Colorado’s return to the Big 12 on Saturday night wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t crisp, it was simply ugly at times. From the special teams blunders, to the inexcusable negative plays in the second half, to the big plays allowed by the defense. Even the weather was ugly, as Mother Nature poured down rain deep into the night at Folsom Field.

But in the end, it became a defining evening for this era of Colorado football. Two special players have donned the black and gold for the past 16 games, and Saturday night was the brightest of their many shining moments.

First it was Shedeur Sanders, tasked with leading another improbable come-from-behind drive under the night sky in Boulder, much like he did against Colorado State last season. It didn’t start out great — a strip sack and a false start forcing a 10-second runoff that burned nearly half of the Buffs’ clock – but Sanders came through all the same in the end.

Perfect timing, as he would put it.

With just two seconds remaining in regulation, Sanders rolled out to his left and launched a prayer into the end zone.

“I just threw it up to God, and God answered the prayer,” Sanders said after the 38-31 victory.

LaJohntay Wester was physically there to answer, making a sliding catch in the end zone to send the game to overtime.

The Buffs (3-1, 1-0 Big 12) got the ball first in OT, and they took advantage with a balanced, surgical drive. Micah Welch’s second touchdown of the night capped it off, and then it was Travis Hunter’s turn to step into the spotlight.

Baylor’s half of the overtime started with a clinical first down on the ground, and then quarterback Sawyer Robertson burst through the line and brought the Bears right down to the goal line.

Baylor (2-2, 0-1) put the game in the hands of Dominic Richardson, who exploded through the right side of the line and found himself with just Hunter to beat to even the score. And as Hunter does every week, he made the biggest play in the biggest moment.

Hunter lowered his shoulder, the ball popped free and bounced innocently through the back of the end zone, and the city of Boulder erupted.

The fans stormed the field and the goalposts dropped in a hectic scene, and when it was announced that the fumble was upheld, they erupted again. There’s plenty from Saturday night to harp on and to nitpick, but in the end, it was about two of the best players in college football.

Shedeur Sanders held the door open when it appeared it was too far gone. And then Travis Hunter slammed it shut. Because of course he did.

Sanders finished his night with 341 yards passing and three total touchdowns (2 passing, 1 rushing) while Hunter accounted for a game-high 130 yards receiving on seven catches to go along with three tackles and the key late forced fumble.

First quarter

BAY 8:13: Isaiah Hankins 32-yard field goal, BAY 3-0

COL 1:56 Shedeur Sanders 2-yard run (Alejandro Mata kick), COL 7-3

Second quarter

BAY 14:26: Monaray Baldwin 30-yard pass from Sawyer Robertson (Isaiah Hankins kick), BAY 10-7

COL 6:55: Alejandro Mata 43-yard field goal, tied 10-10

BAY 6:43: Jamaal Bell 100-yard kickoff return (Isaiah Hankins kick), BAY 17-10

BAY 4:19: Sawyer Robertson 45-yard run (Isaiah Hankins kick), BAY 24-10

COL 0:50: Omarion Miller 58-yard pass from Shedeur Sanders (Alejandro Mata kick), BAY 24-17

Third quarter

COL 1:00: Micah Welch 2-yard run (Alejandro Mata kick), tied 24-24

Fourth quarter

BAY 5:43: Hal Presley 24-yard pass from Sawyer Robertson (Isaiah Hankins kick), BAY 31-24

COL 0:00: LaJohntay Wester 43-yard pass from Shedeur Sanders (Alejandro Mata kick), tied 31-31

Overtime

COL: Micah Welch 1-yard run (Alejandro Mata kick), COL 38-31

In the end, the Buffs won because they made enough plays. It sounds simple and cliche, but it’s what this one came down to. Baylor was probably the better team down-to-down in this one. They got after the quarterback consistently (eight sacks), they ran the ball better, and they completely dominated the special teams battle in all aspects (more on that this week, because it needs to be addressed).

The Buffs, with all of their skill position talent, just made a collection of truly incredible plays to win the game. The list is long: the Hail Mary, Hunter’s forced fumble, Omarion Miller’s incredible run after the catch for the touchdown, Shedeur Sanders escaping sack after sack (despite taking eight, it could have been 15). These moments of individual brilliance throughout the night kept the Buffs afloat, and eventually

This is usually reserved for one play, but it would be wrong not to include both of the game winning plays here, which need no explanation.

First, Shedeur Sanders finding LaJohntay Wester to tie the game in the pouring rain:

Then, Travis Hunter’s forced fumble inside the one-yard line to seal the win:

There were plenty of turning points at the end of the game, but Omarion Miller made one of the plays of the weekend late in the first half.

The Buffs were in desperate need of a big play after an avalanche of big Baylor plays gave them a two touchdown lead in the second quarter. Insert Miller, the wide receiver who made a name for himself last season against USC but came into Saturday night without a catch so far this season.

With time running down in the first half, Shedeur Sanders escaped a sack and found Miller, who survived a tackle attempt to stay on his feet and take it to the house for an incredible 58-yard touchdown.

Travis Hunter’s evening will be remembered for what he did on the defensive side of the ball, but he was a monster on offense in this one as well. The Buffs’ superstar led the team in receiving with 130 yards on seven catches, his fifth consecutive 100-yard game to extend his school record.

Hunter also turned the game around almost single-handedly in the second half with two long catches, which set Colorado up to tie the game at 24.

Do me a favor. Watch this game back, and just watch Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig fit the run. The Buffs’ safety was flying downhill all night, making solo stops all over the field. Perhaps the biggest under the radar moment of the game was produced by Silmon-Craig, when he made a shoestring tackle on Sawyer Robertson at the goal line in overtime. Travis Hunter made the game-winning play on the next down.

Silmon-Craig finished this one with a team-high 13 tackles (10 solo) and was a big reason that the Buffs’ defense had a lot of success down-to-down against the Baylor offense.

Dallan Hayden dressed for the game with that high ankle sprain, but predictably did not see any action. However, it is a good sign for the Buffs that Hayden was able to be in uniform. Chidozie Nwankwo also did not play while nursing the shoulder injury he suffered against Nebraska.

CU also has problems to worry about on special teams. Kickoff specialist Jace Feely injured his left leg making a tackle on a kickoff at the end of the first half and did not return. He left the field without putting any weight on his leg. Cristiano Palazzo handled the kickoff duties for the rest of the night, mostly by pooch-kicking the ball to about the 20-yard line.

Colorado

Total Yards: 432

Passing

Shedeur Sanders: 25-for-41, 341 yards, 2 TD

Rushing

Isaiah Augustave: 12 carries, 41 yards

Shedeur Sanders: 19 carries, 26 yards

Micah Welch: 9 carries, 22 yards, 2 TD

Jimmy Horn Jr: 1 carry, 3 yards

Receiving

Travis Hunter: 7 catches, 130 yards

Omarion Miller: 2 catches, 71 yards, TD

LaJohntay Wester: 4 catches, 68 yards, TD

Jimmy Horn Jr.: 4 catches, 40 yards

Drelon Miller: 3 catches, 27 yards

Will Sheppard: 1 catch, 5 yards

Sav’ell Smalls: 1 catch, 5 yards

Micah Welch: 1 catch, -1 yards

Sam Hart: 1 catch, -1 yards

Isaiah Augustave: 1 catch, -3 yards

Baylor

Total yards: 314

Passing

Sawyer Robertson: 11-for-21, 148 yards, 2 TD

Rushing

Sawyer Robertson: 9 carries, 82 yards, TD

Dominic Richardson: 15 carries, 47 yards

Bryson Washington: 10 carries, 21 yards

Dawson Pendergrass: 4 carries, 13 yards

Richard Reese: 2 carries, 3 yards

Monaray Baldwin: 1 carry, 0 yards

Receiving

Hal Presley: 2 catches, 43 yards, TD

Monaray Baldwin: 3 catches, 36 yards, 1 TD

Ketron Jackson Jr.: 2 carries, 30 yards

Dominic Richardson: 1 carry, 19 yards

Bryson Washington: 2 catches, 14 yards

Josh Cameron: 1 catch, 6 yards