Colorado University Athletics
Colorado-Washington State Notes
October 01, 2011 | Football
QUICKLY Colorado now leads the series 4-3 (WSU leads 3-2 in Boulder) ... Colorado is now 16-4 in games played on Parent's/Family Weekend and 12-4 at home since mid-1984 when losing by 20 or more points the previous week on the road (CU fell 37-17 at Ohio State last Saturday) ... CU's three first half scores were a season-high (1 TD/2 FG); the 13 points were second to the CSU game where the Buffs led 14-7 at halftime ... Since being held to just 168 yards in the '96 game in Boulder (with Ryan Leaf at quarterback no less), WSU has averaged 459 yards here in the last two games (463 in 2003, 455 today) ... Each team had just 11 possessions today, or 22 total; the last two meetings between the two had 72 (35 in '3, 37 in '04) ... Colorado ran 62 plays in the game, the fourth time in five the Buffs ran 66 or fewer (exception: 82 vs. Cal). CU is averaging just 64.6 offensive plays per game for the season ... CU had three sacks today (19 on the year includes a sack for zero the NCAA doesn't recognize); the Buffs have at least one in 35 of its last 36 games.
INDIVIDUAL LINER NOTES
TE Kyle Slavin started the game, which was also served as his first collegiate snap.
TB turned CB Brian Lockridge played his first game on defense, and the first stat he records was a 9-yard quarterback sack in the second quarter.
WR turned CB Jason Espinoza saw his first career action on defense today and in fact, started the game at left cornerback.
OLB Juda Parker made his first career start today.
FB Tyler Ahles saw action on defense today, returning to his familiar outside linebacker spot for some action.
P Darragh O'Neill had his career long punt of 57 yards in the third quarter after not punting in the first half.
WR Paul Richardson's fumble was just the first of his career, coming on his 71st touch. His TD reception was his 11th, tying him for ninth all-time at Colorado.
FS Ray Polk made his first career interception, and returned it 52 yards, the longest return by CU this season (PR, KOR, etc.). In fact, CU had just 27 return yards in its first four games, so his return almost doubled it.
CONFERENCE OPENERS ... Colorado is now 78-38-2 in conference openers, which includes a 36-14-1 mark at Folsom Field (and 51-15-1 at home overall). The Buffs are now 5-3 in "new" conference openers.
TB RODNEY STEWART (26-132, 1 TD RUSH; 1-34 RECEIVING; 1-(-1) PR; 5-113 KOR; 278 ALL-PURPOSE YARDS) He enjoyed the 15th 100-yard game of his career (now second only to 22 by Eric Bieniemy as he snapped a tie with Rashaan Salaam and Chris Brown). He passed Salaam (3,057) into second place on CU's all-time rushing yards list, closing the game with 3,156 yards; he passed Bieniemy into first place in all-time rushing attempts (718; Bieniemy had 699 from 1987-90). His 34 receiving yards gives him 736 for his career, the most receiving yards ever by a running back at CU as he eclipsed the 725 by Herchell Troutman (1994-97).
His rushing TD was the first by a CU running back this season (since he scored on a 51-yard run vs. Kansas State last Nov. 20).
His 278 all-purpose yards were the 11th most in a single-game in CU history (second most this year, thoughPaul Richardson had 297 vs. Cal). Today marked the first time he has returned a kickoff as a Buff.
PK WILL OLIVER (2-3 FG, 3-3 PAT, 9 PTS) He had his streak of six field goals made to start his career come to an end with the first quarter block by WSU, but rebounded to make a pair of 48-yarders; he is now 8-of-9 on the year (6-of-6 beyond 30 yards, 4-of-4 beyond 40. The Buffs were just 6-of-23 from 40 or longer the last three seasons). Oliver's average distance for his eight made have been 38.8 yards.
QB TYLER HANSEN (23-15-1, 175, 2TD) He became the seventh Buffalo to throw for 4,000 yards in career, ending the day with 4,147. His passes without an interception streak came to an end at 131 (intercepted on his 11th pass today); that was the second longest mark in school annals behind 139 by Joel Klatt (over a five-game stretch in 2005).
COLORADO INJURIESFor the first time in 2011: none! Halle-freakin'-lujah. Just a couple of players treated for minor bumps/bruised who both returned to action.