Colorado Daily – Stanford

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Colorado Daily – Stanford

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November 14th – GameDay!

… CU in a few minutes … 

CU at Stanford: What you Need To Know

From CUBuffs.com …

KICKOFF: 1:35 p.m. at Stanford Stadium (50,424)

TV, RADIO: ESPN will televise the game with Beth Mowins (play-by-play), Rod Gilmore (color) and Shelley Smith (sidelines). KOA Radio will broadcast the game with Voice of the Buffs Mark Johnson on play-by-play and Gary Barnett providing color commentary.

ON THE INTERNET: The game can be heard on the internet at CUBuffs.com or via KOA Radio website (www.850KOA.com). CUBuffs.com will also provide a live blog with continuous updates throughout the game. Complete game notes with rosters, statistics and depth chart may also be found at CUBuffs.com.

THE COACHES: Colorado head coach Karl Dorrell is in his first year at the Buffs’ helm. David Shaw is in his 10th year at Stanford. This will be the first meeting between the two as head coaches, but Dorrell did compile a 4-1 record against Stanford as UCLA’s head coach. Shaw is 3-2 against the Buffaloes.

THE SERIES: Stanford has a 6-5 all-time lead in the series, including a 3-2 edge in Pac-12 play and a 3-1 edge on the Cardinal’s home field. The Buffs have won the last two despite scoring just one touchdown in each game — a 10-5 win at Stanford in 2016 and a 16-13 win in Boulder in 2019.

WHAT’S AT STAKE: The Buffs are currently tied with USC for the Pac-12 South lead and a victory would keep them in at least a tie atop the division (USC plays at Arizona). The Cardinal needs a win in order to not fall too far behind the Pac-12 North.

LAST OUTING: Colorado jumped out to a 35-7 lead over UCLA, then withstood a Bruins rally before regaining control down the stretch to collect a 48-42 opening win last week in Boulder. Stanford jumped out to a 7-0 lead last week at Oregon before allowing the Ducks to score the next 28 points in a 35-14 Oregon win.

TEAM LEADERS: Offensively, the Buffs are led by running back Jarek Broussard (187 yards, three touchdowns last week) and quarterback Sam Noyer (257 yards, one touchdown passing and one touchdown rushing). Defensively, Buffs LB Nate Landman had nine tackles last week; safety Derrion Rakestraw had six tackles, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery; and LB Carson Wells had five tackles and an interception.

Stanford’s offense was led last week by running back Austin Jones (100 yards, two touchdowns) and quarterback Jack West, who stepped in for anticipated starter Davis Mills to throw for 154 yards. Mills could play this week. Defensively, linebacker Curtis Robinson had six tackles and cornerback Ethan Bonner had five.

KEY MATCHUP: Colorado front seven vs. Stanford offensive line. The Buffs must contain a Stanford rushing attack that ran for 197 yards against the Ducks. The Cardinal have four returning starters up front on a line that boasts five 300-pounders. It means CU’s Mustafa Johnson, Jalen Sami and Terrance Lang will have their hands full, as well as linebackers Landman, Akil Jones,  Wells and Guy Thomas.

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November 13th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Dorrell: “I think they should feel confident that they can win and win a lot of games”

From the Daily Camera … Quarterbacks are taught to slide when they run the ball, so they can avoid getting hit.

Last week, Colorado’s Sam Noyer went against conventional wisdom and often lowered his shoulder to deliver hits to defenders, or leap over them, in an effort to gain extra yards.

“Honestly, I loved it,” right tackle Frank Fillip said, echoing a sentiment that other players – but not head coach Karl Dorrell – expressed. “I love to see it. I understand it and why he can’t be doing that all the time but, I mean, I got my second wind when I saw that happen on the field. I got so excited.”

Whether it was Noyer’s inspired play, Jarek Broussard’s breakout performance at running back or an opportunistic defense setting the tone early, the Buffs came away from last week’s 48-42 win against UCLA with an extra bounce in their step.

“I think they should feel confident that they can win and win a lot of games,” Dorrell said. “We won our first one, so that is a big bonus for us. We won the game with not really playing our best football.”

On Saturday, the Buffs (1-0) will look to ride that momentum to another win, as they visit Stanford (0-1) in the first road trip of the season.

Considering all the obstacles faced by CU this year, not much is expected of the Buffs. Like everybody else, the Buffs have had challenges associated with the coronavirus pandemic. CU, however, also dealt with losing its head coach and hiring Dorrell in late February – a couple months after most teams made coaching changes.

Dorrell didn’t get any spring practices with his players, making it even more difficult to get a team ready. On top of that, the Buffs had to replace a three-year starting quarterback and returned virtually no experience to that important position.

Even Stanford coach David Shaw was impressed that CU looked so good in the opener.

… Continue reading story here …

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With starters reinstated, Stanford now favored by nine over CU

With the Pac-12 apologizing for false positives (see statement under “Pac-12 Notes”), the line on the CU/Stanford game has moved from six points to nine points … the only current line not in double digits.

Updated Pac-12 betting lines, from vegasinsider.com …

• No. 20 USC … a 15.0-point favorite on the road over Arizona
• No. 11 Oregon … a 10.5-point favorite on the road over Washington State
• Washington … a 14.0-point favorite at home over Oregon State
• Stanford … a 9.0-point favorite at home over Colorado 
• Cal at UCLA (set for 10:00 a.m., MT, on Sunday) … no line set

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Neill Woelk’s Five Keys to the Game

From CUBuffs.com … Colorado coach Karl Dorrell made sure to issue the warning when the week began: Stanford is a different team than the Cardinal of 2019.

“It’s not the same Stanford team you saw last year,” Dorrell said of a Stanford team that dropped a 16-13 decision in Boulder last November. “It’s a new and improved team. We have our hands full in terms of what we did last week and moving forward into this week.”

Dorrell no doubt has been stressing that same point to his Buffaloes all week. Last year’s 4-8 Stanford finish — the first losing season in head coach David Shaw’s 10-year tenure — was likely an aberration, not the beginning of a trend.

On the surface, Stanford’s season-opening 35-14 loss to Oregon looked rather lopsided. But the Cardinal produced more than 400 yards total offense, trailed by just seven at the half, and missed four field goal tries in the game.

At the same time, Stanford looked much more like Shaw teams of the past: a big, veteran offensive line; a quality running back; a solid game manager at quarterback; and a dependable defense.

But neither are Dorrell’s Buffs the same team of 2019. A 48-42 win over UCLA in their opener showed a balanced offense capable of controlling the tempo, a defense capable of forcing turnovers (three in the opener) and overall, an ability to withstand some adversity and handle momentum shifts.

So what must the Buffs do to collect a road win Saturday in their 1:30 p.m. game at Stanford Stadium (ESPN and KOA radio)?

1. Stop the run. There are precious few “secrets” when it comes to a Shaw Stanford team. The Cardinal like to line up behind a big, veteran offensive line and pound away with a quality running back.

This year’s team fits that recipe. Stanford has five 300-pounders up front, including four returning starters. They have a good running back in Austin Jones (100 yards, two touchdowns in his first start last week) and a reliable No. 2 in Nathaniel Peat (93 yards vs. the Ducks).

How important has that run game been against the Buffs in Shaw’s tenure?

In the last two games against Stanford — both Colorado wins — the Buffs have held the Cardinal to an average of 110 yards per game on the ground. It’s why the Buffs were able to pick up two wins despite scoring just one touchdown in each game.

But in the three previous contests, all Stanford wins, the Cardinal averaged 214 yards per game on the ground.

This is where CU’s front seven will be critical. Colorado’s defensive line played well last week; they will have to up their game a notch this week. Meanwhile, CU’s linebackers will have to make sure Stanford RBs don’t get a free shot at the second level.

If the Buffs can do this, it will be a big first step.

… Continue reading story here …

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November 12th

… CU in a few minutes … 

No fans to be allowed to CU’s remaining home games

From the Daily Camera … Almost a week after shifting to Safer at Home Level Orange, Boulder County on Thursday announced new restrictions to try to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the community.

Those changes, which take effect Saturday, include further restrictions on restaurant operations and on indoor events.

… Boulder County hopes the new restrictions will be impactful. The new public health order goes into effect Saturday and will remain in effect until Dec. 14, unless the county opts to extend it.

Per the new order, personal gatherings in private or public continue to be limited to 10 people from no more than two households.

… No spectators are allowed at any adult sporting events, high school games, professional league games or University of Colorado Boulder football games.

… Continue reading story here …

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Dimitri Stanley not satisfied with good start: “I still have a long way to go”

From the Daily Camera … Dimitri Stanley didn’t post the big numbers or have the celebrated breakout performance that some of his Colorado teammates had last week, but he had a great start to his sophomore season.

During the Buffaloes’ 48-42 win against UCLA, Stanley caught a career-high six passes for 66 yards. Four of his six catches went for first downs, including two on third downs to extend drives.

“I think I have still a long way to go,” he said. “Six catches kind of felt good that I was able to help my team in that way, but I think I can do a lot more for our team in the aspect of receiving yards and catches. But not a bad start.”

The 5-foot-11 slot receiver from Cherry Creek High School caught 29 passes for 312 yards and two touchdowns last year. His opening night performance last week suggests he could become a bigger factor in the offense this year.

In addition to his efforts on offense, Stanley made an important special teams play against the Bruins. After UCLA scored with 1 minute, 45 seconds to play to pull within six points, it tried an onsides kick, but Stanley snagged it out of the air and slid down to secure possession. CU ran out the clock for the win.

… Continue reading story here …

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Dorrell offensive game plan all about balance

From CUBuffs.com … While the Colorado Buffaloes have played just one game — granted, a very small sample size — it is nevertheless hard to miss Karl Dorrell‘s influence on the offense.

Indeed, if the future holds anything like we saw in last weekend’s 48-42 win over UCLA, the evolution will be fun to watch unfold.

In a nutshell, what we saw was balance, balance and more balance. It is something Dorrell has stressed would be a priority since the day he took the reins of the program last February, and Saturday night he gave us a very good look at what he wants.

The most-obvious numbers are these — 264 yards rushing, 261 passing. That is the very definition of a balanced attack (and the source of migraines for opposing defensive coordinators).

But it was more than just the yardage totals. The Buffs utilized a wide variety of players and positions in the attack, and spread the wealth accordingly.

While Colorado threw just 33 passes — a hair under CU’s per-game average the last couple of seasons — eight different players caught passes. That included 13 catches by wide receivers, six by tight ends and three by running backs. Everyone eligible to catch a pass was a threat.

No doubt, the increased targeting of the tight end was clearly a new twist. Brady Russell’s team-high 77 yards on five catches proved to be the first time a tight end has led CU in receiving yards since 2012, and also the most receiving yards by a tight end since that same season.

Meanwhile, wide receiver Dimitri Stanley had a team-high six receptions, fellow wideout Maurice Bell snared five and yet another wide receiver, Daniel Arias, had the longest catch of the night for CU, a 38-yarder.

There was even some balance in the run game workload. While sophomore Jarek Broussard was clearly the workhorse — 31 carries, 187 yards — the Buffs also utilized the legs of quarterback Sam Noyer (13-for-64), along with Jaren Mangham (nine carries) and Joe Davis (three).

Of course, Dorrell wasn’t the man calling the plays. Offensive coordinator Darrin Chiaverini, in his second go-round in the job, handled those duties and performed them well.

“I thought Darrin called a really good game,” Dorrell said. “He knows there’s going to be challenges as we move forward.”

… Continue reading story here …

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Dorrell proud of negative testing: “We need all of our players” 

From the Daily Camera … The players have seen teams around the country impacted with canceled games or players sitting out and know that everybody is in the same boat. Dorrell has taught them to focus on doing their part, though.

“What we have to concern ourselves with are the things that are under our control,” he said. “We try to stay healthy as we can and they’ve done a great job of that.

“Maybe their normal approach to the game has been different than what it’s been in the past because of these restrictions. They’ve kind of rolled with the punches, so they’ve learned a lot, in terms of how to deal with a lot of stuff, (such as) school being remote. There’s a number of things that have been completely different for these guys.”

It’s been different for the coaches, too, as they can’t simply focus on the upcoming game. They have to worry more about the daily health and safety of the players, and they have to get more players ready each week to compete – just in case.

“We need all of our players,” Dorrell said. “We’re not deep in a lot of areas, so we don’t want to have an issue where someone maybe comes down with (COVID-19) and the contact tracing and all those things that happen.

“The ones that are in the second team level right now, they know that they have to study and prepare as if they’re the starter, because at any point in time in the course of a week, an injury can happen, COVID can happen, anything. So, we need our second team to be ready for that opportunity to come for themselves.

“So far they’ve passed every test when it was something like this that has occurred.”

… Read full story here …

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November 11th

… CU in a few minutes … 

**Video – Karl Dorrell’s Wednesday Press Conference**

From YouTube, courtesy of CUSportsNation …

Quotable quotes …

Dorrell on Vontae Shenault and KD Nixon:

Dorrell on Chris Miller:

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Can’t make this up: Stanford to be “cheered” on by 470 trees in the stands

From goStanford.com …  THERE WILL BE spectators at Stanford Stadium this season. They just aren’t human. The Cardinal will be ‘cheered’ by 470 trees, donated by Lowe’s and brought into Stanford Stadium and placed in the front row of the east stands and behind the end zones.

Among the 22 species on site are natives such as Coast Redwoods, California Bay Laurels and Coast Live Oaks. After the season, public works departments and nonprofits will replant the trees, aiding the growth of an urban forest canopy, addressing climate change, and creating healthier greener communities.

Trees are symbolic of Stanford’s past and present. The official Stanford crest includes a redwood, “El Palo Alto,” a landmark in the city’s early days, and the Stanford Athletics logo includes a redwood inside a block ‘s’, which is depicted on the team’s helmets.

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CU game at Stanford shifted to ESPN

… Big opportunity for national exposure (CBS has canceled its normal 1:30 Saturday game due to SEC cancellations) … 

From CUBuffs.com … With several games either postponed or canceled this Saturday due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ESPN has moved around a few of its games to assorted other stations in its network of families.

The Colorado at Stanford game, initially slated to air on ESPN2, will now be broadcast on ESPN; kickoff time remains the same (1:30 p.m. MST).  The announcers remain the same: Beth Mowins (play-by-play), Rod Gilmore (analyst) and Shelley Smith (sideline reporter).

As of midday Wednesday, eight games, six postponed and two outright canceled, have been affected by the pandemic.

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Karl Dorrell’s “stock” is rising

From the San Jose Mercury News …

Rising: New coaches.

Washington State’s Nick Rolovich and Colorado’s Karl Dorrell have been on the job for nine and eight months, respectively.

They didn’t have the benefit of spring practice — not a single day of spring practice — and were breaking in new quarterbacks.

Yet the Cougars and Buffaloes were better prepared and more efficient than their opponents.

For Rolovich and Dorrell, the bar for success — at least, the bar set externally — is lower than for every other coach in the conference this season:

Navigate the disruption … avoid the bellyflops that would create skepticism about their tenures … and move on to next season.

The Week One results got each coach within a stride of the finish line.

One more win, and they’re good until Sept. ’21.

Falling: UCLA.

Based on preliminary data, we can declare 2020 is 2019 is 2018; November is September; and opportunity is wasting away.

The third season under Chip Kelly started just like the second season under Chip Kelly, which started just like the first season under Chip Kelly.

Aug./Sept. ’18 record: 0-4. Losses to Cincinnati, Oklahoma, Fresno State and Colorado.

Aug./Sept. ’19 record: 1-4. Win over Washington State; losses to Cincinnati, San Diego State, Oklahoma and Arizona

Nov. ’20 record: 0-1. Loss at Colorado, which featured four turnovers and a 35-7 deficit in the first half.

Yes, the Bruins rallied and made a game of it, which they have done repeatedly over the two-plus seasons.

They don’t quit, which might be the best that can be said of the collective performance in the Kelly era.

The problem is the breakdowns on both sides of scrimmage that create the quit-or-don’t-quit moment.

There is opportunity for UCLA in the South this season, assuming there is a season.

USC is the clear favorite, but the Bruins have enough talent and experience — relative to the competition — to produce a top-half finish and corral some momentum for next season.

The loss to Colorado, which has experienced so much disruption and was relying on so many new pieces, is an ominous sign for the remainder of Year Three.

… Read full story here …

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Offensive line gaining confidence after posting highest rushing total v. a Pac-12 opponent in three seasons

From the Daily Camera … For several years, the Buffs have struggled with consistency on the offensive and defensive lines. This year, however, the Buffs have a lot of experience coming back on the lines and the performance against UCLA suggests the trenches could be a strength for CU (1-0), which visits Stanford (0-1) on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. MST (TV: ESPN2).

“I felt offensively we did a nice job with our debut and had a lot of production in the run game and they protected Sam really well in the passing game,” head coach Karl Dorrell said of the offensive line. “Those guys, I thought, are off to a really good start.

“Our starting offensive line played well. Did they play perfect? No, they played with a winning average but they need to continue to get better at a number of things that we felt are going to be issues for us moving forward. But I’m very encouraged with what we’ve done offensively.”

William Sherman (left tackle), Kary Kutsch (left guard), Colby Pursell (center), Casey Roddick (right guard) and Frank Fillip started and played the first 66 snaps together. After Pursell went down with an injury, Josh Jynes played the final 26 snap at center.

The line helped CU pile up 264 rushing yards, the program’s best total since 311 yards vs. New Hampshire on Sept. 15, 2018. It’s the most rushing yards by a CU team against a Pac-12 opponent since racking up 300 against Arizona on Oct. 7, 2017.

… Continue reading story here …

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November 10th

… CU in a few minutes …

**Video interviews: DL coach Chris Wilson; DL Jalen Sami; WR Dimitri Stanley**

From YouTube, courtesy of BuffStampede.com …

Defensive line coach Chris Wilson …

Nose tackle Jalen Sami …

Wide receiver Dimitri Stanley …

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Pac-12 Power Rankings: CU in at No. 8

From the San Jose Mercury News … Clarity has come to the South division race, if there is a division race.

USC has emerged as the heavy favorite, if the Trojans finish their season.

One week in, and Pac-12 football is on fragile ground as COVID-19 cases rise, quarantines take hold and cancellations surface.

But Trojans are in charge of the South after four brilliant minutes on Saturday morning stunned Arizona State and tipped the race in their favor.

Let’s dive in …

— USC’s one-game lead over ASU is actually a two-game lead because of the head-to-head result, which would be decisive in the event of a tie.

And it’s a two-game lead with only five games to play — not much time for the Sun Devils to make up the ground.

— The Trojans caught a significant break in unfortunate fashion with what initially appeared to be a tricky trip — in a letdown situation — to Tucson.

But the cancellation of Arizona’s opener at Utah means the Wildcats will be playing for the first time when they take the field against USC, a significant advantage for the game-tested visitors.

— Another potential contender, Utah, has encountered significant COVID-19 issues.

In addition to canceling their opener, the Utes might not play this week at UCLA. And if they do, a slew of starters could be absent.

That increases the likelihood that Utah will 1) lose this week, or 2) experience some form of competitive disadvantage when the Trojans come to town in Week Three.

That could be the season opener for the Utes as a team, or for key starters.

— Although more impressive than expected in Week One, Colorado seemingly lacks the defensive talent to mount any serious pursuit of the division.

The Buffaloes allowed 42 points and 478 yards to an opponent, UCLA, that had four possessions truncated by turnovers.

— The final advantage for the Trojans within the division: UCLA appears to be UCLA.

And so in the spirit of calling a race when it looks too early but really isn’t, USC is our unofficial South champion.

• No. 1 – USC
• No. 2 – Arizona State
• No. 3 – Oregon
• No. 4 – Cal
• No. 5 – Utah
• No. 6 – Washington State
• No. 7 – Washington

8. Colorado (1-0)
Result: Beat UCLA 48-42
Next up: at Stanford (12:30 p.m., ESPN2)
Comment: Difficult to overstate the significance of the victory to CU’s postseason math: The Pac-12 is requiring teams to finish .500 or better to go bowling, and the Buffs now have a reasonable chance with Stanford and Arizona on the schedule.

9. Stanford (0-1)
Result: Lost at Oregon 35-14
Next up: vs. Colorado (12:30 p.m., ESPN2)
Comment: The ripple effect of Davis Mills’ absence began with the passing game, extended to the Red Zone efficiency and eventually reached the defense, which wore down. The field goal situation was baffling, on multiple levels.

10. UCLA (0-1)
Result: Lost at Colorado
Next up: vs. Utah (7:30 p.m., FOX)
Comment: If you don’t change defensive coordinators, it’s difficult to materially change the defense.

• No. 11 – Oregon State
• No. 12 – Arizona

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Karl Dorrell Weekly Press Conference

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Karl Dorrell ready to turn the page to Stanford

From the Daily Camera … After more than eight months of preparing for his first game as the Colorado head football coach, Karl Dorrell got to celebrate a victory in his debut.

He didn’t take long to turn the page.

… After CU built a 35-7 lead, UCLA scored on plays of 52, 65, 15, 26 and 9 yards. In the last 35 minutes, UCLA had 14 plays of 10 yards or more.

“I know we had some coverage mistakes in a couple of places that allowed some big plays,” Dorrell said. “We’re going to address those issues and try to get those things fixed for this coming week. There’s no question Stanford has seen all that; it’s on tape. So we have a pretty good agenda in front of us to try to get a lot of things cleaned up.”

There isn’t much time to do that, but Dorrell said he’s happy to return to the in-season routine.

“Now we’re into our normal game season rhythm, so that’s good to have that process going,” he said.

Of course, this year that routine isn’t exactly normal. COVID-19 remains a challenge and each day brings uncertainty about whether the game will even be played.

“You can’t get too far ahead of your skis, just because of the COVID thing,” Dorrell said. “You have to really treat each day of the week as if anything and everything can happen. We have (COVID-19) tests every day and you’re always crossing your fingers about who’s going to get infected by it and then (who will be impacted by contact tracing). There’s so much more that’s on all the coaches’ plate right now, other than football.”

… Read full story here …

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November 9th

… CU in a few minutes … 

**Video – Seven-minute CU/UCLA highlights from BuffsTV**

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Kicker James Stefanou retires from football

From CUBuffs.com … Two days after the University of Colorado’s season-opening win over UCLA, senior placekicker James Stefanou has decided to retire from the game.

Stefanou, 33 and the oldest player in the NCAA this season, spoke with head coach Karl Dorrell and informed him that was retiring from football immediately.

“James feels that he can no longer physically perform as well as he would like and has decided to end his career,” Dorrell said.  “He has been a valuable member of the team for three years, and we understand why he has made this choice.  We certainly wish him nothing but the best.”

As a freshman in 2017, Stefanou was the second oldest player overall in the FBS, but the oldest freshman; he assumed the mantle of being the oldest collegian in the game in 2018, was back as the second-oldest in 2019 and in 2020, again the oldest.

He ends his career as one of the most accurate kickers in CU history, as he is first in extra point percentage (.990), fourth in field goal percentage (.694) and third in combined kick percentage (.891).  He finishes with the third most PAT kicks made (97) and the fifth-most field goals (34).  He also finishes eighth all-time on CU’s scoring chart with 199 points, the fourth-most by a kicker.

Stefanou made good on all five of his PAT kicks but missed two field goals (one blocked) in his final game, CU’s 48-42 win over UCLA in Boulder on Saturday night.

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Jarek Broussard named Pac-12 Offensive Player-of-the-Week

From the Pac-12 … The Pac-12 today announced its 2020 football season’s first weekly honors​. New this season, the Pac-12 is deepening its relationship with Official Communications Partner, Nextiva. Starting this week, ​all weekly Pac-12 football awards will be presented by the cloud communications company. At the conclusion of the season, Nextiva will also present Pac-12 annual performance awards, including Offensive Player of the Year, Freshman Offensive Player of the Year, Freshman Defensive Player of the Year and Coach of the Year.

OFFENSE: Jarek Broussard, So., TB, Colorado (Dallas, Texas)

• Broussard’s 187 rushing yards in Colorado’s 48-42 over UCLA are the most ever by a Buff in their collegiate debut and the most by a Pac-12 player in their debut since 2011.
• Became the 19th player (since 1956) to gain 100-or-more yards in a first start at tailback, gaining the third-most in the process.
• His three rushing touchdowns tied a Colorado record for most touchdowns in a running back’s debut.

Also nominated: Tyler Shough, QB, Oregon; Jermar Jefferson, RB, Oregon State; Dorian Thompson-Robinson, QB, UCLA; Kedon Slovis, QB, USC; Travell Harris, WR, Washington State.

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#Pac-12AfterDark in Boulder: CU/Arizona State kickoff time announced

From CUBuffs.com … The Arizona State at Colorado football game (Folsom Field) on Saturday, Nov. 21, will kickoff at 8:00 p.m. MST and will be televised nationally on ESPN2.

 Other Pac-12 games that day:

 Friday, November 20, 2020

7:30pm PT – UCLA at Oregon, ESPN (previously announced)

Saturday, November 21, 2020

12:30pm PT – Cal at Oregon State, FS1

5pm PT / 6pm MT – Arizona at Washington, FOX

7:30pm PT / 8:30pm MT – USC at Utah, ESPN

8:00pm PT – Washington State at Stanford, FS1

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Neill Woelk’s Takeaways from the UCLA game

From CUBuffs.com … Buff Nation awakened Sunday morning feeling refreshed, rejuvenated and ready for the next game of the Karl Dorrell Era.

It’s no wonder. Dorrell’s Colorado Buffaloes opened the much-delayed and much anticipated 2020 season Saturday with a bang, knocking off favored UCLA, 48-42, in a Folsom Field thriller. The Buffs used every phase of the game to pick up the win, getting big plays from the defense early, a special teams turnover early and two critical field goals late, and a consistent, steady offense that answered every punch the Bruins could throw.

So what did we learn from Saturday’s win?

Plenty — which brings us to our weekly takeaways:

1. The Buffs are quickly taking on Dorrell’s demeanor. We talked about it during camp, we said it would be a key to the game — and it proved to be critical Saturday.

Nobody panics when they’re ahead 35-7. But when the score tightens up — as it did Saturday — the team that doesn’t give in to nerves and makes plays in critical moments is usually the team that wins.

The Buffs were that team Saturday because their coach never showed signs of alarm. From kickoff to the final gun, Dorrell maintained a steady, intense focus and his team responded in a like manner. Big plays from the offense and key defensive stops in the fourth quarter were the difference against a potent offense that was inches away from seizing momentum for good.

This won’t be the last time the Buffs face adversity. But they passed their first test in that department with flying colors. That’s a great sign.

2. Give the big fellas up front their due. With three veteran starters returning and two youngsters with some experience, the general consensus was that Colorado’s offensive line would be improved.

But Mitch Rodrigue‘s bunch exceeded most expectations. They gave first-time starter Sam Noyer plenty of time in the pocket (the only sack was an intentional grounding penalty) and paved the way for an outstanding rushing attack (264 yards).

Perhaps most importantly, they exerted their will with the game on the line. When the Bruins were desperate to get the ball back in the second half, the Buffs methodically pounded out three scoring drives on their last four possessions (touchdown, field goal, field goal) — and the fourth was a missed field goal.

Also of note? CU’s last three scoring drives were three of the four longest of the game — by either team — in terms of clock time. Those are the kind of drives that take a toll on a defense, and they proved to be a big factor down the stretch.

… Continue reading story here …

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November 8th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Buffs take on the cool, collected demeanor of their head coach

From the Daily Camera … As the questions continued, with all the proper and plentiful praise doled out for the many heroes on a memorable night at Folsom Field, it was easy to wonder if Karl Dorrell had just notched his first win at CU or if he was reviewing the results of a spring scrimmage.

Not only was it Dorrell’s first win with the Buffs after the pandemic-delayed start to the 2020 football season, but it was his first win as a head coach anywhere in 13 years, back when he was the leader of the team on the other sideline on Saturday, UCLA.

For Dorrell, the 48-42 victory his Colorado Buffaloes secured seemingly was, in his eyes, business as usual. Or at least the sort of business he expects to make the norm during his time in Boulder. Afterward, while meeting with reporters in a pressbox-to-locker room video conference, Dorrell went through all the relevant talking points in a business-like manner, completely devoid of the jubilation that almost certainly was bubbling within.

That’s not at all a knock on Dorrell. If anything, after the emotional peaks and valleys exuded by former coach Mike MacIntyre and the combustible intensity of the one-season Mel Tucker era, the even-keeled calm of Dorrell might be exactly what the Buffaloes need in this most unusual of college football seasons.

“It was a good start to the season,” said Dorrell with matter-of-fact restraint. “It was a W. Obviously some things to fix. But I’ll take it.”

So will the rest of Buffs Nation.

… Continue reading story here …

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Feast or famine for Buff defense – Carson Wells: “We have got to limit the busts” 

From the Daily Camera … Colorado’s defense set the tone by causing four first-half turnovers to help the Buffs to a 35-7 lead.

Derrion Rakestraw forced a fumble and recovered another to lead the defense. Carson Wells added an interception, while Alec Pell and Jamar Montgomery recovered fumbles. All of that led to 21 first-half points to build the big lead.

Throughout the night, however, the Buffs were repeatedly stung by big plays. UCLA finished the night with 478 yards, averaging 7.4 yards per play.

The Bruins got back in and stayed in the game with touchdowns of 28, 52, 65, 15 and 26 yards.

“We have got to limit the busts,” Wells said. “Too many big plays. We left two guys wide open for touchdowns, two screens. We shouldn’t have let that happen.”

Despite those big plays, the defense rose up for a critical stop in the fourth quarter.

… Continue reading story here …

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This post, about the Stanford game, from the 2020 Season, is filed under Article.
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