Sep 28, 2024; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats head coach Scott Satterfield on the sidelines in the second half during the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Jones AT&T Stadium and Cody Campbell Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images

Scott Satterfield Explains End of Half Fourth-Down, Two-Point Decisions Against Colorado

Originally posted on Cincinnati Bearcats on SI
By Russell Heltman | Last updated Oct 27, 2024 11:16 AM ET

The Bearcats had Saturday night's 34-23 loss largely slip away from them in a brutal sequence to end the first half.

Colorado got stopped inside the UC 15-yard line and held to a field goal, making it 17-14, leaving the door open to score with about two minutes left before half.

Enter a short drive to midfield and a running clock for UC on 4th & 1 that UC chose to let go with three timeouts and ensuingly got stuffed roughly 20 seconds later. It was a back-breaking shain of events staying idle on the timeout.

Scott Satterfield discussed the quick call postgame.

"One of the biggest plays in the game, I thought, was the fourth down and one that we had right there at midfield," Satterfield said to the media. "We didn't want to give the ball back to them for obvious reasons. Felt good about that play. We did not get the first down. That was the play of the game. And we give the ball back to them, and they were able to go and missed the covers on the back end and hit Travis (Hunter) for a touchdown right there ... It was a one-possession game, now, that takes it to a two-possession game. And I thought that was really the play of the game. Offensively, we didn't put our defense in a good spot."

Sanders led the TD drive to close the half via Travis Hunter's 34-yard TD grab, and Cincinnati entered the locker room with all its timeouts. Margins are super thin in these types of atmospheres and letting the Buffs win the middle eight minutes was a major difference.

Satterfield also dove into the correct analytical decision to go for two down eight points late in the fourth quarter.

"It's the math," Satterfield said to the media. "If you don't get that, then you got to get the next one. If you get that (first two-point try), then you kick the next one ... I think if had we been at home, that'd be a time we probably just kicked the extra point."

Cincinnati gets a much-needed bye week to get a few players healthy and regroup ahead of the home date against West Virginia.

Check out the full Satterfield presser posted by Bearcat Journal's Keegan Knickoson: