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    • Takeaways from the Cincinnati Bearcats big Saturday night game in Colorado
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    Takeaways from the Cincinnati Bearcats big Saturday night game in Colorado

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    BOULDER, Colo. – A pivotal turn in events before halftime of the Cincinnati Bearcats’ game in Colorado resulted in a big swing for the Buffaloes as they became bowl eligible with a 34-23 victory on Saturday night.

    Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders went 25-for-30 passing for 323 yards and a pair of touchdowns ahead of two-way player Travis Hunter. The back-breaker for UC came on a 34-yard touchdown throw with three seconds left in the first half. Both Sanders and Hunter will be high picks in the 2025 NFL Draft.

    UC tied with Colorado twice but never held the lead.

    Bearcats lose momentum to Colorado

    The Bearcats and Buffaloes were tied at 14 early in the second quarter, but Alejandro Mata put Colorado ahead with 3:28 left with a 28-yard field goal. The Bearcats had the ball and a chance to tie at halftime or take the lead if they scored. With 33 seconds left and UC at the Colorado 46-yard line, it was fourth-and-one. Brendan Sorsby was stopped at quarterback keeper.

    “Obviously in your head you think you’re going to make it,” Sorsby said. “I think they did a great job up front, so we didn’t get much of a push. I still have to find a way to get one meter.”

    This left quarterback Shedueur Sanders with 31 seconds left to operate, which was too much on this night. Sanders connected with Travis Hunter on a 34-yard touchdown before halftime. Instead of a tie or lead, the Bearcats trailed by 10.

    “We didn’t want to give them the ball back for obvious reasons,” UC head coach Scott Satterfield said. “For me, that was the play of the game. We gave the ball back to them and they were able to go. We didn’t put our defense in a good spot.”

    The Buffaloes added a rushing touchdown from Isaiah Augustave late in the third quarter, bringing the score to 17 unanswered points. Trailing 31-14, UC cut the lead on a Nathan Hawks field goal, then Sorsby connected on a 6-yard touchdown pass to Joe Royer with 3:51 left. A two-point conversion failed and Mata barely cleared the crossbar on a 47-yard field goal, making the final 34-23.

    “I’m a little disappointed with the way we landed,” Colorado coach Deion Sanders said of the game’s ending. “Mata was phenomenal at what he did. Great team. They (Cincinnati) weren’t going to give up. It’s a testament to their coaches and their staff. They played their best.”

    Colorado improved to 6-2 (4-1 Big 12) while the Bearcats fell to 5-3 (3-2 Big 12).

    Why go for 2 late in the game?

    With an extra point, UC could have trailed 31-24 after Royer’s touchdown. In coaching circles, however, the metrics point toward a two-point conversion in similar situations.

    “It’s the math,” Satterfield said. “If you don’t get that, then you have to get the next one. If you get that and you kick, then you kick the next one, and if you stop them without a field goal, in theory you win the game. Especially on the road. If we had been at home “We probably would have scored the extra point.”

    Shedeur Sanders vs. Brendan Sorsby quarterback comparison

    Maybe Sheduer Sanders looked better doing it, but both quarterbacks had their effective moments. Sanders completed his first fifteen passes and had a rushing touchdown before halftime. He completed all but five passes.

    “We rely on how good this young man is,” Coach Sanders said. “I would say that even if he wasn’t my son.”

    Sorsby struggled passing against Colorado’s defense, while a Sanders incompletion was rare.

    “They are a much better team this year because of what they do defensively,” Satterfield said.

    Sorsby stringed together a number of completions late and his six-yard pass to Joe Royer cut the deficit to 31-23. A late field goal by Alejandro Mata made the final 34-23. Sorsby finished 16-of-30 for 180 yards. Tony Johnson and Joe Royer each had four catches and a touchdown in the game.

    Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Colorado Buffaloes rushing attack

    UC held an 85-49 halftime lead, but the yards were hard-earned: Kiner gained 32 and Sorsby 29. Colorado seemed determined to beat the Bearcats physically. Augustave, a transfer from Arkansas, had his best game in Boulder, helping Colorado chew up the clock at the end. He finished with 91 yards on 22 carries with one touchdown.

    “We made a conscious effort at the beginning of the week to run the football,” coach Sanders said.

    Corey Kiner ran hard all night and finished with 94 yards plus four catches for eight yards.

    What did Travis Hunter from Colorado do?

    There isn’t much he can’t do. He scored the first goal on the first play of the game, a pass intended for Xzavier Henderson. Then at the 9:32 mark of the first quarter, Shedeur Sanders spotted Hunter in the back of the end zone. Hunter had 113 receiving yards with two touchdowns in the first half alone. He finished with nine catches for 153 yards plus two tackles and three pass breakups on defense.

    Hunter’s speed, Jimmy Horn Jr. and LaJohntay Wester stood out the most. Once they turned on the jets, they were difficult to catch.

    “Obviously they have great players, great talent and receivers all over the place,” UC defensive back Derrick Canteen said. “They’ve mostly done a good job. Every week you play against talented players, receivers and running backs and every week in this conference it’s all about talent and speed.”

    Was time zone or altitude a factor?

    Altitude was not as much of a factor as time momentum in the mountains. Although UC has gotten faster, Colorado still has an edge in that area.

    The Bearcats wouldn’t get home until breakfast early on Sunday (estimated 6:45 before they left). Fortunately, they have a bye week ahead of them. Even though the Big 12 tries to accommodate schools that cross different time zones, it can still be a battle with the biological clock.

    “It’s hard when you have to play so late and travel so far and all the things that come with it, but I still love the way our kids finished and fought,” Satterfield said.

    Luke Kandra update

    The guard was taken out early in the game and returned, but later left the field and did not return.

    “This late in the season you have a lot of scrapes and bruises,” Satterfield said. “Dontay (Corleone) went down, Kandra went down. We’ll have to see how he goes. He couldn’t finish the game.”

    Next up in the Big 12 for Cincinnati

    The Bearcats have a bye and meet again Saturday, Nov. 9, at Nippert Stadium against West Virginia. That game will celebrate Nippert’s 100th birthday as UC faces its former Big East rivals. The playing time could be announced on Monday. The Mountaineers played Arizona on Saturday night in Tucson and won 31-26 to move to 4-4. Once again, UC is one win away from bowl eligibility and their next opportunity is at home.

    “There’s still a lot of ball left,” Satterfield said. “Four more games. We have two losses in the Big 12. A lot can happen in this conference. I think everyone knows how anyone can beat anyone in this conference depending on travel and injuries. It’s still wide open.”

    Colorado is also off next week. The Buffaloes will be at Texas Tech on November 9.

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    Note on Cincinnati Bearcats hoops

    Wes Miller’s team played a “secret” scrimmage against Pittsburgh of the ACC on Saturday. Sources reported a 71-62 Pitt win, but the indication is the Bearcats played 11 guys. For the record, they lost both of their “secret” scrimmages last season. Often the strategy is different because teams use it to prepare for the season. As a metric, USA TODAY lost Preseason No. 1 Kansas Friday night of Preseason No. 16 Arkansas 85-69. UC is number 20.

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