This is a basketball phrase, referring to the NCAA Tournament, but I feel like it applies for football in the case of the 2019 Cincinnati Bearcats. The Bearcats are playing for the American Athletic Conference championship and cannot afford to lose a game. They almost lost on Saturday, to a feisty East Carolina team, but in the end, Cincinnati prevailed and won 46-43.
Amazing, it was the 3rd time in 6 AAC meetings Cincinnati won on a last second field goal.
Bearcats surrendered 650 yards of offense to ECU, gave up season-high 43 points, committed 12 penalties, and trailed by 12 points with 8 minutes to go.