Colorado University Athletics
Woelk: Buffs Have Big Opportunity At WSU
November 16, 2015 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — In a season littered with could-haves, should-haves and what-might-have-beens, the Colorado Buffaloes now have two games remaining against two ranked teams.
While their stated goal of still playing for a bowl game remains alive by the slimmest of margins, I'm much more inclined to agree with a CU assistant coach, who told me last week:
“We just need to win a game. Then another one. When we do that, all the other stuff takes care of itself.”
Indeed, while Mike MacIntyre's Buffs are technically still in the hunt for the postseason, their biggest game of the year is the same as it's been all season: the next one, at Washington State. The Cougars, not a bowl game, will be their focus this week.
WSU offers a tremendous opportunity for 4-7 Colorado. Ranked No. 24, the 7-3 Cougars have been one of the surprises of the Pac-12 this year. Head coach Mike Leach's offense is the nation's No. 1-ranked pass attack and his off-the-cuff style — saying Pullman, Wash., on game day “would probably be on a scale with Woodstock” — has made the Cougars a media darling.
It's one reason the Buffs will be on national television for the second straight week (8:45 p.m. kickoff, ESPN2), and it's the perfect chance for CU to record a win that will turn heads.
There's no doubt the Buffs have raised some eyebrows around the Pac-12. Their latest “almost” — a narrow 27-24 loss to USC that saw the Buffs jump out to a 17-3 lead — was simply the latest notice that they are an improving program.
But they're still missing that program-turning win — and while Washington State may not have the aura of USC, a win over the Cougars would still be the kind that would offer serious validation inside the locker room and out that the Buffs are making strides.
The Buffs continue to believe they're good enough to win and good enough to play with anyone in the Pac-12.
Their latest chance to prove it comes next Saturday.
NEW STARTER: Quarterback Sefo Liufau, who suffered a Lisfranc foot injury in Friday's loss to USC, has started 29 of CU's last 30 games, a streak that stretches back to his freshman year. He missed one start last year — against Oregon — but appeared in relief, and has played in 31 straight games.
Liufau will be out for six to eight months, putting either redshirt freshman Cade Apsay or junior Jordan Gehrke in line to start against WSU. While MacIntyre wouldn't fully commit to Apsay after Friday's game, it's still the most likely possibility.
Looking ahead, Liufau's injury creates an interesting storyline for spring practices. Along with Apsay and Gehrke, the Buffs will take a long look at true freshman Steven Montez, who has had an excellent fall with the scout team. With Liufau unavailable, the quarterback picture will no doubt become one of the more intriguing stories of the spring and no doubt carry over into the fall.
By the way, Liufau is not the only player on CU's team to suffer a Lisfranc injury, as freshman linebacker Grant Watanabe suffered a similar injury. He signed with CU in 2014, but delayed his enrollment until the spring of this year, and did not participate in spring drills because of the injury.
BUFFALO HEART: CU wide receiver Nelson Spruce, who continues to rewrite the school record books, added to his school and Pac-12 receptions record Saturday with seven catches vs. the Trojans, bumping his career total to 279. He also added to his CU record for yards (3,116) and he tied Scotty McKnight's CU record for touchdown receptions (22). Spruce has caught at least one pass in 36 straight games, and his 45-yard punt return that set up the Buffs' final touchdown was the longest since 2010, when Travon Patterson returned one the same distance against Texas Tech.
After the game, Spruce was presented with the “Buffalo Heart” award, given by “the fans behind the bench.” It's the 18th time the award has been presented by the group that selects the player they believe best represents what it means to be a CU Buffalo.
UNLUCKY 13? If you are one of those people afflicted with triskaidekaphobia — fear of the No. 13 — here's some ammunition.
Liufau wears No. 13, he was injured on Friday the 13th and he left the game 13 yards shy of becoming CU's all-time passing leader.
BIG DAY FOR CHIDOBE: Buff defensive back Chidobe Awuzie continues to make his case for All-Pac-12 honors. The CU junior was credited with 11 tackles against USC — nine solo — and he also had a forced fumble and quarterback hurry. Awuzie has been one of the defense's most consistent performers all year, and a valuable weapon in defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt's weekly game plan. He'll no doubt be a key to Leavitt's strategy against WSU's pass attack.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
