5 Cincinnati players who could pose a serious threat to Deion Sanders' Colorado in Week 9 ft. Brendan Sorsby
As Deion Sanders and his 5-2 Colorado Buffaloes prepare to take on the 5-2 Cincinnati Bearcats, there's a world of possible concern for Colorado. While CU is a 5.5-point favorite at home, this Bearcats team has plenty of talented athletes who could make life difficult.
Here's a closer look at five Cincinnati players who Colorado has to handle to pull off a win.
Top 5 Cincinnati players who could pose a threat to Colorado
#5. Dontay Corleone, DT
Corleone is a massive 6-foot-1, 320-pound defensive tackle. He was first-team All-ACC in 2022. Corleone is a junior now and he has 21 tackles, which includes 4.5 tackles for loss and three sacks.
He is a threat both as a run stuffer and a pass rusher and is a disruptive force who every opposing offensive line has to figure out a way to block. He could make life very difficult for the high-octane Colorado offense.
#4. Xzavier Henderson, WR
A 6-foot-3 standout who saw significant time at Florida, Henderson transferred to UC after the 2022 season and has been an impactful pass target in his two seasons in Cincinnati.
Henderson has 42 catches for 541 yards and four touchdowns. He has put up three 100-yard games this season while ranking fifth in the Big 12 in catches and eighth in yardage. He'll likely be a handful for the Buffs, as his size and experience make him a significant pass-catching target.
#3. Evan Pryor, RB
A sophomore who transferred in from Ohio State, Pryor was a massive recruit who was recruited over in Columbus but has shown big-play ability at Cincinnati.
Pryor has just 31 carries this season, but has gained 307 yards on those touches with four touchdowns. He's had three games with over 16 yards per carry. While Corey Kiner is the grinder in the UC backfield, Pryor is the constant home run threat who could make life miserable for the Buffaloes.
#2. Corey Kiner, RB
Kiner transferred in from LSU after 2021 and starred for the Bearcats last season with 1,047 rushing yards. The 5-foot-9 squad standout has continued to produce in 2024.
Kiner has 598 rushing yards and has already posted three 100-yard rushing performances on the season. Only once (in a game when he got just three carries) has Kiner failed to produce 4.6 yards per carry or better. Colorado has been decent against the run, but Kiner will be a significant challenge.
#1. Brendan Sorsby, QB
While Colorado's Shedeur Sanders leads the Big 12 in QB rating, the No. 2 rated passer in the conference is Sorsby. The Indiana transfer has been a surprising star for Cincinnati and could be a force on Saturday.
Sorsby took over as Indiana's starting QB in 2023 in the latter half of the season. He finished the year with 1,587 passing yards and 15 touchdowns. Still, with Indiana's coaching change, Sorsby moved on to the Bearcats.
Brendan Sorsby has thrown for 1,928 yards and 13 touchdowns against four interceptions this season. He averages 8.3 yards per passing attempt. He has added another six touchdowns on the ground. Colorado is 11th in the SEC in pass defense, so Sorsby could be dangerous on Saturday.
Which Cincinnati players do you think are likely to play well against Colorado on Saturday? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.