Friday Fast Facts

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Friday Fast Facts – Washington Week

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… “T.I.P.S” – Our weekly preview postings, are available for your review and comment. The written preview and predictions for the CU/Washington game can be found here, while the CU at the Game Podcast Preview for the game can be found here …

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Big Picture … 

— CU gets a winning season, at least weather-wise … The forecast for Saturday in Boulder is for a high of 57-degrees. With a 1:00 p.m. kickoff, the weather will be ideal for football weather … certainly ideal for the Saturday before Thanksgiving;

— Let’s hear it for the Buff Nation … The student section has been exceptional all season, but the rest of the Buff Nation has been loyal as well. Coming into the last home game of the season, CU is averaging 47,524 per game. If the average holds, it will be the second-highest home attendance average since Folsom Field’s capacity was adjusted to 50,183 in 2014 (highest: 2019: 49,573 per game – which included the overflow Nebraska crowd). CU is currently at 95% of capacity, which is the second-highest percentage in the Pac-12;

— This Saturday’s game will mark just the second CU encounter against an unranked Huskies’  team since 2014 (both teams were unranked in 2019, with the Buffs winning, 20-14). Overall, in the 19-game series, the Buffs have had to play seven ranked Washington teams, with a 3-4 record in those games. The Buffs have played the Huskies four times when CU came in as a ranked team, with a 3-1 record in such games (the only loss coming in the 2016 Pac-12 championship game);

— Karl Dorrell is 4-1 against the Huskies as a head coach (with UCLA). Dorrell was also on the sidelines for CU’s Holiday Bowl win over Washington in 1996 Holiday Bowl. As Washington’s offensive coordinator in 1999 (Dorrell left with Neuheisel), Dorrell beat the Buffs, 31-24;

— The ESPN Power Index gives Washington a 68.1% chance of winning; CU a 31.9% chance (in case you were wondering, two weeks ago it was 66.7% for Oregon State; 33.3% for CU);

— Can the Buffs get to 35?  … CU has only scored 35 or more points twice this season (35 v. Northern Colorado; 37 v. Oregon State), so Washington’s streak of holding opponents under 35 points (85 games and counting, easily the longest such streak in the nation) is likely to continue;

— The game will be telecast nationally on the Pac-12 Networks (Saturday, 1:10 p.m., MT), with Roxie Bernstein on the play-by-play, and Washington All-American tackle Lincoln Kennedy with the commentary (so be prepared for plenty of talk about the Huskies).  KOA radio will have Mark Johnson, in his 18th year, with the play-by-play, and former CU head coach Gary Barnett in his sixth year as the full-time analyst.

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Statistically speaking … 

— Something has got to give Department … Colorado 111th in the nation in tackles for loss allowed (not so good), but Washington is 96th in the nation in tackles for loss. Mental note: If Brendon Lewis is scrambling all afternoon, it’s not going to be a good day for the Buffs;

— Don’t expect long plays by either offense … Washington has allowed only three plays of over 40 yards or more this season (one of seven schools with three or fewer). The Colorado defense, meanwhile, has allowed only four such plays (although two of the four came against UCLA last weekend; the other two were posted by USC);

— The only stat you really need to know … The first team to three touchdown wins. Colorado is only averaging 19.2 points per game (119th nationally), but Washington is not that far ahead, putting up only 22.8 points per game (107th nationally);

— Well, it has to come to an end sometime for the Huskies (and this weekend would be nice) … Washington is the only FBS school which has scored on every red zone opportunity this season (31 trips: 21 touchdowns; 10 field goals). Colorado, meanwhile, hasn’t done that badly, either. The Buffs have scored on 27 of 29 red zone trips (93.5%), with 19 touchdowns and eight field goals. CU’s 93.5% success rate is actually the second-best for the Buffs in the last 60 years, with only last year’s team doing better (17-of-18, with 14 touchdowns and three field goals – 94.4%);

— It really hasn’t been of much help so far … but Colorado is doing well in hanging onto the ball. The Buffs have lost only seven turnovers all season, ranking CU 3rd in the nation in that category;

— Bar bet winner … Ten games into the 2021 season, which has more total yards, the CU passing game or the CU running game? Answer … CU has 1,379 rushing yards and 1,379 passing yards, an exact match. For ranking purposes, CU’s 137.9 yards/game rushing is good enough for 90th in the national rankings; the 137.9 yards/game passing is only good enough to be ranked 126th.

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CU Player Notes … 

— Super Seniors … How many Seniors will CU honor on Senior Day? Damned if I know. There are some seniors we know have used up their eligibility and will be playing their last game in Folsom, including LB Nate Landman, DL Mustafa Johnson (for the second time); OL Kary Kutsch; and TE Matt Lynch. After that, there are five “super” juniors who are graduating in December, and may decide to move on, including S Curtis Appleton; RB Alex Fontenot; DL Janaz Jordan; OL Chance Lytle; and LB Guy Thomas. Oh, and there are 15 other Buffs who have already graduated … Suffice it to say, there will be some turnover on the roster in the next month – we just don’t know how much;

— Punter Josh Watts is making a push for first-team All-Pac-12 honors. Watts is leading the Pac-12, and is fourth in the nation, averaging 48.3 yards per punt. Currently, Watts career average of 45.85 yards per punt second only in school history to Mark Mariscal (46.79 yards/punt). Watts will have plenty of time to take over the No. 1 spot, as he has indicated that he will return for the 2022 season, despite being on pace to graduate in May;

— After having different sets of captains for each of the first five games of the season, the Buffs have had the same four captains for the past five games: cornerback Mekhi Blackmon; linebacker Nate Landman; quarterback Brendon Lewis; and tight end Brady Russell;

— Obscure record of the Week … Wide receiver Daniel Arias has been a demon on special teams. In his career, he has forced 26 fair catches from opposing returners. The school record? 27, by Ryan Iverson (2010-13);

— Injury list … Linebacker Nate Landman is still listed as injured, though coach Dorrell indicated that he might play (Senior Day? I’d bet on it). Also listed as injured, but considered likely to return, are cornerback Mehki Blackmon and linebacker Guy Thomas.

— The list of players who have been lost for the season … Marcus Bell, WR; Jeremiah Doss, DT; Chris Miller, S/OLB; J.T. Shrout, QB; Jaylen Striker, CB; Nigel Bethel, CB; Montana Lemonious-Craig, WR; Joshka Gustav, LB.

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Colorado and Washington … historical

Colorado and Washington are two western programs who have enjoyed national recognition and success, with the Huskies have a slight edge over the Buffs in several all-time categories.

According to Winsipedia …

— Washington has 749 all-time wins (18th all-time); Colorado has 717 all-time wins (28th all-time);

— Washington has 311 all-time NFL draft picks (17th all-time); Colorado has 276 all-time NFL draft picks (23rd all-time); and

— Washington has 27 all-time first-round NFL draft picks (22nd all-time); Colorado has 24 all-time first round NFL draft picks (28th all-time);

Meanwhile …

— Colorado has 31 consensus All-Americans (22nd all-time); Washington has 23 consensus All-Americans (32nd all-time);

— Colorado has 26 conference championships (10th all-time); Washington has 17 conference championships (25th all-time); and

— Colorado has a Heisman trophy winner, while Washington, surprisingly enough, has never had a player so honored. (In case you missed it last week … CU, USC, and UCLA are the only Pac-12 members of the 24-member club of teams with both a national championship and a Heisman trophy).

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CU & Washington … 

— Washington has a 12-6-1 lead in the series, including a 5-2 advantage in games played in Boulder. After losing to Washington in Seattle in 1915, the Buffs posted a 5-2-1 record against the Huskies in games played between 1953-96;

— The two teams have played three neutral site game, with all three games being played in the state of California. In 1985, Washington defeated CU, 20-17, in the Freedom Bowl in Anaheim. Eleven years later, the Buffs defeated the Huskies, 33-21, in the 1996 Holiday Bowl in San Diego. Then, in 2016, the two teams met in Santa Clara for the Pac-12 championship, with No. 4 Washington defeating No. 9 Colorado, 41-10;

— A record you would like to see broken … Washington, as we know, is lousy against the run, giving up 203.9 yards/game (117th nationally). The most rushing yards by a Buff in the series came in 1990, when Eric Bieniemy ran for 143 yards. If Jarek Broussard can set a new standard this weekend, I like CU’s chances …

— Makes sense if you think about it … Seattle, at 47 36’22” north latitude, is as far north as CU has ever played a game;

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The Last time …

November 23, 2019 … Colorado 20, Washington 14 … 

— Game Story … On senior night in Folsom, quarterback Steve Montez threw for a touchdown and led a long final drive from the shadow of his own end zone to run out the clock as Colorado beat Washington 20-14.

Alex Fontenot added 105 yards rushing and a touchdown on 24 carries, springing free for a couple of first down runs on the Buffaloes’ last drive, which ran off the final 5:09. It began at the Buffaloes one-yard and ended with Montez taking a knee at the Huskies 18 to run out the final seconds. The victory for Colorado (5-6, 3-5 Pac-12) snapped a nine-game losing streak to Washington (6-5, 3-5).

Laviska Shenault had 100 yards receiving on seven catches, including a spectacular 39-yard touchdown reception which had the home finale crowd of 44,618 watching the replay just to be sure of what they had seen. “That’s kind of the Laviska Shenault effect,” said Montez. “He goes out there and makes plays like that, it just kind of makes you look around and say ‘did he really just catch that?’. Those were the words that were coming out of my mouth coming back to the sideline.”

The Buff defense held the Washington offense to 238 total yards – with 32 rushing yards on 32 carries. The latter stat was aided by the Buffs sacked Husky quarterback Jacob Eason five times. The CU offense posted 430 yards of total offense, with 223 through the air and 207 on the ground.

The win not only was the first for CU against Washington as a member of the Pac-12, it was the first home win against Washington since 1990. Ironically enough, the win in 1990 was by the identical 20-14 score.

… Continue reading game story here …

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Pac-12 Notes … 

— Out of 130 FBS teams, 24 teams are currently starting freshmen at quarterback, including seven at Power Five schools. Out of those 24 freshmen quarterbacks, exactly two have started ten games so far this season … that would be CU’s Brendon Lewis and Washington’s Dylan Morris. Lewis is a COVID freshman, while Morris is a third-year freshman, with a COVID year and a 2019 season in which he played in less than four games;

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Buffs a 7.0-point underdog to Washington 

From VegasInsider.com

Pac-12 lines …

• Arizona at Washington State … Washington State a 14.5-point favorite … Friday, 7:00 p.m., MT, Pac-12 Networks
• Washington at Colorado … Washington is a 7.0-point road favorite … Saturday, 1:00 p.m., MT, Pac-12 Networks
• UCLA at USC … UCLA is a 3.0-point road favorite … Saturday, 2:00 p.m., MT, Fox
• California at Stanford … California is a 4.0-point road favorite … Saturday, 5:00 p.m., MT,
• No. 3 Oregon at No. 24 Utah … Utah is a 2.5-point favorite … Saturday, 5:30 p.m., MT, ABC
• Arizona State at Oregon State … Arizona State at 3.5-point road favorite … Saturday, 8:30 p.m., MT, ESPN

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Tags: Daniel Arias, Josh Watts
This post, about the Washington game, from the 2021 Season, is filed under Article.
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