Colorado Buffaloes beat Baylor Bears in overtime

When Colorado lined up for the final play of regulation against Baylor on Saturday night, the plan was for Buffaloes' do-it-all defensive tackle Travis Hunter to serve as a… decoy?

Needing a Hail Mary touchdown to tie the score, Colorado figured Hunter, who had caught six passes for 126 yards, would get most of the attention. Hunter would run toward the middle of the end zone, ideally creating a more favorable matchup for LaJohntay Wester, a 6-foot-4, 175-pound wide receiver.

“We put Travis back, he's going to get all the attention, and then LaJohntay is just going to be there, outside, one-on-one,” Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders said. “They're not going to believe we're throwing him the ball because he's a smaller guy, probably in that situation. So I rolled to the left, everybody went to the middle of the end zone and I just trusted in God. I threw the ball to God and God answered my prayer, for sure.”

Sanders' throw from the Baylor 49-yard line fell to Wester, who dove between two Bears defenders and scored for the touchdown. Colorado won 38-31 in overtime, setting off a storm at Folsom Field and marking the most dramatic finish under second-year coach Deion Sanders. The Buffs rallied from three deficits and overcame a 100-yard kick return touchdown by Baylor to win their first Big 12 game since returning to the league.

“Great, great, great, great, great, great victory,” said Deion Sanders. “The young men were resilient. They never gave up.”

Shedeur Sanders finished the game with 341 passing yards and touchdown passes of 58 yards to Omarion Miller just before halftime and 43 yards to Wester at the end of the fourth quarter. He led an overtime touchdown drive that culminated in Micah Welch's second rushing score.

“That's why I use the word legendary and post it so often,” Shedeur Sanders said. “That's the word I stand by and live by. In all the moments, in everything, I know that at the end of the day, legendary is ingrained in me.”

Hunter further cemented his position as a top Heisman Trophy candidate with 130 receiving yards on seven catches and the game-winning defensive play in overtime. Baylor's Dominic Richardson appeared to be heading for a sure touchdown before Hunter knocked the ball loose and it flew out of the end zone.

Colorado fans stormed the field while referees checked the ball and determined that it was out of bounds before Richardson crossed the goal line.

“Shedeur told me to go out and get the ball as soon as (Colorado) scored a point, so I told him, 'I got you,' and I kept my word,” Hunter said. “I knew I had to tackle. You could see me using my mouth guards towards the end of the game, so I was already ready. I knew they were going to come at me. They don't think I can tackle, so I had to show them.”

On the final snap of regulation, Hunter knew he had to get Baylor's defenders on his side. He said the odds on most Hail Mary plays are 50-50, but Colorado's talented receivers increased the odds to 80-20.

“I saw (Sanders) roll away and then I saw the ball coming at me,” said Wester, who transferred to Colorado this season after a successful career at Florida Atlantic. “As a receiver, your job is to give the quarterback the right direction, whether it's a good ball or a bad ball. I just made a play on the ball.”

Baylor coach Dave Aranda said the defensive play in the Hail Mary is the “Victory Cigar,” which involves an up-and-under rush to drive the quarterback toward a contain rusher.

“We went to opposite sides,” Aranda said. “The guy who was up and down went away, and the guy who was reserved went to the other side. So if you watch this game, you see someone coming from the right who is up and down. Well, that's too bad, because he's reserved.”

“I've never experienced anything like this before and I take full responsibility for it. I have to find a way to train better.”

Wester described the postgame atmosphere as “a party” as the celebration spilled over from the field into the Buffaloes' locker room. Deion Sanders said he regretted storming the field because it prevented him from shaking hands with Baylor coach Dave Aranda, but praised the Colorado fans for their support.

“We have a phenomenal fan base,” Deion Sanders said. “We have some young people on this campus who love and live CU football, and I'm grateful for that.”

Sanders also praised Colorado's offensive line, which “always gets laughed at” but helped the team score three rushing touchdowns. Baylor still recorded eight sacks, 12 tackles for loss and three quarterback hurries.

“I just want everyone to know that we can run the ball and all those who hate us for it will be silenced,” Welch said.

But the Bears missed a field goal attempt with 2:16 minutes left that would have given them a 10-point lead, and Shedeur Sanders and Colorado ultimately took advantage.

“It kind of took us back to last year, didn't it? That nostalgia, that's how it was last year at the beginning,” Deion Sanders said, referring to Colorado's 3-0 start to his tenure. “I was like, 'Man, I'm going gray, what are you guys going to do to me?' It was tough. This press conference could be a lot different now, but I'm thrilled we won.”