Colorado won its Big 12 opener, its first conference game since 2010, on a one-yard touchdown run by Micah Welch in overtime for a 38-31 victory over Baylor. The Bears appeared to tie the game on the next possession, but Dominic Richardson fumbled while trying to jump over the goal line.
The game went to overtime after Baylor took a 31-24 lead with 5:43 left in the fourth quarter on Sawyer Robertson’s 24-yard touchdown pass to Hal Presley. Colorado then had a chance to score a tying touchdown after Isaiah Hankins missed a 45-yard field goal that would have extended Baylor’s lead to 10 points. Will Sheppard dropped a touchdown from 43 yards to the five-yard line.
However, on the next play with two seconds left, Sanders rolled to his left and connected with LaJohntay Wester on a sliding catch in the end zone, tying the score at 31-31. Thirty years after Kordell Stewart hit Michael Westbrook for a 64-yard Hail Mary at Michigan Stadium, Colorado scored on another miraculous throw.
The Buffaloes scored the game’s first touchdown, capping a 75-yard drive with a two-yard TD run by Sanders. But Baylor reached the end zone on three of its next four possessions. First, Monaray Baldwin made a dramatic diving catch for a 30-yard touchdown.
After a Colorado field goal to tie the game at 10-10, the Bears scored on the ensuing kickoff when Jamaal Bell returned the kick 100 yards for a touchdown. After finding a lane on the Baylor 30-yard line, Bell outran all chasers the rest of the way.
Baylor took a 24-10 lead when Robertson executed a QB draw up the middle on 4th-and-1, but broke free for a 45-yard touchdown run.
Colorado pulled within 24-17 on its final possession of the first half. After a holding penalty on Jordan Seaton pushed the Buffaloes back to their own 25, Sanders completed a 17-yard pass to Jimmy Horn Jr. to get to midfield. On the next play, Sanders ducked a tackle from Steve Linton as he raced around the edge before rolling to his right and firing a pass to Omarion Miller.
Miller appeared to be tackled low, but his knee never touched the ground and he regained his balance to run 35 yards to the end zone, completing a 58-yard touchdown pass. Replay confirmed that Miller’s left knee did not touch the ground and the score stood.
Travis Hunter recorded his fifth consecutive 100-yard receiving game, the first Colorado player to do so. For the season, he has 36 receptions for 468 yards and five touchdowns. His diving 31-yard grab late in the third quarter led to the Buffaloes tying the game at 24-24 on a two-yard TD run by Micah Welch.
Colorado travels to UCF (3-0) next Saturday, while Baylor takes on BYU. Kickoff times for both games have not yet been announced.
