Woelk: 10 Takeaways From ASU Game

BOULDER — The Colorado Buffaloes likely won't find film study of Saturday's 41-30 loss to Arizona State suitable for family viewing.

One week after playing relatively mistake-free football, the Buffs did just the opposite, making enough miscues to pave the way for an Arizona State comeback that saw the Sun Devils outscore Colorado 24-3 in the final period.

Now, the 5-5 Buffs (2-5 Pac-12) have two games remaining and need a win in at least one to not only become bowl eligible, but also avoid a last-place finish in the Pac-12 South.

But one more win won't be easy. No. 15 USC visits Boulder next Saturday with a chance to clinch the Pac-12 South with a win. One week later, the Buffs close the regular season on the road at Utah.

What we learned from Saturday's loss in the desert:

1. A fast-paced offense is nice, but sometimes taking your time also works. The Buffs scored their second touchdown of the game with 1:07 left in the first half. They moved eight plays in 51 yards, getting a first and goal at the 1:19 mark on a 15-yard pass from Steven Montez to Bryce Bobo.

This is when it might have behooved the Buffs to take their time and run just a little more clock, especially as they had one timeout remaining (and time to plan during a review of Bobo's catch). Instead, the Buffs actually scored just a little too quickly, handing the ball back to ASU with just more than a minute to go — barely enough time for the Sun Devils to drive downfield and close the CU lead back to three, 17-14, heading into halftime.

2. Colorado's run defense will be tested quickly next week. Guaranteed, USC saw what the Sun Devils did to the Buffs in the fourth quarter. ASU ran for 191 yards of their 381 total in the final period, pounding Colorado into submission.

While the Trojans have a terrific passing attack led by Sam Darnold, they also have an outstanding running game. In Sunday's 49-35 win over Arizona, Ronald Jones ran for 194 yards and three scores, including 96 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the deciding fourth quarter. The Buffs have played well this year against the pass, but their run defense has worn down in nearly every loss.

3. Turnovers matter. Colorado's streak of producing at least one defensive takeaway came to an end Saturday, as they could never pry the ball out of ASU's hands. One takeaway could have provided a much-needed momentum boost, especially in the late third and entire fourth quarter.

4. Quarterback Steven Montez seems to be back on track. Montez was 23-for-41 for 345 yards and a touchdown, along with an interception on the final play of the game.

Montez missed a couple throws early, one of which would almost certainly have provided a touchdown on CU's first possession. But he came back and was on target for much of the night — and his numbers would have been much better had it not been for some costly drops. He directed several nice scoring drives and had some tight-window throws in the clutch.

Overall, CU's sophomore quarterback has made progress this season. If he can continue to develop his mental approach, something he's attacked with vigor over the last few weeks, he has the chance to be a very good college quarterback over the next two years.

5. Injuries have hurt CU's offensive line. The Buffs started their sixth different offensive line combination Saturday, with Tim Lynott Jr. making his fourth start at center in place of Jonathan Huckins, who had been cleared to play after a concussion, but had not played since the Washington State game.

Lynott, though, went out with an injury early in the second quarter. Up to that point, CU's Phillip Lindsay had rushed for 47 yards on 10 carries. After Lynott's exit, Lindsay had just 33 yards on 13 carries the rest of the night.

6. The Buffs missed Isaiah Oliver. Not a criticism here of either Dante Wigley or Trey Udoffia, both of whom made their fair share of plays Saturday. But without one of the best corners in America, CU's pass defense was that much more vulnerable, and ASU made just enough plays in the passing game to hurt the Buffs. Here's hoping Oliver is healthy for USC.

7. Good to see freshmen making plays. Freshman linebacker Nate Landman saw some time on the field Saturday and made the time count. Landman had a big play at midfield, stopping ASU's Demario Richard for no gain on fourth-and-1. Landman had an excellent fall camp, and will be a force in years to come.

Also making a couple of nice plays was freshman wide receiver K.D. Nixon, who took a shovel pass and gained 12 yards, and also had a 29-yard kick return.

8. Kicker James Stefanou is a weapon. The former pro soccer player has improved on a weekly basis. His 53-yard kick would have been good from another 5 yards out (at least), and his consistency is a luxury: Stefanou is 16-for-18 this year, putting him on target to enjoy one of the best field goal percentage seasons in Buffs history.

9. A handful of plays make the difference in a season. A year ago, the Buffs made plays that turned the tide of an entire season. Big interceptions, big catches, fumble recoveries, long runs — more often than not, Colorado delivered big plays in the clutch. The result was a 10-win, division title season.

That simply hasn't been the case this year. Even in an 11-point loss, it's not hard to find a couple of plays that would have made a big difference — but the Buffs just didn't make those plays. CU has now dropped three games — UCLA, Arizona and Arizona State — in which a handful of moments determined the outcome.

That, of course, is the story for teams all across America. More often than not, the difference between 8-4 and 4-8 is a handful of plays in clutch situations. For whatever reason, these Buffs just haven't been able to manufacture those difference-making moments.

10. We still don't know how this story ends. We do know the Buffs won't make a repeat trip to the Pac-12 title game. We do know they won't win 10 games again.

But we still don't know if they will produce CU's second winning record in the last 12 years.

The chance for a winning season — with a winning bowl game to cap it — is still a very real possibility. These last few weeks will go a long way in determining how the 2017 Buffs will be remembered, and it will be interesting to see what legacy they finally leave.

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu