Notes: Buffs Running Game Shreds Pac-12's Leading Rush Defense
November 19, 2016 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — For the second time this season, the Colorado Buffaloes faced a defense Saturday that entered the game leading the Pac-12 in rushing defense.
For the second time this season, the Buffs' running game shredded that defense. Colorado's offensive line opened big holes all day and the Buffs ran for 258 yards in a 38-24 win over Washington State, pounding a defense that had been giving up a paltry 116.9 yards per game.
"Our offensive line is doing a great job," said running back Phillip Lindsay, who finished with 144 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries. "Coach (Darian) Hagan has a lot to do with it. That man has put a lot of work into our running back crew and he's taken us to another level."
Earlier this year, the Buffs ran for 315 yards in a 40-16 win over Arizona State when the Sun Devils entered the game with the Pac-12's leading rush defense. After that game, Lindsay brought the entire offensive line to his post-game press conference.
"Our offensive line got rumbling, got on top of the defensive linemen," Lindsay said Saturday. "As a running back, you have to find the holes and make people miss."
After Lindsay spurred CU's opening drive with 39 yards rushing on four carries, including a 9-yard touchdown run, the Cougars began keying on Lindsay.
All it meant was that CU quarterback Sefo Liufau took over running duties and finished with 108 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries. When the Cougars finally turned their attention to Liufau, the Buffs went back to Lindsay and he capped the game with 21 yards on CU's final drive, including a bullish 13-yard TD run on which he literally carried two WSU defenders into the end zone to give CU a 38-24 lead.
"We need to finish drives," Lindsay said. "That's the one thing Coach (Brian) Lindgren and Coach (Darrin) Chiaverini talk about all of the time. I felt like I needed to finish that drive off. I kept my feet moving and with the will and determination that I had, that helped me cross the goal line."
Lindsay also crossed several milestones in the game. It was his sixth career 100-yard game and fourth this season, and he also pushed his season total to 1,081 yards to become CU's first 1,000-yard rusher since Rodney Stewart had 1,318 in 2010. He is also now the 19th player in CU history to reach 2,000 rushing yards in his career (2,125, 15th all-time in CU history).
Lindsay also has at least one rushing touchdown in eight of CU's 11 games this season, with 15 on the year.
BIG GAME FOR WITHERSPOON: Buffs cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon had a career-high three pass breakups in the game. He entered the game leading the conference in PBUs with 14 and his 17 are the seventh-most in a single season in CU history.
LIUFAU CHART CLIMBING: Buffs QB Sefo Liufau became just the second player in CU history to throw for at least 300 yards and rush for at least 100, finishing with 345 passing and 108 rushing. Steven Montez accomplished the feat earlier this year against Oregon.
Liufau also went over the 10,000-yard mark in total offense for his career (10,146) and over 9,000 in passing (9,277). His 453 yards total offense is the sixth-best mark in CU history; he owns the school record of 527. Saturday also marked career highs for him in rushing attempts (23), yards (108) and touchdowns (three).
He also stayed one touchdown pass away from the school record of 60, and now owns or shares 84 CU records.
THIRD-DOWN SUCCESS: Colorado was 13-for-21 on third-down conversions, one shy of the school record. Defensively, the Buffs held WSU to just 4-for-15 on third-down tries. The Cougars entered the game as the Pac-12's leader in third-down conversions, successful on more than 50 percent of their tries.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
