Photo by: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
This-N-That From Saturday’s Buffalo Victory
October 28, 2017 | Football
On a day where CU won its 700th game all-time, there was plenty of good notes from Saturday's victory
BOULDER – The Colorado Buffaloes bounced back from last week's shutout defeat at No. 15 Washington State with its most complete game of the season, performing in all three phases to beat California 44-28 Saturday at Folsom Field.
In a game where a lot went right for CU, here are some of the nuggets from the Buffs victory that pulled Colorado within one victory of becoming bowl eligible.
• Colorado's offense threw for 353 yards and rushed for 200, giving the Buffs 553 yards of total offense (second highest output of the season). This is the second game this season where CU threw for over 350 yards while rushing for 200-plus (CU threw for 357 and rushed for 212 against Northern Colorado). It marks the first season in school history that a Colorado team has had two games with over 350/200.
Games in CU history with over 350 yards passing, 200 rushing
9/12/81 vs. Texas Tech (359 passing, 205 rushing)
9/16/95 vs. NE Louisiana (533 passing, 225 rushing)
9/7/96 at Colorado State (364 passing, 281 rushing)
9/11/99 vs. San Jose State (474 passing, 293 rushing)
9/18/04 vs. North Texas (383 passing, 203 rushing)
9/15/17 vs. Northern Colorado (357 passing, 212 rushing)
10/28/17 vs. California (353 passing, 200 rushing) – first conference game this has occurred
• Colorado and California came into the game as the only Pac-12 schools (and two of just 13 Power 5 teams) that had forced a turnover in every game. The turnover battle was even on Saturday – Cal recovering one fumble and the Buffs one interception on Nick Fisher's record-tying TD return. What is of bigger note here is Colorado's defense holding the Bears after coughing up the ball to them on their own 46-yard line. CU forced the Bears to go three-and-out after that turnover to hold on to what was then a 27-14 lead.
The Buffs have turned the ball over a total of 10 times this season, but opponents have only been able to score 10 points off of those (Washington scored the TD on a pick-6 and also had a field goal after another interception). CU's defense has forced four three-and-outs immediately after a turnover, had a series where it forced a turnover on downs and the last two series following a turnover saw the opponents drive end with the halftime bell.
• Junior DB Nick Fisher joined a very exclusive club when he returned an interception 100 yards in the fourth quarter. It was the 11th 100-yard play in CU history, the fourth interception return of that length (first since Steve Rosga against Oklahoma State in Boulder on Oct. 12, 1996).
• Third Downs: Cal was 13-of-19 on third downs last week against Arizona, but Colorado held the Bears to 8-of-17 on third downs Saturday. Meanwhile, CU's offense was 4-for-5 on third down plays in the first quarter with two of their conversions coming on third-and-17's. The Buffs finished the game going 11-of-17 on third downs, this coming off last week's performance where CU went 1-for-17. The .647 third down conversion percentage Saturday is the single-game high for the Buffs this year (previous high was against Arizona when CU was 13-for-21, or 61.9 percent).
• Sacks: The Buffs had four sacks in the game, which is the most they've had in any Pac-12 Conference game this season. George Frazier, Drew Lewis, Evan Worthington and Jase Franke were the four Buffs with the sacks – the first of the season for each of those players (was the first career sack of Worthington's career).
• Explosive Plays (those of 20 or more yards): Colorado's offense had seven plays in the game of 20 or more yards, including two of 50-plus in the passing game. Those were the first 50-plus yard passing plays of the season for Colorado. CU came into the weekend ranked 115th in the FBS in plays of 50-plus yards with just one (a 74-yard Phillip Lindsay touchdown run at Oregon State). CU's defense held Cal to just four explosive plays, only one of those coming in the first half.
• California came into the game having scored 84 points in the fourth quarter, the second most of any Pac-12 opponent. Colorado was able to outscore the Bears 17-14 in the fourth (CU had just 55 total points in the final quarter in its first eight games of the season).
• Steven Montez recorded his third career game passing for over 300 yards and his fifth throwing three or more touchdowns. His .769 completion percentage (20-of-26) is the second highest of the season, behind his 21-of-27 (.777) game against Washington.
Most Attempts Without An Interception
152 – Sefo Liufau (nine games, Nov. 13, 2015 to Nov. 3, 2016)
139 – Joel Klatt (five games, Oct. 15 to Nov. 12, 2005)
134 – Steven Montez (five games, Sept. 23 to present)
131 – Tyler Hansen (four games, Sept. 3 to Oct. 1, 2011)
118 – Sefo Liufau (five games, Sept. 3 to Oct. 3, 2015)
114 – Cody Hawkins (four games, Oct. 9 to Nov. 6, 2010)
107 – Sefo Liufau (four games, Oct. 10-31, 2015)
104 – Craig Ochs (four games, Oct. 14 to Nov. 4, 2000)
100 – John Hessler (six games, Sept. 2 to Oct. 7, 1995)
In a game where a lot went right for CU, here are some of the nuggets from the Buffs victory that pulled Colorado within one victory of becoming bowl eligible.
• Colorado's offense threw for 353 yards and rushed for 200, giving the Buffs 553 yards of total offense (second highest output of the season). This is the second game this season where CU threw for over 350 yards while rushing for 200-plus (CU threw for 357 and rushed for 212 against Northern Colorado). It marks the first season in school history that a Colorado team has had two games with over 350/200.
Games in CU history with over 350 yards passing, 200 rushing
9/12/81 vs. Texas Tech (359 passing, 205 rushing)
9/16/95 vs. NE Louisiana (533 passing, 225 rushing)
9/7/96 at Colorado State (364 passing, 281 rushing)
9/11/99 vs. San Jose State (474 passing, 293 rushing)
9/18/04 vs. North Texas (383 passing, 203 rushing)
9/15/17 vs. Northern Colorado (357 passing, 212 rushing)
10/28/17 vs. California (353 passing, 200 rushing) – first conference game this has occurred
• Colorado and California came into the game as the only Pac-12 schools (and two of just 13 Power 5 teams) that had forced a turnover in every game. The turnover battle was even on Saturday – Cal recovering one fumble and the Buffs one interception on Nick Fisher's record-tying TD return. What is of bigger note here is Colorado's defense holding the Bears after coughing up the ball to them on their own 46-yard line. CU forced the Bears to go three-and-out after that turnover to hold on to what was then a 27-14 lead.
The Buffs have turned the ball over a total of 10 times this season, but opponents have only been able to score 10 points off of those (Washington scored the TD on a pick-6 and also had a field goal after another interception). CU's defense has forced four three-and-outs immediately after a turnover, had a series where it forced a turnover on downs and the last two series following a turnover saw the opponents drive end with the halftime bell.
• Junior DB Nick Fisher joined a very exclusive club when he returned an interception 100 yards in the fourth quarter. It was the 11th 100-yard play in CU history, the fourth interception return of that length (first since Steve Rosga against Oklahoma State in Boulder on Oct. 12, 1996).
• Third Downs: Cal was 13-of-19 on third downs last week against Arizona, but Colorado held the Bears to 8-of-17 on third downs Saturday. Meanwhile, CU's offense was 4-for-5 on third down plays in the first quarter with two of their conversions coming on third-and-17's. The Buffs finished the game going 11-of-17 on third downs, this coming off last week's performance where CU went 1-for-17. The .647 third down conversion percentage Saturday is the single-game high for the Buffs this year (previous high was against Arizona when CU was 13-for-21, or 61.9 percent).
• Sacks: The Buffs had four sacks in the game, which is the most they've had in any Pac-12 Conference game this season. George Frazier, Drew Lewis, Evan Worthington and Jase Franke were the four Buffs with the sacks – the first of the season for each of those players (was the first career sack of Worthington's career).
• Explosive Plays (those of 20 or more yards): Colorado's offense had seven plays in the game of 20 or more yards, including two of 50-plus in the passing game. Those were the first 50-plus yard passing plays of the season for Colorado. CU came into the weekend ranked 115th in the FBS in plays of 50-plus yards with just one (a 74-yard Phillip Lindsay touchdown run at Oregon State). CU's defense held Cal to just four explosive plays, only one of those coming in the first half.
• California came into the game having scored 84 points in the fourth quarter, the second most of any Pac-12 opponent. Colorado was able to outscore the Bears 17-14 in the fourth (CU had just 55 total points in the final quarter in its first eight games of the season).
• Steven Montez recorded his third career game passing for over 300 yards and his fifth throwing three or more touchdowns. His .769 completion percentage (20-of-26) is the second highest of the season, behind his 21-of-27 (.777) game against Washington.
Most Attempts Without An Interception
152 – Sefo Liufau (nine games, Nov. 13, 2015 to Nov. 3, 2016)
139 – Joel Klatt (five games, Oct. 15 to Nov. 12, 2005)
134 – Steven Montez (five games, Sept. 23 to present)
131 – Tyler Hansen (four games, Sept. 3 to Oct. 1, 2011)
118 – Sefo Liufau (five games, Sept. 3 to Oct. 3, 2015)
114 – Cody Hawkins (four games, Oct. 9 to Nov. 6, 2010)
107 – Sefo Liufau (four games, Oct. 10-31, 2015)
104 – Craig Ochs (four games, Oct. 14 to Nov. 4, 2000)
100 – John Hessler (six games, Sept. 2 to Oct. 7, 1995)
Players Mentioned
DB
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DT
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TE/DE
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ILB
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TB
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QB
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QB
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DB
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