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Gut Punch
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At just past 5:00 p.m., sunshine was beating down on Folsom Field.
On an otherwise perfect afternoon, the sun had come out just as the Oregon State offense caught fire. The Beavers had rallied from a 31-3 deficit to make it a 34-28 game late in the fourth quarter.
As the game neared its four hour mark, the sun hid behind a cloud, giving those of us on the east side of the stadium a bit of relief from the sun’s rays. It had been cloudy as the Buffs build a 28-point lead, so I was hoping that the return of the clouds would also mean the return of order for the Buffs … and somehow the Colorado defense would figure out a way to make a play against an Oregon State team which hadn’t beaten an FBS team in almost two full years.
My wish was not granted.
Instead, the sun came back out, and a defense which had given up only 16 fourth quarter points in the first seven games of the 2018 season, gave up 24 to the worst team the Pac-12 had to offer.
It was a disaster four hours in the making.
In a loss which came down to overtime, there were many chances for the Buffs to take care of business:
— In the first quarter, the Buff defense was dominant, sacking Beaver quarterback Jack Colletto four times in as many drives. Instead of taking advantage, the Buffs turned the first quarter into a punt-fest, with the teams exchanging seven punts;
— After taking a 7-0 lead, the previously dominant Buff defense surrendered a field goal, keeping the Beavers in the game;
— With a 7-3 lead early in the second quarter, the Buffs had a first-and-goal at the OSU four yard line. Instead of taking a two-score lead, the Buffs had to settle for a field goal when Steven Montez fumbled the snap on third-and-goal;
— The Buffs thereafter took control, with a pick-six, a touchdown pass from Steven Montez to K.D. Nixon, and a 75-yard run by Travon McMillian to open the second half. The Buffs, a 23.5-point favorite, had a 31-3 lead, and all was well with the Buff Nation. Then …
— Oregon State switched quarterbacks, but the Buffs did not adjust. In giving up a 17-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, the Buff defense allowed the Beavers to convert a third-and-five, a third-and-nine, and a third-and-five. When the Buffs finally made a stand on third downs, the Buffs gave up a fourth-and-four and a fourth-and-two, with the latter conversion going for a touchdown. Stop the Beavers on any one of those five plays … any one of them … and any thought of an Oregon State comeback would have gone away for good;
— The Buffs could have reasserted control on their next drive, but on a third-and-four at the CU 44, Steven Montez completed a pass to K.D. Nixon for four yards … except Nixon ran sideways – and backwards – surrendering the first down, forcing a CU punt;
— After forcing OSU’s only punt of the second half, Steven Montez took off on a career-best 49-yard run, giving CU a first down at the Oregon State 32. Instead of taking advantage, the drive went exactly nowhere from there, with a blocked field goal attempt the result;
— Still up 31-10 late in the third quarter, the Buffs began to seriously unravel. The OSU gains came in bunches, with the Buffs allowing the Beavers to gain 49 yards in two plays. A sack by Nate Landman help set up a third-and-19 at the Buff 33. The Buffs were one play from putting an end to the rally, but instead, a screen pass to Jermar Jefferson went for 12 yards to the CU 21. It would have been a fourth-and-seven … but Kyle Trego was called for targeting, giving the Beavers a first down. Three plays later, it was a 31-17 game;
— It was still a two-touchdown game early in the fourth quarter when the Buff offense faced a fourth-and-one at the Oregon State 45. Instead of going under center, the Buffs stayed in the shotgun, with a handoff to Travon McMillian being stuffed for no gain, giving the ball – and momentum – back to Oregon State;
— After holding the Beavers to a field goal – and preserving a two-score lead, at 31-20 – the Buff offense responded .. with a three-and-out which took a grand total of 54 seconds off of the game clock;
— With a two-score lead and a chance to make a statement … the Buff defense gave up a five-play, 63-yard touchdown drive (and a two-point conversion) to make it a 31-28 game;
— With a chance to put the game away, the Buffs drove down to the Oregon State ten yard line, facing a third-and-five. Steven Montez scrambled for six yards and a first-and-goal at the Oregon State four yard line … except that true freshman offensive lineman Frank Fillip was called for holding. The penalty forced a field goal, leaving it a six point game with 2:09 to play;
— One final chance to stop what has been the worst team in the Pac-12 for the past two seasons, the Buff defense gave up successive 15-yard penalties, giving up 30 yards of OSU’s 75-yard touchdown drive. Even then, with all of the chances to put the game away, the Buff had one last opportunity. Oregon State had a fourth-and-eight at the CU ten yard line, with 34 seconds to play. One stop, and the Buffs would escape with a win. Instead, the Buffs gave up a touchdown. The missed extra point and the chance to win in overtime just seemed to add to the agony.
How many chances is that? Ten? 15? 20?
What difference does it make?
The game should never have been close. It was 31-3 in the third quarter. That has been a big enough lead for the Buffs to come away victors in every game CU has had such a lead in its history … save one.
In 2010, the Buffs led Kansas, 45-17, in the second half, but ended up losing, 52-45. It was the last game Dan Hawkins coached at Colorado, with Hawkins being relieved of his duties for the final three games of the 2010 campaign.
A harbinger of things to come?
Too early to say.
The Buffs seemed to have hit a glass ceiling when it comes to obtaining bowl eligibility the past two seasons.
Last fall, entered November with a 5-4 record. One win in the final three games would have given CU six wins and bowl eligibility. Instead, the Buffs fell to Arizona State, 41-30 (in a game in which the Buffs led, 27-17, entering the fourth quarter) before surrendering meekly to USC, 38-24, and Utah, 34-13.
This fall, the Buffs opened up 5-0. A bowl bid seemed like a foregone conclusion, with dreams of a Pac-12 South title seemingly more at issue that bowl eligibility.
Three games later, the Buffs are 5-3, making it six straight games over the past two seasons in which a victory would have given Colorado a bowl bid.
A few weeks ago, the Oregon State game seemed to be the Buffs bounce back game. Even if CU lost to USC and Washington, a win over Oregon State would give the Buffs a 6-2 record, bowl eligibility, and chance at making a run at the Pac-12 South title.
Now?
“I would say it was an extremely bad loss, no doubt about it,” said Mike MacIntyre, who fell to 30-41 in his tenure at Colorado. “It was one we should have won because we were up. We should’ve put it away and didn’t. It is extremely tough, no doubt.”
“Extremely tough”?
Let’s go with excruciating. Eviscerating. Mind-numbing.
Three weeks ago, Colorado was one of the top 25 teams in the nation.
A few hours ago, Colorado looked to be no worse than the third-best team in the Pac-12 South.
Now? All bets are off.
The Buffs could respond. If the Pac-12 has shown fans anything in 2018, it is not to believe projections.
The season began with the Pac-12 having four ranked teams … No. 6 Washington; No. 13 Stanford; No. 15 USC; and No. 24 Oregon.
Those four teams have been huge disappointments. Washington is 6-3; Stanford 5-3; USC 4-4; and Oregon 5-3.
That ain’t great.
Colorado finds itself with a 5-3, 3-3 record at the end of October. The Pac-12 South doesn’t have a single team with fewer than two conference losses. On its face, the Buffs still control their own destiny when it comes to where they finish in the division.
But the Buff Nation has seen how this story ends before.
And it’s not pretty.
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Stuart
Continue reading...
Gut Punch
—
At just past 5:00 p.m., sunshine was beating down on Folsom Field.
On an otherwise perfect afternoon, the sun had come out just as the Oregon State offense caught fire. The Beavers had rallied from a 31-3 deficit to make it a 34-28 game late in the fourth quarter.
As the game neared its four hour mark, the sun hid behind a cloud, giving those of us on the east side of the stadium a bit of relief from the sun’s rays. It had been cloudy as the Buffs build a 28-point lead, so I was hoping that the return of the clouds would also mean the return of order for the Buffs … and somehow the Colorado defense would figure out a way to make a play against an Oregon State team which hadn’t beaten an FBS team in almost two full years.
My wish was not granted.
Instead, the sun came back out, and a defense which had given up only 16 fourth quarter points in the first seven games of the 2018 season, gave up 24 to the worst team the Pac-12 had to offer.
It was a disaster four hours in the making.
In a loss which came down to overtime, there were many chances for the Buffs to take care of business:
— In the first quarter, the Buff defense was dominant, sacking Beaver quarterback Jack Colletto four times in as many drives. Instead of taking advantage, the Buffs turned the first quarter into a punt-fest, with the teams exchanging seven punts;
— After taking a 7-0 lead, the previously dominant Buff defense surrendered a field goal, keeping the Beavers in the game;
— With a 7-3 lead early in the second quarter, the Buffs had a first-and-goal at the OSU four yard line. Instead of taking a two-score lead, the Buffs had to settle for a field goal when Steven Montez fumbled the snap on third-and-goal;
— The Buffs thereafter took control, with a pick-six, a touchdown pass from Steven Montez to K.D. Nixon, and a 75-yard run by Travon McMillian to open the second half. The Buffs, a 23.5-point favorite, had a 31-3 lead, and all was well with the Buff Nation. Then …
— Oregon State switched quarterbacks, but the Buffs did not adjust. In giving up a 17-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, the Buff defense allowed the Beavers to convert a third-and-five, a third-and-nine, and a third-and-five. When the Buffs finally made a stand on third downs, the Buffs gave up a fourth-and-four and a fourth-and-two, with the latter conversion going for a touchdown. Stop the Beavers on any one of those five plays … any one of them … and any thought of an Oregon State comeback would have gone away for good;
— The Buffs could have reasserted control on their next drive, but on a third-and-four at the CU 44, Steven Montez completed a pass to K.D. Nixon for four yards … except Nixon ran sideways – and backwards – surrendering the first down, forcing a CU punt;
— After forcing OSU’s only punt of the second half, Steven Montez took off on a career-best 49-yard run, giving CU a first down at the Oregon State 32. Instead of taking advantage, the drive went exactly nowhere from there, with a blocked field goal attempt the result;
— Still up 31-10 late in the third quarter, the Buffs began to seriously unravel. The OSU gains came in bunches, with the Buffs allowing the Beavers to gain 49 yards in two plays. A sack by Nate Landman help set up a third-and-19 at the Buff 33. The Buffs were one play from putting an end to the rally, but instead, a screen pass to Jermar Jefferson went for 12 yards to the CU 21. It would have been a fourth-and-seven … but Kyle Trego was called for targeting, giving the Beavers a first down. Three plays later, it was a 31-17 game;
— It was still a two-touchdown game early in the fourth quarter when the Buff offense faced a fourth-and-one at the Oregon State 45. Instead of going under center, the Buffs stayed in the shotgun, with a handoff to Travon McMillian being stuffed for no gain, giving the ball – and momentum – back to Oregon State;
— After holding the Beavers to a field goal – and preserving a two-score lead, at 31-20 – the Buff offense responded .. with a three-and-out which took a grand total of 54 seconds off of the game clock;
— With a two-score lead and a chance to make a statement … the Buff defense gave up a five-play, 63-yard touchdown drive (and a two-point conversion) to make it a 31-28 game;
— With a chance to put the game away, the Buffs drove down to the Oregon State ten yard line, facing a third-and-five. Steven Montez scrambled for six yards and a first-and-goal at the Oregon State four yard line … except that true freshman offensive lineman Frank Fillip was called for holding. The penalty forced a field goal, leaving it a six point game with 2:09 to play;
— One final chance to stop what has been the worst team in the Pac-12 for the past two seasons, the Buff defense gave up successive 15-yard penalties, giving up 30 yards of OSU’s 75-yard touchdown drive. Even then, with all of the chances to put the game away, the Buff had one last opportunity. Oregon State had a fourth-and-eight at the CU ten yard line, with 34 seconds to play. One stop, and the Buffs would escape with a win. Instead, the Buffs gave up a touchdown. The missed extra point and the chance to win in overtime just seemed to add to the agony.
How many chances is that? Ten? 15? 20?
What difference does it make?
The game should never have been close. It was 31-3 in the third quarter. That has been a big enough lead for the Buffs to come away victors in every game CU has had such a lead in its history … save one.
In 2010, the Buffs led Kansas, 45-17, in the second half, but ended up losing, 52-45. It was the last game Dan Hawkins coached at Colorado, with Hawkins being relieved of his duties for the final three games of the 2010 campaign.
A harbinger of things to come?
Too early to say.
The Buffs seemed to have hit a glass ceiling when it comes to obtaining bowl eligibility the past two seasons.
Last fall, entered November with a 5-4 record. One win in the final three games would have given CU six wins and bowl eligibility. Instead, the Buffs fell to Arizona State, 41-30 (in a game in which the Buffs led, 27-17, entering the fourth quarter) before surrendering meekly to USC, 38-24, and Utah, 34-13.
This fall, the Buffs opened up 5-0. A bowl bid seemed like a foregone conclusion, with dreams of a Pac-12 South title seemingly more at issue that bowl eligibility.
Three games later, the Buffs are 5-3, making it six straight games over the past two seasons in which a victory would have given Colorado a bowl bid.
A few weeks ago, the Oregon State game seemed to be the Buffs bounce back game. Even if CU lost to USC and Washington, a win over Oregon State would give the Buffs a 6-2 record, bowl eligibility, and chance at making a run at the Pac-12 South title.
Now?
“I would say it was an extremely bad loss, no doubt about it,” said Mike MacIntyre, who fell to 30-41 in his tenure at Colorado. “It was one we should have won because we were up. We should’ve put it away and didn’t. It is extremely tough, no doubt.”
“Extremely tough”?
Let’s go with excruciating. Eviscerating. Mind-numbing.
Three weeks ago, Colorado was one of the top 25 teams in the nation.
A few hours ago, Colorado looked to be no worse than the third-best team in the Pac-12 South.
Now? All bets are off.
The Buffs could respond. If the Pac-12 has shown fans anything in 2018, it is not to believe projections.
The season began with the Pac-12 having four ranked teams … No. 6 Washington; No. 13 Stanford; No. 15 USC; and No. 24 Oregon.
Those four teams have been huge disappointments. Washington is 6-3; Stanford 5-3; USC 4-4; and Oregon 5-3.
That ain’t great.
Colorado finds itself with a 5-3, 3-3 record at the end of October. The Pac-12 South doesn’t have a single team with fewer than two conference losses. On its face, the Buffs still control their own destiny when it comes to where they finish in the division.
But the Buff Nation has seen how this story ends before.
And it’s not pretty.
–
—–
Stuart
Continue reading...