Colorado 34, Cincinnati 23

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October 26th – Boulder          Colorado 34, Cincinnati 23

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Colorado gained bowl eligibility with a sixth win, defeating Cincinnati with a balanced effort from both the offense and defense. The Buff offense scored on all four offensive possessions in the first half to take a 24-14 lead into the break, with the defense making it hold up. A 47-yard field goal by CU kicker Alejandro Mata with 1:39 to play gave the Buffs their final two-score cushion, raising CU’s record to 6-2, 4-1 in Big 12 play.

Shedeur Sanders completed 25-of-30 passes for 323 yards and two touchdowns, also scoring on a four-yard run. Travis Hunter collected both touchdown passes, with Hunter catching nine passes for a season-high 153 yards. Isaiah Augustave led the CU rushing attack with 91 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries, with the Buffs going over 100 yards rushing (123) for the second game in a row.

“We’re excited with some of the things that we’re doing,” Coach Prime said. “We really are. But some of the things are still a work in progress. We’re happy about some things. We’re happy about some of the players and what they’re doing. I got to see the film to see what everyone truly did and clean up some of the mistakes we made because we shouldn’t have let that game get that close. But we got the ‘W. ‘That’s what counts.”

In addition to win No. 6, the victory over the Bearcats left CU with a 4-1 record in Big 12 play heading into a bye week. With a November against four struggling teams (three of which were ranked in the preseason polls), talk of a repeat of the 10-2 regular season were raised during Coach Prime’s post-game press conference, but CU’s head coach, raising his overall record at Colorado back to .500, at 10-10, was having none of it.

“Well, we ain’t think about the playoffs right now”, said Coach Prime. “Right we go one game at a time. We don’t even want to be ranked. Don’t rank us, please. We don’t like that. We rather be in the back, in the dark, just chilling in the cut. We good, we cool. We straight. All right, so don’t feel pressure to rank us. I promise you everybody, we are straight. So we’re not thinking about that.”

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Game Story … The game started about as well as any Buff fan could have hoped, with the Bearcats going three-and-out on their opening possession without gaining a yard.

CU’s first drive on offense was so nice the Buffs scored twice. After a 13-yard punt return by Jimmy Horn gave the Buffs the ball at their 36-yard line, the CU offense showed it was determined to show it could run the ball. Four straight runs, including three by running back Isaiah Augustave for 15 yards, though, were offset by a sack of quarterback Shedeur Sanders. On third-and-13 at the CU 43, Sanders hit wide receiver Jimmy Horn for a 57-yard touchdown … except that Horn was flagged for taunting a Cincinnati defensive back, nullifying the score.

Pushed back to the Bearcat 25-yard line, a nine-yard run by Dallan Hayden and a 12-yard completion from Sanders to LaJohntay Wester set the Buffs up with a first-and-goal at the Cincinnati three yard line. Two plays later, Sanders found Travis Hunter for a three yard touchdown. Colorado 7, Cincinnati 3, five minutes into the game.

It didn’t take long for the Bearcats to respond, though. A broken coverage on Cincinnati running back Evan Pryor led to a 40-yard gain. After a 17-yard completion from quarterback Brendan Sorsby to tight end Joe Royer gave the Bearcats a first-and-goal, Sorsby found wide receiver Tony Johnson for a six-yard touchdown, tying the score with six minutes still to play in the first.

A hold on the ensuing kickoff put the CU offense back at the 10-yard line to start the drive. No problem, as the Buffs put together a 12-play, 90-yard drive to retake the lead. A 15-yard completion from Sanders to Jimmy Horn kicked off the drive, with a nine-yard completion to Travis Hunter giving CU a second first down. A nine-yard completion to Horn on third-and-nine kept the drive alive at midfield, with a roughing the passer call giving the Buffs 15 more yards.

Three straight runs by Dallan Hayden left the Buffs with a fourth-and-one at the Cincinnati eight. Hayden picked up the first down on fourth down, but an illegal substitution penalty on the Bearcats made the play a non-issue. On first-and-goal at the four, Shedeur Sanders took the ball in himself, giving CU a 14-7 lead on the final play of the first quarter.

On Cincinnati’s next drive, the Buff defense had their chances to get off the field. Cincinnati faced a third-and-14 at their 36, but quarterback Brendan Sorsby escaped for a 21-yard gain. A few plays later, cornerback Preston Hodge intercepted Sorsby … but was called for pass interference on the play, giving the ball back to UC. On the next play, running back Evan Pryor ran up the middle for a 13-yard touchdown and a 14-14 score.

The Buff offense continued its productive ways on its next drive. A 16-yard completion from Sanders to freshman wide receiver Drelon Miller got CU its first first down of the drive, with a nine-yard run by Isaiah Augustave earning first down No. 2, and a two-yard run on third-and-two by Augustave generating first down No. 3. A 29-yard completion from Sanders to Travis Hunter gave CU a first-and-goal at the UC eight yard line, but there the drive stalled, with Sanders throwing his first incompletions of the game (after setting a school record with 15 straight completions to start a contest). With 3:28 left in the half, Alejandro Mata gave CU a 17-14 lead with a 28-yard field goal.

Looking to take their first lead of the game, the Bearcats quickly pushed the ball out near midfield. On fourth-and-one at the CU 46-yard line, though, quarterback Brendan Sorsby was stuffed for no gain, giving the Buffs the ball back with 31 seconds left in the half.

A six-yard completion from Sanders to running back Dallan Hayden and a 14-yard completion to Travis Hunter gave CU a first down at the Cincinnati 34-yard line, but only ten seconds remained in the half. Rather than attempt a 51-yard field goal, Coach Prime decided to go for a score, and was rewarded when Sanders found a wide open Travis Hunter a 34-yard touchdown with three seconds remaining, the Buffs had a two-score lead at the break.

Halftime score: Colorado 24, Cincinnati 14

Three straight runs by running back Isaiah Augustave to open the second half netted 12 yards and a first down. Later, on third-and-two, a six yard run by Augustave gave the Buffs another first down. Thereafter, though, the CU drive stalled, with the Buffs punting for the first time in the game.

Taking over at their six-yard line, the Cincinnati offense posted one first down, but that was it, with the Bearcats punting the ball back to the Buffs.

Setting up at their 38 after a 13-yard punt return by LaJohntay Wester, the Buffs were bailed out a few plays later. On third-and-three, an incompletion turned into a first down after a defensive holding call against the UC defense. A 28-yard completion from Sanders to Wester gave CU another red zone opportunity. Three plays later – all runs – the Buffs were on the board again. Six yards by Augustave, four yards by Sanders, then seven yards by Augustave for the touchdown made it a 31-14 game with 5:41 to play in the third quarter.

The CU defense then posted its second three-and-out of the game on Cincinnati’s next possession, with safety Cam’Ron Silmon Craig picking up a sack of Bearcat quarterback Brendan Sorsby on third-and-ten to punctuate the stop.

Two runs by Augustave for eight yards and an 11-yard completion from Sanders to Drelon Miller got the Buffs a first down near midfield, but the next three plays gained nine yards, with the Buffs punting the ball back to Cincinnati in the final minute of the third quarter.

The Cincinnati offense got on the board for the first time in the second half on their next drive, but it took 13 plays and just over six minutes off the clock to get the job done. Four Corey Riner runs and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Shilo Sanders got the ball over midfield, with four more runs, and another unsportsmanlike conduct penalty – this one against Anquin Barnes – giving the Bearcats a first down at the CU 13-yard line. Thereafter, though, the Buff defense stiffened, forcing a 32-yard field goal by Nathan Hawks. Colorado 31, Cincinnati 17, with 9:20 to play.

With a two-score lead and the ball, the CU offense … went three-and-out. The Buffs did chew up two minutes of clock, but gave the Bearcats the ball back at the midway point of the fourth quarter.

The Bearcats faced a fourth-and-one and a first-and-20, but the Buff defense was not able to keep the Cincinnati offense from scoring. Pass completions for 22 and 19 yards, followed by a run by Corey Kiner for 23 yards gave the Bearcats a first-and-goal at the CU six yard line. There, Sorsby completed a six-yard touchdown pass to Joe Royer with 3:51 to play. A two-point conversion attempt, failed, however, leaving it a 31-23 game.

Backed up to the 11-yard line after the kickoff, the CU offense needed first downs to run out the clock and win the game. A 34-yard pass to Travis Hunter got the Buffs out of the hole, with a 12-yard completion to LaJohntay Wester giving the Buffs another first down. A 13-yard run by Isaiah Augustave took the clock down to the two-minute stoppage of play.

Two runs and an incompletion left 1:45 on the clock, and the ball at the Cincinnati 29-yard line. On fourth-and-nine, CU kicker Alejandro Mata, the reigning Big 12 Player-of-the-Week, barely got a 47-yard over the cross bar … but the kick was good, making it a 34-23 game with 1:39 to play.

Final score: Colorado 34, Cincinnati 23 

Colorado finished the game with 451 yards of total offense, while surrendering 351 yards of total offense to Cincinnati. CU’s 128 yards rushing marked the second game over 100 yards for CU’s much-maligned rushing attack, which came into the game ranked 130th in the nation.

Travis Hunter finished with a season-high 153 yards receiving (on nine catches), while also posting a season-high four passes broken up on defense. Running back Isaiah Augustave finished just short of triple digits, finishing with 91 yards on 22 carries, with one touchdown.

“It’s cute. It really is, because we really want that”, Coach Prime said of CU’s bowl eligibility. “But that’s not all we’re after. That’s one of the hurdles that we’re jumping over, that we’re going over. That’s a tremendous hurdle, that we’re happy, we’re excited, but that’s not the end goal for us. That’s the beginning, but we are thankful and appreciative that the hard work is going noticed.”

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Game Notes …

— CU raised its all-time record against Cincinnati to 2-0, with the only other game between the two teams being played in 1972. That game, also played at Folsom Field, was a mismatch, as No. 2 Colorado defeated Cincinnati, 56-14;

— With the win, Colorado became bowl eligible, winning a sixth regular season game for the first time since the 2016.  Coach Prime called 99-year-old super fan Peggy Coppom in front of the whole team after the game to tell her she’s going to a bowl game;

— Travis Hunter set career highs for receiving yards (153) and pass breakups (4).  In all, Hunter played 132 snaps, 68-of-71 on offense, all 61 on defense and three on special teams. Hunter finished with nine receptions (on 9 targets) for 153 yards and 2 touchdowns on offense. It was his eighth career 100-yard receiving game, including his fifth for the 2024 season;

— Shedeur Sanders completed 25-of-30 passes for 323 yards, with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Sanders opened the game with 15 straight completions, a new school record. His third game with an 80% completion percentage in a season also set a new standard. His two touchdown passes gave him 20 for the 2024 season, becoming the first CU quarterback to have 20 or more touchdown passes in two seasons;

— More Shedeur … In just over a season-and-a-half at Colorado, Sanders 518-of-730 passing for 5,821 yards and 50 touchdowns ranked him No. 6 for career passing yards and No. 4 for career touchdowns in CU history;

— Running back Isaiah Augustave had 22 carries for 91 yards and a touchdown, scoring a touchdown in his third straight game. The totals were team season highs for carries and yards.  The 91 yards rushing were also Augustave’s second-highest rushing total of his career, having a 100-yard game while at Arkansas;

— Kicker Alejandro Mata was again perfect in the kicking game, hitting 4-of-4 PATs and 2-of-2 field goals for the second straight game, including matching his career best with a 47-yarder in the fourth quarter to make it a two-score game;

— The Colorado defense had eight pass break-ups on 14 Cincinnati incompletions, the most since having 11 at Stanford in 2020.

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Tags: Alejandro Mata, Anquin Barnes, Cam'Ron Silmon-Craig, Dallan Hayden, Dre'lon Miller, Isaiah Augustave, Jimmy Horn, Lajohntay Wester, Peggy Coppom, Preston Hodge, Shedeur Sanders, Shilo Sanders, Travis Hunter
This post, about the Cincinnati game, from the 2024 Season, is filed under Article.
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