CU 28, Colorado State 9

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September 14th – at Colorado State           Colorado 28, Colorado State 9

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Colorado defeated Colorado State for the seventh straight game, winning the Rocky Mountain Showdown, 28-9. In the first game played between the teams in Ft. Collins since 1996, the Buffs spotted the Rams a 3-0 first quarter lead, but then scored the next 28 points to pull away for the victory. Playing before a Canvas Stadium record crowd of 40,099, the Buffs posted 419 yards of total offense, holding CSU to 340, with the game marred by 22 penalties (12 going against the Buffs for 111 yards).

Buff quarterback Shedeur Sanders completed 36-of-49 passes for 310 yards and four touchdowns, with two apiece for wide receivers Travis Hunter and LaJohntay Wester. Hunter finished the game with 13 catches for 100 yards, becoming the first player in CU history to ever post four straight games with over 100 yards receiving (though not without controversy, with Sanders targeting Hunter late, getting Hunter a ten yard catch late when running the ball would have been the more strategic move).

Colorado was led on the ground by freshman running back Micah Welch, who led the Buffs with 65 yards on only nine carries. Overall, the CU rushing attack, which had a grand total of 75 yards rushing in the first two game, posted 109 yards on only 19 carries. A week after surrendering six sacks to Nebraska, the Buff offensive line gave up only one late sack to the Rams.

“Great, darn victory,” Coach Prime said. “Offensive line was phenomenal; did a great job not only run blocking, but pass blocking as well. The defense picked up right where it left off in the second half of last week’s game, and started the game and kept the momentum the entirety of the game.

“We did what we needed to do to come out here with a victory. We just really wanted it to be decisive.”

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Game Story … The first game played between Colorado and Colorado State in Ft. Collins since 1996 began with a three-and-out from the CSU offense, with the Rams gaining only six yards on three plays.

The first drive by the Buff offense was, if anything, less auspicious, with a false start on the first play. After three plays and two yards gained, CU punter Mark Vassett shanked a 20-yard punt, giving the ball back to the Rams at their 45-yard line.

CSU running back Justin Marshall ripped off a 27-yard run to open the drive, with Marshall going for another 11 yards on third-and-one at the Buff 19-yard line, giving CSU a first-and-goal at the CU. An eight-yard loss after a fumble by CSU quarterback by Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi on an early snap stalled the drive, however, with the Rams settling for a 25-yard field goal by Jordan Noyes.

Colorado State 3, Colorado 0, midway through the first quarter.

After a nine-yard completion from quarterback Shedeur Sanders to Travis Hunter, true freshman running back Micah Welch ripped off the longest run by a running back in the young season, going 25 yards for CU’s first first down of the game. An illegal block set the Buffs back, but the offense still converted, with Sanders connecting with Jimmy Horn for five yards and a first down on third-and-two at the CSU 33. The Buffs failed to move the sticks again, though, and the score remained 3-0 when CU kicker Alejandro Matta missed a 44-yard field goal.

The Buff defense did give up a first down to the Ram offense on an offsides call on third-and-two on CSU’s ensuing drive, but the Buffs stiffened thereafter, forcing a punt after three more plays to open the second quarter.

The teams thereafter traded three-and-out efforts before the Buffs took over at their 15-yard line for their fourth drive of the game. A 17-yard completion from Sanders to LaJohntay Wester prevented a second consecutive three-and-out, with a six-yard run by Isaiah Augustave giving the Buffs another first down near midfield two plays later. A roughing-the-passer penalty, followed by a nine-yard run by Micah Welch and a six-yard completion to Will Sheppard put the Buffs in scoring position.

Back-to-back completions from Sanders to Will Sheppard (for ten yards) and to Travis Hunter (for 12 yards) gave the Buffs a first-and-goal at the CSU four-yard line. LaJohntay Wester completed the 12-play, 85-yard drive with a four-yard touchdown, giving CU a 7-3 lead with 5:51 to play before the half.

After the CU defense forced another three-and-out, the Buffs took over at their 16-yard line. On third-and-13 to open the drive, Sanders and Hunter connected for a 19-yard gain and a first down, retaining possession. Two holding penalties on successive plays left the Buffs with a second-and-21, but facemask penalty against the Rams gave CU a first down near midfield. After Sanders hit Jimmy Horn for 14 yards and a first down, the Buffs completed the nine-play, 84-yard drive with a 34-yard touchdown pass from Sanders to Wester, making it 14-3 game with less than a minute to go before the half.

A 22-yard completion from Fowler-Nicolosi, followed by a 15-yard penalty against Travis Hunter, gave the Rams an unlikely chance to score before the break, but a 52-yard field attempt by CSU kicker Jordan Noyes was unsucessful.

Halftime score: Colorado 14, Colorado State 3

CU opened the second half looking to take control of the game, with two runs by Isaiah Augustave netting 17 yards and a first down. Two plays later, on third-and-seven, Shedeur Sanders hit Travis Hunter for seven yards and another first down just over midfield. There, however, the drive stalled, with punter Mark Vassett pinning the Rams down at their three-yard line.

After a one yard run by CSU running back Justin Marshall, the CU defense forced its first turnover of the season, with cornerback Preston Hodge picking off quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi at the CSU 20-yard line, returning the pick eight yards to the CSU 12 yard line.

Two plays later, the Buffs were on the board again. After a ten-yard completion from Sanders to LaJohntay Wester, Sanders hit Travis Hunter for a two-yard touchdown and a 21-3 Colorado lead.

The CSU offense next launched its longest drive of the night, covering 16 plays and 82 yards. Along the way, the Rams converted a fourth-and-four (at the CU 43), a fourth-and-one (at the CU 29) and a fourth-and-six (at the CU 23). After the third fourth down conversion, though, the Rams, with a first-and-goal at the Buff four yard line, gave up its scoring chance. CSU running back Keegan Holles fumbled, with Buff linebacker LaVonta Bentley recovering.

CU’s first completion to a tight end of the season, a 13-yard pass from Sanders to Sav’ell Smalls, was quickly forgotten two plays later. Sanders hit Isaiah Augustave for a 14-yard gain, but Augustave fumbled, with CSU recovering at the CU 48-yard line.

The Rams were unable to take advantage, however, turning the ball over on downs four plays later, with Travis Hunter pulling in his first interception of the season. Hunter returned the Fowler-Nicolosi desperation heave 38 yards to the CSU 40-yard line, but gave back 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Taking over near midfield as the third quarter turned into the fourth, the Buffs were bailed out by the Ram defense. A holding penalty on Jimmy Horn would have left the Buffs with a third-and-19 to open the drive, but an unnecessary roughness call against CSU gave CU new life.

And the Buffs took advantage. A pair of completions to Will Sheppard, covering 22 and six yards, set up a 21-yard touchdown pass from Sanders to Travis Hunter. With 13:20 to play, the new score was 28-3, Colorado.

Six plays and 75 yards later, the Rams had their first score since the first quarter. On fourth-and-one at the CSU 34, Ram running back Avery Morrow broke loose for a 62 yard run down to the CU four yard line. Two plays later, running back Justin Marshall scored from five yards out. After a two-point conversion attempt failed, the new score was 28-9, Colorado, with just under ten minutes remaining.

The Buffs looked to put the game away on their next drive. Completions going for ten yards to Terrell Timmons and 15 to LaJohntay Wester quickly gave the Buffs a first down near midfield. Two plays later, after a sack of Shedeur Sanders (where Sanders just slid down), the Buffs faced a third-and-13 at the CU 49-yard line. There, Sanders hit Jimmy Horn for 39 yards, but a holding call nullified the play. Two plays later, the Buffs punted the ball back to the Rams, with punter Mark Vassett pinning the Rams back at their four yard line.

Two Buff penalties, one for a face mask and one for pass interference, helped the Rams move the ball into Colorado territory. At the CU 19-yard line, though, quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi fumbled on a bad snap, with the ball recovered by CU defensive lineman B.J. Green at the CU 30-yard line with three minutes to play.

Colorado went for an in-your-face score on its first play, with Shedeur Sanders throwing deep for Travis Hunter. The pass went incomplete, but CSU was called for pass interference. A ten-yard completion to Hunter, giving him his fourth straight 100-yard receiving game, and a 12-yard run by Charlie Offerdahl, got the Buffs under the two minute game stoppage with a first down. Instead of running out the clock, though, the Buffs continued to throw the ball, with incompletions giving the ball back to the Rams on downs with a minute to play.

The Rams did get the ball near midfield over the next few plays, but did not threaten to score.

Final score: Colorado 28, Colorado State 9

“It was very important (to get the win),” Travis Hunter said. “They were talking, but we let it go through one ear and out the other. We just said we’ve got to go do our job, we’ve got to go out there and come out fast and play hard.”

Wide receivers LaJohntay Wester (5 catches, 80 yards, 2 touchdowns) and Will Sheppard (7 catches, 61 yards) did their parts. Freshman running back Micah Welch ran nine times for 69 yards, including a 25-yard gain on his first collegiate carry.

Defensively, linebacker LaVonta Bentley was a beast against the run, finishing with five tackles — one for loss — as well as a forced fumble and recovery that halted CSU on the doorstep of CU’s goal line. Cornerback DJ McKinney had seven tackles and three pass breakups, while cornerback Preston Hodge had an interception and defensive end BJ Green added a fumble recovery.

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Game Notes … 

— The win was the seventh straight overall for the Buffs in the series, raising CU’s advantage to 69-22-2 overall, 24-7-1 in games played in Ft. Collins, and a 26-8 count since the series was resumed in 1983;

— Attendance for the game was 40,099, the largest crowd in Canvas Stadium history (capacity is listed at 36,000, with 4,000-5,000 in standing room only tickets). The game represented the 13th time in 15 games in the Coach Prime era in which the Buffs played before a sellout crowd;

— Travis Hunter caught 13 passes for 100 yards and two  touchdowns, had five tackles, an interception with a 38-yard return and a pass breakup while playing 123 of 138 snaps from scrimmage. It’s believed to be the first time in the modern era of college football history a stat line like that has happened;

– Hunter set a CU record with his fourth straight 100-yard receiving game, though it took a ten-yard reception late to get to to 100 yards for the game. Overall, Hunter surpassed 1,000 receiving yards at Colorado (84 rec., 1,063 yards, 10 TDs);

– Shedeur Sanders was 36-of-49 passing for 310 yards and four touchdowns in his 40th career start.  Sanders surpassed the 11,000 yard mark in his career (999-of-1,452 for 11,312 yards, 106 TDs, 19 INT) and the 4,000 yard mark at Colorado (383-of-551 for 4,229 yards, 36 TDs, 5 INT);

— Wide receiver LaJohntay Wester, the NCAA’s active career leader in receptions, had five catches for 80 yards and two touchdowns.  He finished the CSU game with 266 career receptions for 2,861 yards and 24 touchdowns.

– The offensive line paved the way for 310 passing yards and 19 rushes for 109 yards, averaging 5.7 per rush, allowing one sack and one hurry on 49 passing attempts

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Colorado vs Colorado State#GoBuffs pic.twitter.com/gnQXnYTy4a

— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) September 18, 2024

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This post, about the Colorado State game, from the 2024 Season, is filed under Article.
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