Colorado University Athletics
Colorado-Colorado State Postgame Notes
September 17, 2011 | Football
QUICKLY Jon Embree records his first win as CU's head coach, as the third time proved to be the proverbial charm; he joins Dal Ward (1948, 19-6 over Nebraska), Eddie Crowder (1963; 21-7 at Kansas State) and Bill Mallory (1974; 24-21 vs. Wisconsin) to win their first game in their third try since World War II ... OC/RB Coach Eric Bieniemy presented Embree with the game ball in the lockerroom postgame ... No doubt 28-14 is a very common football score; but the last time CU won a game by this score was on Nov. 6, 1948, over Utah State in Boulder, or some 63 years ago (CU did lose to Texas, 28-14, in Boulder in 2000); in fact, the only other game that ended in that score in this span was a 28-14 setback at Kansas State in 1953 ... Today's attendance of 57,186 was the lowest of the 11 games in Denver; the previous low was last year (60,989). Colorado sold 37,914 of its allotment of about 38,300 tickets ... Colorado now leads the series with the Rams by a 61-20-2 count, including by a 7-4 margin in Denver (where the Buffs are now 45-33-3 overall) ... CU has outscored the Rams 52-17 in the last two games, limiting CSU to 488 total yards (243 today) ... Not a good place to wear black: CU was penalized 10 times for 114 yards today; last Monday night, the Oakland Raiders were flagged 15 times for 131 yards (that's 25 for 245; the Broncos and CSU combined for 19 for 166, so 44 yellow flags were accepted this week) ... CU had four sacks today (including one for zero the school recognizes that the NCAA does not), giving CU at least one in 34 of its last 35 games.
LINER NOTES
WR Kyle Cefalo: had his first career touchdown reception just 12 seconds prior to halftime; the last time he scored a TD in a game was as a senior in high school (Bishop Kelly in Boise), and it was by rushing. Cefalo confirmed that it was the first receiving TD in his life (in a game).
WR Toney Clemons caught 3 balls for 65 yards and the 44-yard touchdown; it was his fourth TD as a Buffthose four have covered 73, 26, 23 and 44 yards, or 166 yards total (41.5 per).
OT Alexander Lewis made history, becoming just the second true freshman in CU history to start a game at offensive tackle; he the only other to do was playing on the same line OG Ryan Miller, who started six games at right tackle in 2007; Lewis is the first to start at left tackle.
TB Tony Jones had his first carries as a Buffalo (8-23); the first 44 rushes out of the tailback position this year were all by Rodney Stewart (who had 290 of 359 last year).
OLB Josh Hartigan had his third multiple sack game (2 for 1 yards, as he had one for zero NFL style); he now has 10 career sacks. CU has won all three games.
ILB Jon Major recorded his first career sack on CSU's last play of the game.
HANGING ON ... To the ball, that is. The Buffaloes now have 238 plays (scrimmage/special teams) in 2011 and have just one turnover (an interception at Hawaii). At present, only two teams are left nationally with zero: San Diego State and Texas A&M (both of whom play tonight).
CU had back-to-back games without a turnover just last year (Texas Tech, Oklahoma), and now have played turnover-free in five of its last nine games.
TIME TIME TIMECU consumed over two-thirds of the clock in the fourth quarter in its game clinching drive that consisted of 16 plays and took 10:03 off the clock; it's the second longest drive time-wise in CU history. The list:
10:07(21 plays, 99 yards) vs. Miami, Fla., at Miami, Oct. 13, 1961 (TD)
10:03(16 plays, 85 yards) vs. Colorado State in Denver, Sept. 17, 2011 (TD).
9:54(22 plays, 70 yards) vs. Kansas in Boulder, Nov. 23, 1985 (FG).
9:33(19 plays, 97 yards) vs. Tennessee at Anaheim, Aug. 26, 1990 (TD).
8:51(18 plays, 96 yards) vs. Colorado State at Fort Collins, Sept. 7, 1996 (TD).
The 11:49 fourth quarter time of possession is not a record for a quarter; that mark is 13:14 versus Indiana in 1980.
TB RODNEY STEWART (19-98, 0 TD RUSH; 7-93 0 TD RECEIVING; 2-9 PR; 200 ALL-PURPOSE YARDS) He moved into fourth place on CU's all-time rushing yards list, closing the game with 2,967 yards; he passed Charlie Davis ('71-73; 2,958). With 191 yards from scrimmage today, he moved from fourth into second with 3,642, passing Bobby Purify (2000-04; 3,524) and Rashaan Salaam (1992-94; 3,469). He jumped from seventh into third in career all-purpose yards with 3,651, trailing only Eric Bieniemy (1987-90; 4,320) and Hugh Charles (2004-07; 3,622). He moved from 20th into 18th in total offense18th in total offense (2,990 yards). On the year, he still has more receiving yards (18-277) than rushing yards (61-223).
His 9 punt return yards were the first in his career that came other than by rush or reception his first return came on his 735th touch (671 rushes, 63 receptions).
QB TYLER HANSEN (32-17-0, 215, 2 TD; 8-26 RUSHING, 241 YARDS TOTAL OFFENSE) Hansen surpassed the 4,000-yard mark in total offense, finishing with 4,114; he passed Eric Bieniemy (4,003) into ninth place as he became the 10th player to hit the mark.
COLORADO INJURIES C Daniel Munyer (ankle) and OLB David Goldberg (lower leg) are listed as day-to-day for Ojio State next week; anyone else injured returned to the game. Older updates: OT David Bakhtiari (knee) is probable for next week; CB Travis Sandersfeld (lower leg) is likely out.