all the eye, after which LaJohntay’s simply going to be there, exterior, one-on-one,” Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders mentioned. “They are not going to suppose we will throw him the ball as a result of he is a shorter man, in all probability in that state of affairs. So then I roll left, all people went in the midst of the top zone and I simply trusted God. I threw it as much as God, and God answered the prayer, for certain.”
Sanders’ heave from the Baylor 49-yard line fell to Wester, who wedged between two Bears defenders and dove ultimately zone for a landing. Colorado went on to win 38-31 in time beyond regulation, setting off a storming at Folsom Discipline and essentially the most dramatic end below second-year coach Deion Sanders.
The Buffaloes erased three deficits and overcame a 100-yard Baylor kick return landing to win their first Large 12 recreation since returning to the league.
“Nice, nice, nice, nice, nice, nice win,” Deion Sanders mentioned. “The younger males had been resilient. They by no means gave up.”
Shedeur Sanders completed with 341 passing yards and landing strikes of 58 yards to Omarion Miller simply earlier than halftime and 43 yards to Wester because the fourth quarter expired. He led an time beyond regulation landing drive that culminated with Micah Welch’s second speeding rating.
“That is why I take advantage of the phrase legendary, and I put up it so many instances,” Shedeur Sanders mentioned. “That is the phrase that I stand by and I reside by. Via all of the moments, all through the whole lot, I do know, on the finish of the day, legendary, that is what ingrained in me.”
Hunter continued to strengthen his case as a prime Heisman Trophy candidate with 130 receiving yards on seven catches and the game-sealing play on protection in time beyond regulation. Baylor’s Dominic Richardson appeared headed for a certain landing earlier than Hunter knocked the ball free and it scooted out of the top zone.
Colorado followers stormed the sector as officers reviewed the ball, figuring out the ball was out earlier than Richardson crossed the objective line.
“Shedeur instructed me to go on the market and get the ball as soon as [Colorado] scored, so I instructed him, ‘I obtained you,’ and I saved my phrase,” Hunter mentioned. “I knew I needed to sort out. You may see me placing in my mouthpiece late on the play, so I used to be already prepared. I knew they had been coming at me. They do not suppose I can sort out, so I needed to present them.”
On the ultimate snap of regulation, Hunter knew he needed to pull Baylor’s defenders in his course, saying that the majority Hail Mary performs are 50-50 possibilities however that Colorado’s gifted receiving corps elevated the percentages to 80-20.
“I noticed [Sanders] rolling out, after which I noticed the ball coming my manner,” mentioned Wester, who transferred to Colorado this season after a productive profession at Florida Atlantic. “As a receiver, your job is to make the quarterback proper, whether or not it is a good ball or a foul ball. I simply made a play on the ball.”
Baylor coach Dave Aranda mentioned the defensive play name on the Hail Mary is “victory cigar,” which incorporates an up-and-under rush to flush the quarterback towards a include rusher.
“We went to reverse sides,” Aranda mentioned. “The man that was up-and-under went away, and the man that was include went to the opposite facet, so if you watch that play, you will watch somebody come from the fitting and go up and below, properly, that is a disgrace, as a result of he is include.
“I’ve by no means seen that, and I take full duty for that. I’ve to discover a technique to coach that higher.”
Wester known as the postgame environment “a celebration,” because the celebration went from the sector to the Buffaloes’ locker room. Deion Sanders mentioned he regretted the sector storm as a result of it prevented him from shaking fingers with Aranda, however he praised Colorado followers for his or her assist.
“We’ve got a fan base that is phenomenal,” Deion Sanders mentioned. “We’ve got some younger children on this campus that love and breathe CU soccer, and I am grateful.”
Sanders additionally acknowledged Colorado’s offensive line, which “all the time will get ridiculed” however helped the group document three speeding touchdowns. Baylor nonetheless recorded eight sacks, 12 tackles for loss and three quarterback hurries.
“I simply need all people to know we will run the ball, and shut up all of the haters about it,” Welch mentioned.
The Bears badly missed a area objective try with 2:16 left that might have given them a 10-point lead, and Shedeur Sanders and Colorado in the end capitalized.
“It form of threw us again to final yr slightly bit, did not it? Like that nostalgia, that is the best way stuff was beginning final yr,” mentioned Deion Sanders, referring to Colorado’s 3-0 begin to his tenure. “I am like, ‘Man, I am going grey, what you making an attempt to do to me, fellas?’ It was a troublesome one. This press convention may very well be completely completely different proper now, however I am excited that we received.”