Brooks: Late TD Pass Dooms Buffs In Pac-12 Opener

Saturday, October 1

Boulder, Colo.

1:30 p.m.

Colorado

1-4-0 , 0-1

Washington State

3-1-0 , 1-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Washington State

Colorado

October 01, 2011 | Football, B.G. Brooks

Box Score Notes Quotes Final Game Book

By: B.G. Brooks, Contributing Editor

BOULDER – A defensive lapse in the final 70 seconds Saturday spelled heartache for the Colorado Buffaloes and spoiled their Pac-12 Conference debut.

Washington State quarterback Marshall Lobbestael hooked up with receiver Marquess Wilson for a 63-yard touchdown pass with 1:10 remaining, rallying the Cougars for a 31-27 win at Folsom Field.

The Buffs appeared to have put the game away with a 78-yard scoring drive that gave them a 10-point lead (27-17) with 5:11 to play. But Lobbestael, who completed 32 of 49 passes for 376 yards, brought WSU back by throwing two of his three TD passes in the final 2:35.

The scoring pass to Wilson, who entered the game with a nation-leading 143 receiving yards per game, came after a mixup in the injury-riddled CU secondary. Wilson somehow got wide open behind freshman cornerback Greg Henderson and senior safety Anthony Perkins.

CU finally rediscovered its running game, but that timely find was futile. Senior tailback Rodney "Speedy" Stewart rushed 26 times for 132 yards, breaking the 100-yard barrier for the 15th time in his career. Buffs quarterback Tyler Hansen completed 15-of-23 passes for 175 yards and two TDs, with one interception.

CU (1-4 overall, 0-1 Pac-12) finished with 336 yards in total offense, including a season-best 161 yards rushing, while WSU (3-1, 1-0) amassed 455 total yards. The Buffs now face two consecutive road games – at No. 6 Stanford next Saturday and at improving Washington on Oct. 15.

It was a transitional afternoon for the Buffs' 'D,' which was facing an offense that came to Boulder averaging just under 540 yards a game and 49 points.

The CU secondary opened with Henderson at right cornerback and senior Jason Espinoza on the left side. Espinoza, a 5-8, 180-pounder, switched from receiver late last month and was targeted early by Lobbestael. But he held his own, as did senior Brian Lockridge, who spent his first four years at CU at tailback and had never played defense before last week. Lockridge occasionally spelled Espinoza and recorded a career first – a quarterback sack on a corner blitz.

Another offensive transplant – senior Tyler Ahles – moved from fullback to linebacker, the position he had played prior to last season.

For all the repositioning, the Buffs made it work and led 13-10 at the half – an advantage gained on Will Oliver's 48-yard field goal on the first half's final play. He also kicked a 48-yarder late in the first quarter for CU's first points and had an earlier 29-yard attempt blocked.

That botched try negated safety Ray Polk's first career interception, which stopped the Cougars at the Buffs' 34-yard line and appeared to offer CU its first break of the game. However, the Buffs faltered at the 12, and on fourth down Oliver tried his first field goal of the afternoon – but WSU defensive end Travis Long smothered it and the Cougars were off and marching again.

And this time there was no interception to keep them out of the end zone. Lobbestael, running a no-huddle offense, drove WSU 81 yards in 15 plays, with tailback Carl Winston scoring on a 2-yard run. Andrew Furney's PAT put the Cougars up 7-0 with 3:57 left in the first quarter.

After Oliver trimmed the deficit to 7-3, the Buffs stopped the Cougars on fourth-and-one at the CU 40. Linebacker Doug Rippy made the initial hit on Winston, forcing a 3-yard loss.

Hansen and his offense then took advantage of a pair of major penalties (roughing the passer, unnecessary roughness) and cruised 56 yards for the Buffs' go-ahead touchdown – a 9-yard pass from Hansen to Paul Richardson. After Richardson completed the fade route, he was shoved in the back, drawing another 15-yard penalty on WSU, which was flagged seven times for 90 yards in the opening half.

Lobbestael and his group capitalized on a rare Hansen interception – his pass was tipped by tight end Ryan Deehan and picked by safety Deonne Buchanan, who returned it 29 yards to the CU 38.

But with 21 seconds left in the half, the Cougars had to settle for a 28-yard Furney field goal that tied the score (10-10). After a short kickoff returned to the CU 48 by Evan Harrington, Hansen and Deehan teamed for a 21-yard completion, bringing on Oliver with 5 seconds before intermission.

His kick eased the Buffs ahead 13-10, setting them up to receive the second-half kickoff and offering a quick opportunity to pad their lead – which they did.

Hansen engineered a nine-play, 79-yard drive, with the pivotal play a screen pass to Stewart that covered 34 yards after being sprung by a downfield block by center Gus Handler. CU had first-and-goal at the WSU 8-yard line, and two plays later Hansen tossed another fade to the left corner – this time to Toney Clemons for a 4-yard score. Oliver's extra point gave the Buffs a 10-point (20-10) cushion.

If the Cougars felt the game slipping away they didn't show it. Lobbestael required less than 5 minutes to drive his team 80 yards, completing the journey with an 11-yard scoring pass to fullback Jared Byers. Furney's PAT again pulled WSU to within three (20-17).

The next series was a nightmare for the Buffs. A pair of penalties – the most costly a holding flag on left tackle David Bakhtiari that wiped out a 20-yard first down completion to tight end DaVaughn Thornton – sabotaged the possession and forced CU's first punt of the game.

Still, the Buffs entered the fourth quarter cradling their precarious 20-17 lead. But their first possession of the period was a replay of the previous series. Hansen lost 10 yards on a quarterback sack on first down, a false start on right tackle Ryan Dannewitz pushed CU back another 5 yards and punter Darragh O'Neill was called on for a second time.

His 53-yarder bailed out the Buffs, and their defense forced the Cougars into a three-and-out from their 38-yard line. With 11:18 remaining, CU took over on its 22-yard line, needing to at least squeeze the clock to protect its three-point lead.

The Buffs did more than that, driving 78 yards – Stewart's 52-yard scamper off right tackle was the key – for the TD that gave them a 10-point lead.

But the Cougars weren't done. Lobbestael engineered a 77-yard scoring drive, completing it with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Barton. Furney's extra point with 2:35 remaining brought WSU back to within three points (27-24) – and once again the heat was on Hansen & Co. to keep the Cougars offense off the field, this time for the final 2:30.

The Buffs killed 1:50 of that time before turning the ball over on downs to the Cougars. But allowing Lobbestael and his offense back on the field was CU's fatal mistake.

CU had a final chance with 1:03 to play, but Paul Richardson fumbled Hansen's first-down completion, WSU linebacker C.J. Mizell recovered, and with 55 seconds remaining, the Buffs and their historic Pac-12 debut were history.

Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU