Colorado vs. Colorado State: The Buffaloes get Tested in Double Overtime by the Rams

In a game featuring star University of Colorado Boulder Buffaloes — second-year wide receiver and defensive back phenom Travis Hunter and third-year quarterback Sheduer Sanders — the spotlight was, surprisingly, not on them facing off against the Colorado State Rams defense. Rather, the focus was on the head coaches: Colorado’s Deion “Prime Time” Sanders and Colorado State’s Jay Norvell. Norvell made waves in the press earlier this week when he called Deion out for wearing a hat and glasses when he shakes hands, insinuating that he has no respect. Deion proceeded to give his entire team sunglasses in a viral locker room video. When the game started, the Buffaloes shot out of the gate. Deion’s other son on the team, fourth-year safety Shilo Sanders, had an 80 yard pick-six to get the scoring started. However, the Rams responded well and with 11:22 left in the fourth quarter, led 28–17. Colorado’s offense had been relatively quiet, in part due to Hunter going down early in the second quarter after taking a big hit to the midsection from third-year Rams safety Henry Blackburn. The hit resulted in a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and left Hunter with a lacerated liver, which is expected to sideline him for multiple weeks. Even without Hunter, Sheduer led the Buffaloes on two straight scoring drives: a 41-yard field goal from second-year Alejandro Mata and a 98-yard drive capped off by a 45-yard touchdown pass from Sheduer to third-year Jimmy Horn Jr. to tie the game at 28 apiece heading into overtime. Both teams scored in the first overtime period, knotting the game at 35–35. Sheduer scored his fourth touchdown when he connected with third-year walk-on Michael Harrison in double OT for Harrison’s second touchdown of the game. Sheduer connected with fourth-year Xavier Weaver for the two point conversion, putting the Buffaloes up 43–35. The Rams could not score on their ensuing drive, and Colorado escaped with a win, defeating the 0–2 Rams to move to 3–0 on the season. According to ESPN, it was the most streamed college football game of the season. 9.3 million people tuned in to see what Sanders — Deion, Sheduer, and Shilo —  and their teammates could do, and they were not disappointed. Viewership records may be broken again next week when No. 19 Colorado travels to Eugene, OR to face the No. 10 Oregon Ducks. 

Browns vs. Steelers: Deshaun Watson’s Struggles Continue

It’s the first play of the game at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh: 1st & 10 at the Cleveland 25. Steelers fans are on their feet, Terrible Towels are twirling throughout the stadium, and Browns fans are full of optimism that their team can start 2–0 for the first time since 1993. The ball was snapped and, shockingly, Watson missed tight end Harrison Bryant on a five-yard out route. The Steelers’ Alex Highsmith was there to intercept the pass, and he returned it 30 yards to the end zone to give the Steelers an early 7–0 lead. Those nine seconds sum up Watson’s time in Cleveland—immense optimism and anticipation that hasn’t yet come to fruition. Watson finished the game completing just 22 of 40 pass attempts for 235 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. On top of that, he was sacked six times, including a game-losing fumble that was returned for a touchdown, and called for two 15-yard facemask penalties that negated positive drives for the Browns. For a $230 million dollar quarterback who the franchise also gave up six draft picks to acquire, he’s not playing well enough. Watson, the 2017 Rookie of the Year and 3x Pro-Bowler, is trying to get back to his caliber of play in 2019-20, when he led the Texans to the AFC Divisional Round before losing 51–31 to the Kansas City Chiefs. Since then, Watson has dealt with more problems off the field than on, but the Browns still believed in him enough to build their franchise around him. Following a 26–22 loss to the Steelers, Watson and the Browns will have a chance to get back above .500 next week when they face Ryan Tannehill and the Tennessee Titans at home. 

World Record Smashed: Gudaf Tsegay Runs a 14:00.21 in the Women’s 5000m at the Prefontaine Classic

This past weekend at the annual Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, OR, 26-year-old Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia shattered the world record in the women’s 5000m, running an implausible 14:00.21. The previous record, 14:05.20 was set in June by Faith Kipyegon of Kenya. Coming into the race, Tsegay held the fourth-fastest time in history at 14:12.29. At this year’s world championships in Budapest, Hungary, Tsegay won gold in the 10,000m, finishing in 31:27.18. She has now dominated two of the most important events in the last year.

“My focus for today was the world record,” Tsegay said.

Ethiopia now holds six of the top eight times in the history of the women’s 5000m.