Colorado University Athletics
Woelk: Buffs Know They Have To Clean Up Mistakes
September 26, 2015 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — Now it's time to get serious.
Not that Saturday wasn't a nice diversion for the Colorado Buffaloes and their fans. The Buffs capped the nonconference portion of their schedule by dispatching the FCS Nicholls Colonels in methodical fashion at Folsom Field, hammering out a 48-0 win before an announced crowd of 37,302. They worked on their offense, took advantage of the opportunity to get some new faces quality playing time on defense, and generally did their best to make the most of a game that wasn't close after the opening drive.
At the same time, the Buffs also pushed their winning streak to three games — something they haven't accomplished since the first three games of the 2008 season.
But make no mistake, the Colonels were basically a warmup for next Saturday's Pac-12 opener, a nationally televised 8 p.m. matchup with defending conference champion Oregon (ESPN).
Technically, the Buffs won't start working on their Oregon game plan until Sunday, but it won't take film study to know this: the Ducks won't be nearly as forgiving as the Colonels when it comes to mistakes.
Oregon won't give CU any second chances after an overthrow of an open receiver. The Ducks won't politely put up a three-and-out if the Buffs fumble deep in Duck territory.
And every opportunity lost — a missed field goal, a dropped pass, a missed tackle — will be something the Ducks pounce on, something they will take advantage of from every possible angle.
Simply, every mistake will be magnified.
A few minutes into CU coach Mike MacIntyre's postgame press conference, someone asked MacIntyre about the Ducks.
"Let's just enjoy this one right now," MacIntyre suggested — before launching into a quick description of what makes the Ducks so dangerous.
"Speed, speed and speed," MacIntyre said. "All over the field."
But for the first time in the MacIntyre era — maybe the first time since Colorado joined the Pac-12 — the Buffs truly believe they can play with the Ducks. When the nation tunes in to watch, the Buffs promise they won't be intimidated.
"I believe we can beat them," CU center Alex Kelley said as he walked off the field Saturday. "I know we weren't perfect today, but I know we've been getting better every week. We've won three in a row and we have a little confidence now. We know we're capable of doing some good things if we clean up the mistakes."
That might have been the most positive sign from the entire afternoon Saturday — the Buffs walking away knowing they could have played better. They didn't see 48-0 on the scoreboard as much as they saw the number of missed opportunities.
"When I went in at halftime (with the Buffs leading 24-0), they were really upset," MacIntyre said. "I thought that was a great thing."
The biggest concern Saturday — at least judging from fans' reaction in the stands and on social media — may have been the play of CU quarterback Sefo Liufau, who still showed some effects of a shoulder injury he suffered in last week's win over Colorado State. Liufau's numbers were solid — 13-for-21, 227 yards for one touchdown and no interceptions — but he also missed some open receivers that could have produced some big plays.
Liufau admitted he still felt some pain in his shoulder, but quickly noted, "That's no excuse. If you're out there, you have to make plays."
But Liufau said it's not time to worry — not yet. He's confident that when absolutely necessary, he'll be ready to make plays that make a difference.
"I'm my harshest critic," he said. "I know the fans were booing me, but they weren't any more upset than I was. It was definitely frustrating because I left a lot of throws out there.
"But I'm not worried because I know I can make those plays. I'll put in a great week of practice, we'll clean some things up and I'll be ready to play next week. I'm confident of that."
Saturday's game against Oregon begins what national analysts have called a "brutal" conference schedule. In October alone, the Buffs will see four teams that have been or are ranked in the nation's top 25.
But it's also the portion of the schedule CU players and coaches have been pointing to for the last year. Since the day the Buffs walked off the field on the short end of a 38-34 decision vs. Utah to end last season, they have been looking forward to ending a conference losing streak that stretches back 11 games — all nine last year, plus two more at the end of 2013.
"We have to be ready," Buff defensive back Chidobe Awuzie said. "We have a lot of big aspirations and goals for this season. We're going to prepare really hard, make sure we get our checks right on defense and prepare."
There's no question the Buffs have improved. Even through the filter of playing an FCS squad, the Buffs did some good things Saturday. While Liufau did miss some throws, he still hit enough to show he's capable. CU's running game has great potential, especially with the addition of Donovan Lee (10 carries, 103 yards) to the arsenal. The Buffs' secondary has improved every week — and anytime you shut out an opponent, it's a step in the right direction.
Still, nobody in the CU locker room was resting on their laurels Saturday. The Buffs know they have to correct their mistakes and play a near-perfect game to compete with the Ducks.
But unlike years past, the Buffs actually have experience on which they can draw. They know what they're capable of doing if they limit their mistakes and play well. They've improved each week this season.
Next Saturday, we'll see if they can take another step forward.
Note: The Buffs are calling Saturday's game against Oregon the #SilverAndBlackAttack and asking fans to help stripe Folsom Field. Even sections are asked to wear black and odd sections silver or gray. CU and the football student section, the Folsom Frenzy, is asking all students to wear silver or gray.
