Brooks: Buffs Dealt Second Dose Of Pac-12 Heartbreak

BOULDER – The losses are getting closer but no easier to stomach for the Colorado Buffaloes and their coach. Seven days after a three-point, double-overtime defeat at California, the Buffs left Folsom Field a five-point loser to Oregon State – and still searching for some way to end the near misses.

Their 36-31 loss on Saturday matched last weekend's Pac-12 Conference loss for resilience, drama and ultimately heartbreak. And once again Mike MacIntyre's sideline passion spilled over, this time in a brief but heated pursuit of the officials as they left the field.

Leaving his sideline in front of the stadium's east stands, MacIntyre followed the officiating crew nearly into Folsom's northwest end zone, shouting and gesturing before turning back. In his postgame news conference, he declined to discuss what sparked his behavior.

"I can't comment on officials . . . next question," he said, then repeated that answer when pressed moments later on a similar topic.

His anger apparently was stoked by an afternoon of flags thrown – or not – for pass interference. One thrown on CU cornerback Kenneth Crawley in the third quarter kept an OSU scoring drive intact. A couple of flags that MacIntyre might believe should have been thrown on passes intended for Nelson Spruce remained in the officials' pockets – and one of those was in a final CU possession that might have allowed the Buffs to celebrate on a sparkling October afternoon.

If MacIntyre wasn't in the mood to discuss his postgame pursuit, some of his players were. "I like to see a coach fight for his team," said senior defensive lineman Juda Parker. "He wears his heart on his sleeve . . . I like to see that because he really cares for his team."

Of the game's officiating, Parker said, "Players play, coaches coach, referees referee . . . we have to play in between the whistles. That's all we can control."

MacIntyre called the defeat "a tough loss for our young men. We fought hard but that's two (close losses) in a row . . . we've been in every game but we're 2-4 (overall). That's the reality."

Another frustrating sliver of reality: In its past two games, CU has totaled 87 points and 1,061 yards in total offense and come away with two 'L's.

At the midway point of their season, the Buffs dropped to 0-3 in the Pac-12 (4-26 in 31/2 seasons). Before Saturday, they lost competitive conference games to Arizona State (38-24) and Cal (59-56, double OT). Now, they must wait two weekends before playing again, having the first of two byes next Saturday before traveling to Southern California on Saturday, Oct. 18.

CU, which lost 44-17 last season in Corvallis, Ore., spotted OSU 14 first-quarter points but rallied to take a 21-20 halftime lead. But the Buffs, held pointless in the third quarter, were outscored 16-10 in the final half. Each of CU's four touchdown drives covered 75 yards.

With 2:08 remaining, the Buffs appeared in prime position for a game-winning drive but problems in execution and a possible missed pass interference penalty on Spruce squelched that opportunity. With CU out of timeouts, OSU (4-1, 1-1) had only 1:43 to kill before leaving with the win.

Spruce, the nation's leading receiver entering the game, finished with six catches for 35 yards – both season lows. He also failed to catch a touchdown pass for the first time in seven games. But Spruce had backup help: Tyler McCulloch had one of his best games as a Buff, catching four passes for 76 yards and two touchdowns, while D.D. Goodson contributed six catches for 43 yards.

Goodson called the loss "tough. We fought well and did what we could . . . I've seen fight in our players. We never stopped and we never wanted to give in and that's what coach talked about after the game."

CU quarterback Sefo Liufau completed 32 of his 49 pass attempts for 308 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception. Liufau said OSU "didn't take (Spruce)" out of the offense. "In the first quarter I overthrew him . . . nobody on that team can cover Spruce."

Liufau's OSU counterpart, Sean Mannion, finished 27-of-37 for 278 yards and one TD. Mannion did most of his damage in the second half, going 15-for-20 for 148 yards and his TD throw.

The Buffs were without one of their starters for the entire game and another for the Beavers' last drive of the third quarter as well as all of the fourth quarter.

Tailback/fullback Christian Powell missed the game with a concussion and is out indefinitely. He was injured last weekend at California but did not report his symptoms to team trainers until Monday.

CU linebacker Addison Gillam suffered a concussion late in the third quarter and missed the remainder of the game. He was injured on a hit to the head by OSU freshman safety Brandon Arnold, who targeted Gillam on punt coverage and was ejected.

In Powell's absence, Michael Adkins II, who had been slowed by an ankle injury, turned in his most productive rushing day of the season. He carried 13 times for 79 yards and scored his first TD of the season. The Buffs rushed for 123 yards, while the Beavers had 167 and outgained CU 445-431 in total offense. Each team converted six of its 14 third-down conversion attempts.

CU led 21-20 at the half, but getting there was an uphill climb for the Buffs, who spotted the Beavers a 14-0 first quarter and failed to show an offensive pulse until their fourth possession.

After CU failed on third-and-one at its own 34-yard line and fourth-and-one at the OSU 37, the Beavers drove 63 yards in four plays and scored on 4-yard run by Terron Ward. Trevor Romaine's PAT gave OSU a 7-0 lead, but less than 2 minutes later the Beavers would double their advantage.

On CU's subsequent possession, Liufau suffered his seventh interception of the season. Linebacker D.J. Alexander made this pick, returning it to the Buffs' 8, and two plays later tailback Storm Woods had another TD to send the Beavers up 14-0.

Undaunted, the Buffs answered with a 75-yard, six-play march, scoring on Liufau's 31-yard pass to McCulloch. After Will Oliver's extra point, CU was within seven points (14-7) with 3:59 left in the first quarter.

OSU went ahead by 10 (17-7) on a 38-yard Romaine field goal, but CU answered with its second 75-yard march – this one capped by Adkins' 12-yard sprint around left end. Oliver pulled the Buffs to within 17-14, hitting his 81st consecutive PAT and the 110th of his CU career and setting a school record for extra points.

After two long scoring drives, the Buffs appeared to have their offense in gear. But a center snap that Liufau obviously wasn't expecting sailed past him and into the end zone. Liufau avoided giving up any points by retrieving the ball and attempting a third-down pass.

The Buffs were forced to punt and the Beavers promptly positioned Romaine for a 33-yard field goal and a 20-14 Oregon State lead with 2:54 left in the half. But that was more than enough time for Liufau to conduct his third 75-yard march of the half.

CU succeeded despite early drops on the drive by Adkins and Jones, and Jones more than redeemed himself. After bobbling a first-down pass in the left flat, Jones caught another on the next play for 12 yards. Three plays later, he and Liufau connected for a 19-yard catch and run to the OSU 9.

Two plays after that, Jones scored on a 1-yard dive, tying the score at 20-20 with 43 seconds left before intermission. Oliver's PAT gave the Buffs their first lead of the afternoon, 21-10, but the second half awaited.

CU outgained OSU 280-199 in total offense in the first half and had 16 first downs to the visitors' eight. Adkins finished the half with 43 yards on seven carries – easily his most productive half of the season. And his interception aside, Liufau was sharp, completing 20 of 28 passes for 205 yards and one TD. Spruce finished the half with four catches for 20 yards.

Neither team threatened on its first possession of the second half. But on their second series the Beavers traveled to the Buffs 20-yard line, where CU defensive end Timothy Coleman sacked Mannion for a 9-yard loss. Romaine came on to kick a 47-yard field goal, his longest of the season and 3 yards short of his career long kick.

With 6:47 left in the third quarter, OSU had regained the lead, 23-21. The quarter ended with that score and the Beavers at the Buffs 27-yard line. The drive was kept alive by the pass interference call on Crawley, who intercepted Mannion but was victimized by a controversial flag.

Four plays later – two snaps into the fourth quarter – Mannion hit tight end Caleb Smith with a 24-yard TD pass and a 30-21 OSU lead. And once again, the Buffs were in a familiar position – playing from behind. They crept to within 30-24 on a 44-yard field goal by Oliver, who had missed three attempts in last weekend's double overtime loss at Cal.

But the Beavers got the ball back with 10:48 to play, ran the clock to 5:09 and capped a 12-play, 85-yard drive with a 10-yard TD run by Ward. Mannion's two-point conversion pass failed, but OSU was up 36-24.

Still, the Buffs hadn't had enough. They embarked on their fourth 75-yard drive of the afternoon and pulled to 36-31 on McCulloch's 17-yard scoring reception.

Hope flickered when the Beavers misplayed Oliver's kickoff, downing the ball at their own 11-yard line and punting four plays later after linebacker Brady Daigh – Gillam's replacement – stopped a Mannion-to-Woods pass for a 1-yard gain on third-and-seven.

A 30-yard Keith Kostol punt gave the Buffs possession at the Beavers 44, but they could advance only as far as the 40, where Jones bobbled a first-down pass, then caught a 4-yard pass on second down at the sidelines but failed to step out of bounds and stop the clock – costing CU its final time out with 1:55 remaining.

On a third-and-six incompletion, Spruce appeared to be interfered with but there was no call. Liufau was hurried into an errant throw on fourth down.

Of his team's final series, Liufau said, "We had a drop burt we have three downs after that. You keep going, going through the plays. Just little setbacks here and there. Not getting out of bounds or not catching the ball or not running the right routes.

"Whatever other external things that happen are out of our control. It just happens that way and it's tough not executing. I'll take responsibility for that; put that on my shoulders. It's just a matter of executing."

With 1:43 left, the Beavers assumed possession at their own 40. Mannion erased that time with kneel downs and the Buffs were done.

NOTABLE

Saturday's attendance was 36,415 . . . . The Buffs won Saturday's coin toss, making them 6-0 this season. They've elected to go on offense all six times . . . . After their Oct. 18 trip to USC, the Buffs have back-to-back home games are against UCLA (Oct. 25) and Washington (Nov. 1), followed by consecutive road trips to Arizona (Nov. 8) and Oregon (Nov. 22). The season finale is against Utah at home (Nov. 29).

Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU

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Team Stats

Sefo Liufau

Players Mentioned

Michael Adkins II

Timothy Coleman

Addison Gillam

Sefo Liufau

Players Mentioned

Michael Adkins II

Timothy Coleman

Addison Gillam

Sefo Liufau