Colorado
3-1 , 0-1
Washington
4-0 , 1-0
Buffs Falter In Second Half, Fall To Huskies
September 23, 2017 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — The Colorado Buffaloes were aiming for a little redemption Saturday night.
Instead, seventh-ranked Washington handed the Buffaloes a repeat of their Pac-12 title game from last year, methodically pounding out a 37-10 win before a soggy Folsom Field crowd of 47,666.
The latest matchup was eerily similar to last year's. After a close first half, the Huskies pulled away after intermission, once again aided by an interception return for a touchdown — one of three interceptions thrown by Buffs quarterback Steven Montez, the same number of interceptions recorded by the Huskies in last year's game.
Washington, which outscored Colorado 27-3 in the second half last year for a 41-10 win, outscored the Buffs 27-3 in the second half again for the win Saturday. The loss dropped Colorado to 3-1 on the season and 0-1 in Pac-12 play while the Huskies improved to 4-0, 1-0.
"Washington finished the game off strong and we didn't," head coach Mike MacIntyre said. "They were better than we were tonight."
HOW IT HAPPENED: While the score may not reflect it, the Buffs were much more competitive in this game — but ended up being their own worst enemy in clutch situations. Colorado scored first, but the Huskies then put 17 unanswered points on the board off CU miscues and the UW offense wore down the Buffs defense.
Washington finished with 414 yards total offense, including 254 on the ground (161 in the second half). CU had a respectable 311 total offense, but just 120 on the ground.
Still, the Buffs threw a scare into the Huskies for a half.
Colorado drew first blood, taking the opening kickoff and marching 75 yards in 11 plays for the score. Quarterback Steven Montez completed four passes for 54 yards on the drive, including throws of 13 yards to Bryce Bobo and 22 yards to Devin Ross. Phillip Lindsay carried six times for 21 yards, including a 1-yard touchdown run. James Stefanou's PAT gave Colorado a 7-0 lead with 10:24 to go in the first quarter.
The Buffs then threatened to extend that margin after an Afolabi Laguda interception ended the Huskies' first possession. Colorado drove from its own 20 into Washington territory, but the drive stalled at the UW 40 and the Buffs punted.
Colorado got one more break on the Huskies' ensuing possession when UW kicker Tristan Vizcaino was wide right on a 32-yard field goal try.
But the Buffs' luck broke the other way on their next possession when Montez came up short on a third-down run, forcing a CU punt. The Huskies crashed protection and blocked an Alex Kinney kick, recovering at the Colorado 12.
Four plays later, the Huskies tied the game on a 1-yard Myles Gaskin run.
From that point on, the Buffs continued to create opportunities for the Huskies. On CU's next possession, Colorado drove into Washington territory before a Montez pass bounced off Lindsay's hands into those of UW's Jordan Miller. Nine plays later, the Huskies got a 25-yard go-ahead field goal from Vizcaino for a 10-7 lead with 3:36 to go in the half.
CU's next possession ended with a Montez interception in the end zone and UW then ran out the clock to send the Buffs into the locker room at the half trailing 10-7.
The Huskies then methodically pulled away from the Buffs in the second half. Washington took the opening kickoff and marched 74 yards for a touchdown, with a CU penalty on a third-down incompletion keeping the drive alive. The Huskies capped the drive with a 43-yard touchdown pass from Jake Browning to Quinten Pounds for a 17-7 lead.
Colorado managed to answer with a scoring drive of its own, going 53 yards before settling for a 49-yard James Stefanou field goal to close to within 17-10. The Buffs then caught a break on Washington's next possession when Vizcaino missed another field goal try, this one from 41 yards out.
But the Buffs then committed their biggest mistake of the night on their next possession when UW cornerback Myles Bryant broke on a Montez pass, picked it off and raced 35 yards to the end zone, giving the Huskies a 24-10 lead.
Asked after the game what he hopes Montez takes away from the loss, MacIntyre said, "I'll meet with him Monday. I hope takes away not throwing the ball to the wrong colored jersey."
From that point on, Washington ground the Buffs down. The Huskies added a seven-play, 61-yard scoring drive early in the final period to go up 31-10, then added their final score of the night when Gaskin went 57 yards for a score midway through the fourth quarter for the 37-10 margin.
TURNING POINT: The Buffs trailed by just a touchdown in the third quarter and seemingly had a little momentum back on their side after UW's second missed field goal of the night. But Bryant's interception return for a touchdown gave the Huskies a two-score lead and the Buffs never threatened again.
KEY STATISTIC: The Buffs threw three interceptions, including one that was returned for a touchdown, and a blocked punt led to another UW score. The Huskies reaped 17 points off three CU turnovers and the blocked punt.
CU STANDOUTS: WR Juwann Winfree had a career-high 5 catches for 33 yards. … Kicker James Stefanou's 49-yard field goal made him 7-for-8 for the year and he is now 11-for-11 on PAT tries. … ILB Drew Lewis was credited with 10 tackles in his fourth career start, making him the first Buffs since Greg Biekert in 1990 to have at least 10 tackles in his first four starts. … ILB Rick Gamboa also had 10 tackles.
NOTEWORTHY: Colorado's first drive of the night — 11 plays, 75 yards 4:36 — was longer in all three categories than any drive the Buffs had against UW in last year's title game. … The Buffs gave up their first red zone touchdown of the year and also their first rushing touchdown of the year. … Phillip Lindsay became CU's all-time leader in receptions by a running back with five, giving him 96 for his career. He passed Rodney Stewart (93). He is also now seventh on CU's all-time rushing charts with 2,679, seventh in rushing touchdowns (26) and tied for 10th in career points (168).
WHAT IT MEANS: The Buffs found out where they stand against one of the nation's elite teams. CU played well at times, but made too many mistakes offensively to stay in the game. They need to shore up those miscues if they want to be a factor in the Pac-12 South.
NEXT UP: The Buffs hit the road for the first time this season for an 8:30 p.m. (Mountain time) game at the Rose Bowl against UCLA.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
Team Stats
WASH 0, COLO 7
COLO - Lindsay, Philli 1 yd run (Stefanou, James kick), 11 plays, 75 yards, TOP 4:36
WASH 7, COLO 7
WASH - Gaskin, Myles 1 yd run (Vizcaino, T. kick), 4 plays, 12 yards, TOP 1:45
WASH 10, COLO 7
WASH - Vizcaino, T. 25 yd field goal 9 plays, 53 yards, TOP 3:17
WASH 17, COLO 7
WASH - Pounds, Quinten 43 yd pass from Browning, Jake (Vizcaino, T. kick) 6 plays, 74 yards, TOP 3:17
WASH 17, COLO 10
COLO - Stefanou, James 49 yd field goal 10 plays, 53 yards, TOP 4:05
WASH 24, COLO 10
WASH - Bryant, Myles 35 yd interception (Vizcaino, T. kick)
WASH 31, COLO 10
WASH - Ahmed, Salvon 6 yd run (Vizcaino, T. kick), 7 plays, 61 yards, TOP 3:37
WASH 37, COLO 10
WASH - Gaskin, Myles 57 yd run (Vizcaino, T. kickfailed), 1 plays, 57 yards, TOP 0:12
