Colorado-USC Notes - University of Colorado Athletics

Wyoming

Sep 20 (Sat)

8:15 p.m.

Players who carried out CU’s symbolic instruments today:
Sledgehammer: N.J. Falo
Toolbox: Shane Callahan
United States Flag: Bryce Bobo
Colorado Flag: Aaron Howard

QUICKLY USC now leads the all-time series by an 11-0 count, though the last two games went down to the wire and were decided by a total of 7 points … The Buffs had won all five coin tosses this season prior to USC winning today … The 90-degree temperature at kickoff tied for the 11th warmest in school history (sixth at 90°); CU is 7-9 when the temp is 90-plus at kickoff … Colorado is now 0-2 when wearing its silver-white-silver combination look (only previous game was the 28-20 loss at Hawaii last year) … This was the first game as a head coach that Mike MacIntyre coached with his team ranked (80 games total) … CU is now 2-20-1 all-time in the state of California, dropping the last 10 games (the two wins came in the ’96 Holiday Bowl in San Diego (33-21 over Washington) and over UCLA in 2002 (31-17 at the Rose Bowl) ... Los Angeles Ram and former Buff (’15) WR Nelson Spruce was a guest on the CU sideline.

TD Less … Colorado had not allowed a touchdown in five straight quarters until USC scored one in the first quarter; the last time CU did not allow a TD in five straight was in 2012 (shut out Arizona State in the fourth in a 38-24 loss and then held Hawaii to four field goals in a 21-12 win).

First Quarter/Half … USC is the first team to slow down the Buffs out of the gate this season, the only school to keep CU from scoring in the first quarter and the first half. The Trojans were the first to hold CU under 161 yards in the first quarter (70 today) and under 232 in the first half (127).   Colorado came in with 85 first quarter points, the most in the nation.

Offense Notes … CU is 4-0 when running over 80 plays and 0-2 when held to under 70; same records when owning the edge in time of possession and when not … USC held the Buffs under 100 yards rushing for the second straight year (96 this year, 59 last year) … QB Breakdown: Steven Montez directed 66 plays for 356 yards, Sefo Liufau 7 for 15 … CU went a second straight game without committing a fumble … The Buffs have just six turnovers in as many games.

Defense … ILB Kenneth Olugbode’s forced fumble and CB Ahkello Witherspoon’s subsequent recovery in the end zone on today’s first USC possession extended CU’s nation’s-best streak of forcing at least one turnover to 19 straight games … CU forced four turnovers in all, and now have 13 in five games … USC’s first 22 plays in CU territory netted 159 yards; its next 17 (not including the end of game kneeldowns) netted 38 yards.

INDIVIDUAL LINER NOTES

TB Phillip Lindsay (11-57 rushing, 6-105, 1 TD receiving). He is the first Buff running back to have 100 yards receiving in a game since TB Cortlen Johnson did so at Iowa State on Nov. 10, 2001 (both had identical games: 6-105 with a TD). The 67-yard TD pass he caught from Bryce Bobo was the longest play of his career (rush/reception/return); previous long was a 51-yard kickoff return as a freshman against Hawai’i in 2014.

WR Bryce Bobo (10-83, 1 TD; 1-1-0, 67, 1 TD passing). He caught a career high 10 passes (old: 6 vs. Arizona last year), seven of which earned first downs. The 67-yard TD he threw (left-handed) was his first career pass; his rating is 992.8 (!).

ILB Kenneth Olugbode (7,3—10 TT, 1 FF, 1 INT). Pending coaches video review, he will become the first Buffalo to have 10-plus tackles in four straight games for the first time since Anthony Perkins did in 2011.