Colorado-Colorado State Notes
vs
Houston
Sep 12 (Fri)
5:30 PM
Colorado Postgame Notes (pdf)
Players who carried out CU’s symbolic instruments today:
Sledgehammer: Ryan Severson
Toolbox: Derek McCartney
United States Flag: Kyle Evans
Colorado Flag: Terran Hasselbach
Special Teams Belt: NA
ATTENDANCE Tonight’s attendance of 69,850 was the most in the series since 2003 (76,219); this was the sixth-highest in the 16 games in Denver; Colorado sold 33,486 tickets (9,217 student) for the game; the Broncos moved 3,697 ducats; CU accounted for that number despite season ticket holders of just under 2,800 tickets opted out for the game to receive an equal value in number for a Pac-12 game.
QUICKLY Colorado is now 8-2 in non-conference games under Mike MacIntyre (3-1 vs. CSU), and the Buffs now lead the series 64-22-2 (10-6 in Denver) … MacIntyre is now 2-2 in season openers and 5-1 against CSU overall (2-0 at San Jose State) … Colorado is now 78-44-5 in season openers (7-4 in season openers in the fourth year of a head coach’s tenure) … TB Phillip Lindsay earned five first downs in the game’s first 10 minutes and accounted for 50 of CU’s 73 yards on the opening TD drive; his 10-yard run on CU’s opening play was the first in double-digits for CU on its first play of the year since 2007 … WR Shay Fields’ 60-yard reception was the sixth 50-plus yard play of his career … Colorado’s 31-0 halftime lead was its largest since Nov. 15, 2003, when it led Iowa State 37-0 in Ames (an eventual 44-10) … CU’s 44 points were the most in the series by either team since 1996, when the Buffs won 48-34 in Fort Collins … The 578 yards on offense by the Buffaloes were their most in a season opener since 1994 (649 in a 48-13 win over NE Louisiana); the 37-point margin was the largest in an opener since 1988, when CU beat Fresno State in Boulder, 45-3 … Colorado is now 49-9 all-time when both rushing and passing for at least 200 yards in a game (and is now 116-2 when scoring 43-plus points).
FIRST CAREER …
ACTION: A total of 14 players made their Buffalo debuts tonight (*—mainly saw action on special teams):
TRUE FRESHMEN (4): TB *Beau Bisharat, WR Johnny Huntley, WR/CB Tony Julmisse, QB Steven Montez
REDSHIRT FROSH (7): SN *J.T. Bale, TE *Chris Bounds, DB *Lucas Cooper, OL *Aaron Haigler, OG Tim Lynott Jr., QB Steven Montez, DT *Brett Tonz
SOPHOMORES (2): ILB Drew Lewis, DB *Daniel Talley
JUNIORS (1): WR Kabion Ento
SENIORS (0):,
STARTS: Two Buffaloes made their first career starts: S Afolabi Laguda and G Tim Lynott Jr.
SACK: OLB Kenneth Olugbode had the first of his career at the end of the first half.
Lynott becomes the 13th freshman to start a season opener on the offensive line (12 redshirt, 1 true – OG Clint Moore vs. Wyoming in 1991). The last player to start a season opener on the offensive line was OT Bryce Givens vs. CSU in 2009.
And speaking of firsts, C Alex Kelley scored the first TD by a Buff offensive lineman since Oct. 28, 1995, when OG Heath Irwin recovered a fumble in the end zone in a 44-21 loss to Nebraska. Kelley is the first offensive lineman in CU history to score the team’s first points of the year (127 seasons).
DEFENSIVE BUFFS Colorado held CSU to just 10 yards in the first quarter; in fact, 14 of CSU’s first 18 plays went for three yards or less and it did not pick up their initial first down until there was 10:23 left in the second quarter after opening up with six three-and-outs. In the first half, CSU ran nine plays in CU territory for minus-2 yards.
The 225 yards allowed by CU is the fewest by an opponent in a season opener since 1998 (CSU: 202 in a 42-14 Buff win).
INDIVIDUAL LINER NOTES
PK Diego Gonzalez (3-3 FG, 5-5 PAT, 14 points). He became the 49th player in CU history to score 100 career points (103 at the end of the night), and his 21 career field goals are tied for ninth in school annals.
CB Chidobe Awuzie (8,0—8 TT, 3 3DS, INT). He made his third career interception in the second quarter; it was the third time in his career he had three third down stops in a game.
WR Bryce Bobo (5-99, 0 TD receiving). He has a career-high in receiving yards,
QB Sefo Liufau (33-23-0, 318, 1 TD, 160.6 rating; 14-66 rushing; 384 yards total offense). He became CU’s all-time leader in passing yards (7,715, passing Cody Hawkins, 7,409, 2007-10), and he also passed Hawkins in all-time offensive plays with 47 tonight, giving him 1,356 (Hawkins had 1,335). He threw his 50th career TD pass (trails Hawkins by 10; Liufau is second). He already owned the career total offense mark, but he surpassed the 8K level, finishing the game with 8,226. He passed Joel Klatt (1,095, 2002-05) into second in passing attempts (1,126).
--His 384 yards of total offense were the 15th most in school history, as he added to his previous records in 300-yard passing games (10) and 300-yard total offense games (8).
--It was his 21st 200-yard passing game, tying Cody Hawkins for the most at Colorado.
--His 66 rushing yards were the third-most of his career; he had 81 at Hawaii last year (18 attempts), and 72 at Cal in 2014 (10 tries).
--He now holds or shares 78 Colorado records.
TB Phillip Lindsay (20-95, 2 TD rush, 3-23 receiving, 1-26 KOR, 145 all-purpose yards). He jumped from 49th into 45th on CU’s all-time rushing list (1,139 yards), and from 33rd into 25th on the all-time all-purpose yards list (2,521, passing such names as Mike Pritchard, Cliff Branch and Paul Richardson tonight). It was also the third two-TD game of his career.
WR Devin Ross (8-97, 1 TD). The receptions and yards were the second-most in each category in his career.
SS Tedric Thompson had the seventh interception of his career, moving into a tie for 22nd on his career list.
MORE TEAM NOTES
With four turnovers gained tonight (2 INT, 2 FR), Colorado has now:
--Extended its streak to forcing CSU into at least one turnover every year since 1999 (the four ties the most, as CU forced four in 2005—all interceptions).
--CU has now forced at least one turnover in 14 straight games, tied with Northern Illinois for the second-longest active streak in the nation (Boise State leads with 18 – both play tomorrow).
This was just the third time dating back to 1990 (27 games), that CU allowed a single score in a season opener; in 1995, the Buffs won 43-7 at Wisconsin and in 2010, CU bested the Rams, 24-3, also in Denver.
Players who carried out CU’s symbolic instruments today:
Sledgehammer: Ryan Severson
Toolbox: Derek McCartney
United States Flag: Kyle Evans
Colorado Flag: Terran Hasselbach
Special Teams Belt: NA
ATTENDANCE Tonight’s attendance of 69,850 was the most in the series since 2003 (76,219); this was the sixth-highest in the 16 games in Denver; Colorado sold 33,486 tickets (9,217 student) for the game; the Broncos moved 3,697 ducats; CU accounted for that number despite season ticket holders of just under 2,800 tickets opted out for the game to receive an equal value in number for a Pac-12 game.
QUICKLY Colorado is now 8-2 in non-conference games under Mike MacIntyre (3-1 vs. CSU), and the Buffs now lead the series 64-22-2 (10-6 in Denver) … MacIntyre is now 2-2 in season openers and 5-1 against CSU overall (2-0 at San Jose State) … Colorado is now 78-44-5 in season openers (7-4 in season openers in the fourth year of a head coach’s tenure) … TB Phillip Lindsay earned five first downs in the game’s first 10 minutes and accounted for 50 of CU’s 73 yards on the opening TD drive; his 10-yard run on CU’s opening play was the first in double-digits for CU on its first play of the year since 2007 … WR Shay Fields’ 60-yard reception was the sixth 50-plus yard play of his career … Colorado’s 31-0 halftime lead was its largest since Nov. 15, 2003, when it led Iowa State 37-0 in Ames (an eventual 44-10) … CU’s 44 points were the most in the series by either team since 1996, when the Buffs won 48-34 in Fort Collins … The 578 yards on offense by the Buffaloes were their most in a season opener since 1994 (649 in a 48-13 win over NE Louisiana); the 37-point margin was the largest in an opener since 1988, when CU beat Fresno State in Boulder, 45-3 … Colorado is now 49-9 all-time when both rushing and passing for at least 200 yards in a game (and is now 116-2 when scoring 43-plus points).
FIRST CAREER …
ACTION: A total of 14 players made their Buffalo debuts tonight (*—mainly saw action on special teams):
TRUE FRESHMEN (4): TB *Beau Bisharat, WR Johnny Huntley, WR/CB Tony Julmisse, QB Steven Montez
REDSHIRT FROSH (7): SN *J.T. Bale, TE *Chris Bounds, DB *Lucas Cooper, OL *Aaron Haigler, OG Tim Lynott Jr., QB Steven Montez, DT *Brett Tonz
SOPHOMORES (2): ILB Drew Lewis, DB *Daniel Talley
JUNIORS (1): WR Kabion Ento
SENIORS (0):,
STARTS: Two Buffaloes made their first career starts: S Afolabi Laguda and G Tim Lynott Jr.
SACK: OLB Kenneth Olugbode had the first of his career at the end of the first half.
Lynott becomes the 13th freshman to start a season opener on the offensive line (12 redshirt, 1 true – OG Clint Moore vs. Wyoming in 1991). The last player to start a season opener on the offensive line was OT Bryce Givens vs. CSU in 2009.
And speaking of firsts, C Alex Kelley scored the first TD by a Buff offensive lineman since Oct. 28, 1995, when OG Heath Irwin recovered a fumble in the end zone in a 44-21 loss to Nebraska. Kelley is the first offensive lineman in CU history to score the team’s first points of the year (127 seasons).
DEFENSIVE BUFFS Colorado held CSU to just 10 yards in the first quarter; in fact, 14 of CSU’s first 18 plays went for three yards or less and it did not pick up their initial first down until there was 10:23 left in the second quarter after opening up with six three-and-outs. In the first half, CSU ran nine plays in CU territory for minus-2 yards.
The 225 yards allowed by CU is the fewest by an opponent in a season opener since 1998 (CSU: 202 in a 42-14 Buff win).
INDIVIDUAL LINER NOTES
PK Diego Gonzalez (3-3 FG, 5-5 PAT, 14 points). He became the 49th player in CU history to score 100 career points (103 at the end of the night), and his 21 career field goals are tied for ninth in school annals.
CB Chidobe Awuzie (8,0—8 TT, 3 3DS, INT). He made his third career interception in the second quarter; it was the third time in his career he had three third down stops in a game.
WR Bryce Bobo (5-99, 0 TD receiving). He has a career-high in receiving yards,
QB Sefo Liufau (33-23-0, 318, 1 TD, 160.6 rating; 14-66 rushing; 384 yards total offense). He became CU’s all-time leader in passing yards (7,715, passing Cody Hawkins, 7,409, 2007-10), and he also passed Hawkins in all-time offensive plays with 47 tonight, giving him 1,356 (Hawkins had 1,335). He threw his 50th career TD pass (trails Hawkins by 10; Liufau is second). He already owned the career total offense mark, but he surpassed the 8K level, finishing the game with 8,226. He passed Joel Klatt (1,095, 2002-05) into second in passing attempts (1,126).
--His 384 yards of total offense were the 15th most in school history, as he added to his previous records in 300-yard passing games (10) and 300-yard total offense games (8).
--It was his 21st 200-yard passing game, tying Cody Hawkins for the most at Colorado.
--His 66 rushing yards were the third-most of his career; he had 81 at Hawaii last year (18 attempts), and 72 at Cal in 2014 (10 tries).
--He now holds or shares 78 Colorado records.
TB Phillip Lindsay (20-95, 2 TD rush, 3-23 receiving, 1-26 KOR, 145 all-purpose yards). He jumped from 49th into 45th on CU’s all-time rushing list (1,139 yards), and from 33rd into 25th on the all-time all-purpose yards list (2,521, passing such names as Mike Pritchard, Cliff Branch and Paul Richardson tonight). It was also the third two-TD game of his career.
WR Devin Ross (8-97, 1 TD). The receptions and yards were the second-most in each category in his career.
SS Tedric Thompson had the seventh interception of his career, moving into a tie for 22nd on his career list.
MORE TEAM NOTES
With four turnovers gained tonight (2 INT, 2 FR), Colorado has now:
--Extended its streak to forcing CSU into at least one turnover every year since 1999 (the four ties the most, as CU forced four in 2005—all interceptions).
--CU has now forced at least one turnover in 14 straight games, tied with Northern Illinois for the second-longest active streak in the nation (Boise State leads with 18 – both play tomorrow).
This was just the third time dating back to 1990 (27 games), that CU allowed a single score in a season opener; in 1995, the Buffs won 43-7 at Wisconsin and in 2010, CU bested the Rams, 24-3, also in Denver.