Buffs Offense Takes A Step Up

BOULDER – Colorado's offense had a bounce back game it was looking for Saturday in its win over Northern Colorado at Folsom Field.

No, it was not perfect, as evident by the turnovers and penalties on that side of the ball, but it was the jump the group needed as the Buffaloes now head into Pac-12 play.

"Our offensive got after it and did some good things," head coach Mike MacIntyre said. "We got called for penalties here and there, but we were moving the ball."

Let's first look at where it all starts, up front in the trenches. Behind the o-line, which featured a new starting lineup, the Buffs racked up 569 yards of total offense, averaged 7.1 yards per play and reached the red zone a total of six times.

Those were the positives.

Now the group can work towards cleaning up the penalties (six of CU's 14 penalties were on the starting offensive line, including four holding calls) and ball security (the Buffs threw one pick and had a fumble in the red zone), not that those were on the o-line.

"We're never content with what we do," said senior offensive guard Gerrad Kough. "We always want to get better week in and week out."

Steven Montez, the sophomore quarterback making his sixth career start, put up his biggest numbers of his young career. He set new career-highs in completions (29), attempts (41), yards (357) and touchdown passes (four).

In fact, it was just the 14th time in Colorado history that the Buffs had a quarterback throw for four or more touchdowns (first since Sefo Liufau tossed a school-record seven TDs at Cal in 2014).

Additionally, with his 425 yards of total offense, he joined Koy Detmer, Mike Moschetti and Liufau as the only players at Colorado to have two career 400-yard total offense games.

"He sat in the pocket well," MacIntyre said. " The play he made where he gets out of the pocket and has the sixth sense to stay behind the line of scrimmage and just throws that ball to Shay [Fields] was a big-time play. He ran the ball well today and did some good things there. He played much better."

Phillip Lindsay put forth a Phillip Lindsay day, grinding out 151 yards on 26 carries with one touchdown. It was his eighth career 100-yard game and he now has scored a touchdown in 14 out of his last 18 games, including the Alamo Bowl, going back to the 2015 finale at Utah.

The other skill equation to the offense was the wide receivers. See Brie Thomas' story on the #BlackoutBoyz to get caught up with their tidbits from Saturday. Link to story

Hard to believe, but this was just the 11th game in Colorado history where it has a 300-yard passer, 100-yard rusher and 100-yard receiver, and the second time Montez has directed the offense in such a game.

Now, the Buffs will prep for No. 6 Washington. The Huskies in two wins over Rutgers and Montana allowed just an average of 236.0 yards and 10.5 points.

In last season's Pac-12 Championship game matchup, the Huskies held Colorado to 10 points and a season-low 163 yards of offense. Make no mistake about it, this offensive group will remember that game in Santa Clara last year.

Players Mentioned

Gerrad Kough

Phillip Lindsay

Sefo Liufau

Steven Montez

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