Colorado University Athletics
Photo by: U.S. Soccer
Buffs Begin Preparations for Arizona State
October 30, 2017 | Football
One win from becoming bowl eligible, Colorado focuses in on a ASU team that has two top 25 victories
BOULDER – The Colorado Buffaloes went back to work Monday, moving on from its impressive performance in the victory over California and readying for Saturday's tilt at Arizona State (4-4, 3-2 Pac-12) in a 7:07 p.m. MDT kickoff that will be televised by the Pac-12 Network.
Last season, Colorado used its 40-16 victory over Arizona State to launch the Buffs on their Rise, as the win started a six-game win streak that culminated in the Pac-12 south title.
As the Buffs enter their stretch run this year head coach Mike MacIntyre told reporters Monday of the importance of CU's gold games, which he defines as the last four games on the schedule.
CU went 4-0 in November last year, winning three of those four at home. This year, the Buffs got off to a good start with a win in its first gold game against Cal, but will play two of its final three on the road starting with the Sun Devils who are 2-1 at home in Pac-12 play with impressive wins over then 24th-ranked Oregon and No. 5 Washington.
"We're in a spot to be able to finish strong," MacIntyre said. "We probably don't have a shot at the Pac-12 Championship unless a bunch of people lose here, but we got a lot of other goals to be able to be able to reach, so that is what those mean.
"We want to try to keep improving each week and try to be the best team we can be when we hit November."
The Buffs enter the week with a shot of confidence after playing their most complete game in beating Cal. Colorado must now refocus for the Sun Devils that no doubt will have a chip on their shoulders after losing by 24 points and being out-gained 580-199 in Boulder last season. Those 199 yards were the fewest ASU gained in any game last year.
"They are better than they were when we played them last year, even though they were 5-1 then, I think they are a better team now," MacIntyre said. "Their quarterback is healthy number one, he wasn't healthy against us last year, and then on defense they are making your earn it a lot more. Coach (Todd) Graham is a heck of a defensive coach, (defensive coordinator) Phil Bennett is a heck of a defensive coach and they got good talent, especially up front. Their talent is big and athletic and their secondary is playing really well."
Montez Honored
Sophomore quarterback Steven Montez collected several awards for his bounce-back performance against California. On Monday he was one of eight quarterbacks selected as Manning Award Stars of the Week, the Davey O'Brien Award pegged him as one of its "Great 8" for last weekend and he was named an honorable mention national player of the week by the College Football Performance Awards and the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award.
Montez in the win over California completed 20-of-26 passes for 347 yards and three touchdowns to go with another rushing score. His 227.1 passer rating is the highest of his career and his 76.9 completion percentage was the second highest.
He now has completed 134 consecutive passes without being intercepted, which is the longest active streak in the FBS and the third longest in school history (Sefo Liufau went 152 straight passes last year and Joel Klatt 139 in 2005).
A Big Arizona Fan
Senior team captain Phillip Lindsay has found great success against the two Arizona schools. In seven combined games against Arizona (4) and Arizona State (3), he has rushed 150 times for 906 yards and 11 touchdowns. That is an average of 129.4 yards per game and 6.04 yards per carry. In three contests against Arizona State, he has 44 carries for 301 yards and five touchdowns – his biggest game coming last season when he went for a then career-high 219 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 8.4 yards per carry in leading the Buffs to the 40-16 victory. Lindsay was named the Pac-12 Player of the Week after his big game against the Sun Devils last season.
Record Watch
Lindsay with three games to go needs 454 rushing yards to break Eric Bieniemy's school rushing record that has stood for 27 years. Bieniemy rushed for 3,940 yards from 1987-90, Lindsay enters Saturday's contest with 3,487. That means he will have to average 151.3 yards over the final three contests to surpass Bieniemy.
Lindsay does head to the desert with the hot hand. Over his last four games he has rushed 131 times for 725 yards and five touchdowns. That is an average of 181.3 yards per game.
He leads the nation with 240 carries on the season, which is 31 more than any other player, and he is third in total rushing yards with 1,254, trailing only Stanford's Bryce Love (1,387) and San Diego State's Rashaad Penny (1,368). Both of those players ahead of him faced the Sun Devils this year. Penny on Sept. 9 at Sun Devil Stadium rushed 18 times for 216 yards and one touchdown while Love went for 301 yards on 25 carries with three scores.
USC Game Time Set
The Buffs' home game against Southern California, CU's senior day on Saturday, Nov. 11, will kick off at 2:05 p.m. MST and will be televised nationally by FOX.
Last season, Colorado used its 40-16 victory over Arizona State to launch the Buffs on their Rise, as the win started a six-game win streak that culminated in the Pac-12 south title.
As the Buffs enter their stretch run this year head coach Mike MacIntyre told reporters Monday of the importance of CU's gold games, which he defines as the last four games on the schedule.
CU went 4-0 in November last year, winning three of those four at home. This year, the Buffs got off to a good start with a win in its first gold game against Cal, but will play two of its final three on the road starting with the Sun Devils who are 2-1 at home in Pac-12 play with impressive wins over then 24th-ranked Oregon and No. 5 Washington.
"We're in a spot to be able to finish strong," MacIntyre said. "We probably don't have a shot at the Pac-12 Championship unless a bunch of people lose here, but we got a lot of other goals to be able to be able to reach, so that is what those mean.
"We want to try to keep improving each week and try to be the best team we can be when we hit November."
The Buffs enter the week with a shot of confidence after playing their most complete game in beating Cal. Colorado must now refocus for the Sun Devils that no doubt will have a chip on their shoulders after losing by 24 points and being out-gained 580-199 in Boulder last season. Those 199 yards were the fewest ASU gained in any game last year.
"They are better than they were when we played them last year, even though they were 5-1 then, I think they are a better team now," MacIntyre said. "Their quarterback is healthy number one, he wasn't healthy against us last year, and then on defense they are making your earn it a lot more. Coach (Todd) Graham is a heck of a defensive coach, (defensive coordinator) Phil Bennett is a heck of a defensive coach and they got good talent, especially up front. Their talent is big and athletic and their secondary is playing really well."
Montez Honored
Sophomore quarterback Steven Montez collected several awards for his bounce-back performance against California. On Monday he was one of eight quarterbacks selected as Manning Award Stars of the Week, the Davey O'Brien Award pegged him as one of its "Great 8" for last weekend and he was named an honorable mention national player of the week by the College Football Performance Awards and the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award.
Montez in the win over California completed 20-of-26 passes for 347 yards and three touchdowns to go with another rushing score. His 227.1 passer rating is the highest of his career and his 76.9 completion percentage was the second highest.
He now has completed 134 consecutive passes without being intercepted, which is the longest active streak in the FBS and the third longest in school history (Sefo Liufau went 152 straight passes last year and Joel Klatt 139 in 2005).
A Big Arizona Fan
Senior team captain Phillip Lindsay has found great success against the two Arizona schools. In seven combined games against Arizona (4) and Arizona State (3), he has rushed 150 times for 906 yards and 11 touchdowns. That is an average of 129.4 yards per game and 6.04 yards per carry. In three contests against Arizona State, he has 44 carries for 301 yards and five touchdowns – his biggest game coming last season when he went for a then career-high 219 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 8.4 yards per carry in leading the Buffs to the 40-16 victory. Lindsay was named the Pac-12 Player of the Week after his big game against the Sun Devils last season.
Record Watch
Lindsay with three games to go needs 454 rushing yards to break Eric Bieniemy's school rushing record that has stood for 27 years. Bieniemy rushed for 3,940 yards from 1987-90, Lindsay enters Saturday's contest with 3,487. That means he will have to average 151.3 yards over the final three contests to surpass Bieniemy.
Lindsay does head to the desert with the hot hand. Over his last four games he has rushed 131 times for 725 yards and five touchdowns. That is an average of 181.3 yards per game.
He leads the nation with 240 carries on the season, which is 31 more than any other player, and he is third in total rushing yards with 1,254, trailing only Stanford's Bryce Love (1,387) and San Diego State's Rashaad Penny (1,368). Both of those players ahead of him faced the Sun Devils this year. Penny on Sept. 9 at Sun Devil Stadium rushed 18 times for 216 yards and one touchdown while Love went for 301 yards on 25 carries with three scores.
USC Game Time Set
The Buffs' home game against Southern California, CU's senior day on Saturday, Nov. 11, will kick off at 2:05 p.m. MST and will be televised nationally by FOX.
Players Mentioned
Colorado Football Postgame Press Conference at Utah
Sunday, October 26
Colorado Football Press Conference
Friday, October 24
Colorado Football Weekly Press Conference
Friday, October 24
Colorado Football Coaches Show | Presented by Aflac | 10.23.25
Friday, October 24