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Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior Writer
When Colorado lined up for the final play of regulation Saturday night against Baylor, the plan called for Travis Hunter, the Buffaloes’ do-it-all star, to serve as … a decoy?
Colorado needed a Hail Mary touchdown to tie the score, and figured Hunter, who had six receptions for 126 yards, would attract the most attention. Hunter would run toward the middle of the end zone, ideally creating a more favorable matchup for LaJohntay Wester, a 5-11, 167-pound wideout.
“We put Travis backside, he’s going to get all the attention, and then LaJohntay’s just going to be there, outside, one-on-one,” Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders said. “They’re not going to think we’re going to throw him the ball because he’s a shorter guy, probably in that situation. So then I roll left, everybody went in the middle of the end zone and I just trusted God. I threw it up to God and God answered the prayer, for sure.”
Sanders’ heave from the Baylor 49-yard line fell to Wester, who wedged between two Bears defenders and dove for the touchdown. Colorado went on to win 38-31 in overtime, setting off a field storm at Folsom Field and the most dramatic finish under second-year coach Deion Sanders. The Buffs erased three deficits and overcame a 100-yard Baylor kick return touchdown to win their first Big 12 game since returning to the league.
“Great, great, great, great, great, great win,” Deion Sanders said. “The young men were resilient. They never gave up.”
Shedeur Sanders finished with 341 passing yards and touchdown strikes of 58 yards to Omarion Miller just before halftime and 43 yards to Wester as the fourth quarter expired. He led an overtime touchdown drive that culminated with Micah Welch‘s second rushing score.
“That’s why I use the word legendary, and I post it so many times,” Shedeur Sanders said. “That’s the word that I stand by and I live by. Through all the moments, throughout everything, I know, at the end of the day, legendary, that’s what ingrained in me.”
Hunter continued to strengthen his case as a top Heisman Trophy candidate with 130 receiving yards on seven catches, and the game-sealing play on defense in overtime. Baylor’s Dominic Richardson seemed headed for a sure touchdown before Hunter knocked the ball free and it scooted out of the end zone.
Colorado fans stormed the field as officials reviewed the ball, determining the ball was out before Richardson crossed the goal line.
“Shedeur told me to go out there and get the ball once (Colorado) scored, so I told him, ‘I got you,’ and I kept my word,” Hunter said. “I knew I had to tackle. You could see me putting in my mouthpiece late on the play, so I was already ready. I knew they were coming 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 pull Baylor’s defenders in his direction, saying that most Hail Mary plays are 50-50 chances but Colorado’s talented receiving corps increased the odds to 80-20.
“I saw (Sanders) rolling out and then I saw the ball coming my way,” said Wester, who transferred to Colorado for this season after a productive career at Florida Atlantic. “As a receiver, your job is to make the quarterback right, 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 call on the Hail Mary is “victory cigar,” which includes an up-and-under rush to flush the quarterback toward a contain rusher.
“We went to opposite sides,” Aranda said. “The guy that was up-and-under went away, and the guy that was contain went to the other side, so when you watch that play, you’ll watch someone come from the right and go up and under, well, that’s a shame, because he’s contain.
“I’ve never seen that, and I take full responsibility for that. I have to find a way to coach that better.”
Wester called the postgame atmosphere “a party,” as the celebration went from the field to the Buffaloes locker room. Deion Sanders said he regretted the field storm because it prevented him from shaking hands with Baylor coach Dave Aranda, but praised the Colorado fans for their support.
“We have a fan base that’s phenomenal,” Deion Sanders said. “We have some young kids on this campus that love and breath CU football, and I’m thankful.”
Sanders also recognized Colorado’s offensive line, which “always gets ridiculed” but helped the team record three rushing touchdowns. Baylor still recorded eight sacks, 12 tackles for loss and three quarterback hurries.
“I just want everybody to know we can run the ball, and shut up all the haters about it,” Welch said.
But the Bears badly missed a field-goal attempt with 2:16 left that would have given them a 10-point lead and Shedeur Sanders and Colorado ultimately capitalized.
“It kind of threw us back to last year a little bit, didn’t it? Like that nostalgia, that’s the way stuff was starting last year,” said Deion Sanders, referring to Colorado’s 3-0 start to his tenure. “I’m like, ‘Man, I’m going gray, what you trying to do to me, fellas?’ It was a tough one. This press conference could be totally different right now, but I’m excited that we won.”
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