Buffs Aim To Get Back On Winning Track Vs. Beavers
October 14, 2017 | Football, Neill Woelk
CORVALLIS, Ore. — With six games down and six to go — and a 3-3 record to show thus far — it's fair to say the Colorado Buffaloes have reached a crossroads point of their season.
Saturday afternoon, they'll do their best to make sure they are heading down the correct path to start the second half of the year when they face 1-5 Oregon State in a 2 p.m. game at Reser Field.
Both teams enter the game with 0-3 Pac-12 records, but the atmosphere surrounding the two teams is still starkly different.
The Buffs, while no doubt disappointed with their conference start and three-game skid, are still confident they can carve out a successful season.
The Beavers, though, have no idea what the future holds. The head coach with whom they started the season, Gary Andersen, stunned the college football world on Monday by announcing that he was walking away from the program. OSU named defensive backs coach Cory Hall as the interim head coach, but how the Beavers will respond Saturday is anyone's guess.
As for the Buffs, MacIntyre believes his team is primed to bounce back.
"I have had teams that have lost hope —- I do not think that this team has gotten even close to losing hope," MacIntyre said earlier this week. "I think this team has just gotten mad. That's a good emotion when you push it the correct way. What we've told them, you don't get all mad and get out there all hyped up. You have to put your energy and emotions into your preparation. … That's what I've seen these guys do."
What MacIntyre would like his Buffs to do Saturday is put together a complete game on both sides of the ball. The Buffs have had solid defensive performances at several junctures this year, and last week, the offense put forth by far its most consistent performance of the season — only to see the defense falter in a 45-42 loss to Arizona.
Saturday, the Buffs need to get over a hump that has seen them lose their last two games by a total of seven points. On paper, at least, the Beavers seem to offer the Buffs that opportunity.
It has not been a good season for Oregon State. OSU is last in the Pac-12 in scoring offense, averaging just 19.0 points per game, while the defense is giving up a league-worst 45 points per game. In three Pac-12 games, the Beavers have been outscored 142-44.
But, the Buffs are expecting an emotional OSU team to take the field — and a coaching staff that has nothing to lose.
"I think they're going to come out and play in a way of thanking Gary," MacIntyre said. "I know a lot of the guys on his staff have been with him and know him well and believe in him. I think they'll have extra energy on that side of it for sure. At the same time, they kind of have nothing to lose in a way, even as a staff. You can take more gambles and more risks I would imagine. We've got to be ready for that."
Defensively, the Buff expect to see Oregon State big back Ryan Nall, who missed last week's game with an ankle injury but could be ready Saturday. Nall leads OSU with 341 yards rushing and has a pair of 100-yard games to his credit this year. Last year, though, Colorado held him to just 35 yards on nine carries in a 47-6 win in Boulder.
Speaking of last year, the Buffs would love to replicate another stat from the two teams' 2016 meeting. In that game, Buffs quarterback Steven Montez and wide receiver Shay Fields hooked up for three touchdown passes, covering 63, 51 and 33 yards.
After six games this season, CU's longest pass of the year is a 44-yard Montez completion to Fields, with the longest touchdown pass just 39 yards, a Montez throw to tight end Chris Bounds last week.
But more than anything, the Buffs simply want to come away with a win. How they get there is secondary.
"We're definitely still fired up, still waiting for that first Pac-12 win," Montez said. "This is a great opportunity for us to get that going here. Oregon State's a good team, we're a good team. We'll see how it plays out on Saturday."
MATCHUP TO WATCH: CU's offensive line vs. OSU linebacker Manase Hungalu, who leads the Beavers in tackles (48), sacks (1.5), interceptions (2) and quarterback hurries (2).
KEEP AN EYE ON: CU quarterback Montez and his receivers. The Buffs are anxious to get the deep ball back in their arsenal. The Beavers have given up 15 pass plays of 25 yards or longer, including five touchdown passes.
THE SERIES: OSU leads the all-time series 5-4, with the series tied at 2-2 since Colorado entered the Pac-12. CU has also won the last two games in the series, including a 17-13 win in Corvallis in 2015.
NUTS AND BOLTS:
Kickoff: 2:07 p.m., Reser Field.
Broadcast: The game will be televised nationally by the Pac-12 Network with Ted Robinson, Yogi Roth and Jill Savage. The radio broadcast will be carried by AM 850 KOA with Mark Johnson, Gary Barnett and Bobby Pesavento.
In-game live blog, stats: A live in-game blog as well as continually updated statistics will be available on www.CUBuffs.com
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
