Nov. 7th – UCLA – 343 Days – It was a long wait (but worth it!)

The Buffs used four first half UCLA turnovers to race out to a 35-7 lead, then hung on for dear life in the second half before securing a 48-42 victory. Head coach Karl Dorrell became the third consecutive CU coach to win in their debut, defeating his alma mater before a crowd of less than a thousand at Folsom Field.

Sam Noyer became the first CU quarterback to start his first game as a senior since 1976, and made the most of his opportunity, completing 20-of-31 passes for 257 yards and a touchdown, also picking up 64 yards and another score on 13 carries. “I just wanted this opportunity from the start”, said Noyer, making his first start since his senior year in high school … in 2015. “And I finally got it in, and that’s all I could ask for”.

Sophomore running back Jarek Broussard also had a stellar debut, with 31 carries for 187 yards and three first half touchdowns. Playing without senior receiver K.D. Nixon, the receiving corps was led by tight end Brady Russell (five catches for 77 yards and a touchdown) and Dimitri Stanley (six catches for 66 yards).

On November 30, 2019, the Buffs walked off the field of Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, their season coming to a close with a 45-15 loss to No. 6 Utah.

We had no idea at the time that it would almost a full year – the longest off-season in Colorado football history – before the Buffs would be back on the field again. Saturday night’s 48-42 win over UCLA didn’t represent perfect CU football, but game nonetheless represented the return of CU football.

And it was a win!

No. 20 USC stuns Arizona State with late two-touchdown comeback … One UCLA football player tests positive; game still on … Arizona/Utah game canceled at Utah’s request … Duck Dive: CU a 3-3 team in Pac-12 play … Washington at Cal canceled due to positive tests at Cal …

Daily Camera Keys to CU v. UCLA … Sneak Peak at Folsom: Advertising banners for CU sponsors … Neill Woelk’s Five Keys to the UCLA game … **Video: Karl Dorrell’s final press conference before the game: “I am locked in”** …

Karl Dorrell’s stats while a star WR at UCLA … Captains for opener named … Why it’s so important the Buffs score first … Which two Buffs will be wearing “0” on Saturday … Dorrell: “If I am a betting man, I am saying we’re going to play really well” …

CU will have a first-time starting QB, a first-time starting RB, and a true freshman starting at CB to go with their “hasn’t coached a game in 13 years” head coach – so what could go wrong? … Can CU defy the oddsmakers and the pundits and pull off the upset? … It says here that they can …

For my written “T.I.P.S.”, you’ll have to wait until the usual Wednesday-before-the-game posting, but if you want a head start on Week One, this podcast previews the Pac-12 Division races before giving you a detailed preview of CU v. UCLA (Sat., 5:00 p.m., MT, ESPN2) …

Four years ago, Sam Noyer was a three-star prospect with no other Power Five offers … Last year, Noyer was learning how to play safety … Ten months ago, Noyer was back in Oregon, looking for a new team … And now? CU’s starting quarterback …