Woelk: After Loss To Arizona, Buffs' Goal Becomes Simple
October 07, 2017 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — With a return to the Pac-12 championship game now a long, long shot — at best — the Colorado Buffaloes can reset their focus.
Win a Pac-12 game and turn the tide.
Nothing more needs be in their sights.
Don't worry about a bowl game. Don't worry about what possibilities might still exist as far as the Pac-12 title chase is concerned. Don't worry about the math involved and the remaining schedule when it comes to becoming eligible for the postseason.
Concentrate on going to Oregon State next weekend and getting a win. Nothing else need be on the Buffs' minds, because truth is, nothing else matters. Speculation and long-term guesswork need not be part of the equation.
The numbers now are quite simple: CU needs to go 1-0 next week.
Saturday night, for the second week in a row, the Buffs came up one score short. This time around, it was a wild 45-42 loss to Arizona in which Wildcats backup quarterback Khalil Tate ran the Buffs ragged. The Arizona sophomore rushed for 327 yards and four touchdowns and threw for 142 yards and another score, keeping the Buffs at bay all night. Tate's touchdown runs covered 75, 58, 47 and 28 yards, overshadowing a terrific 41-carry, 281-yard, three-touchdown effort from Buffs senior running back Phillip Lindsay.
The Buffs managed to stay close, but could not come up with a stop — even one — when needed. Tate led the Wildcats to a score on their first four possessions of the second half, then ran out the clock on their fifth to clinch the win.
CU head coach Mike MacIntyre was only half kidding when he opened his postgame press conference with this plea: "Can somebody please tackle No. 14 from Arizona?"
Nobody from the media volunteered.
To no one's surprise, the Buffs' postgame mood was somber. They knew Saturday's game was very likely their last chance to inject themselves back into the conversation as a Pac-12 contender. With last year's magical 10-win, division-title season still hanging heavy in the air, they know a repeat is almost certainly not in the cards.
Now they face a difficult task: shedding the weight of their early season expectations and still carving out a successful stretch run.
"I don't think our guys are demoralized," MacIntyre said. "They're really dejected. We've lost two heartbreakers down to the wire. Last year, we won five of those."
The temptation, of course, is to look ahead and attempt to predict how the Buffs can win enough games to become bowl eligible. It's human nature to look at the six remaining games and try to figure where the wins might come.
It's a temptation the Buffs need to resist. It's why I liked Phillip Lindsay's response when asked about what is ahead for him and his teammates.
"One game at a time," Lindsay said.
Once again, the Buffs have lessons to learn from Saturday night's game — but to be honest, some aren't lessons they will be able to utilize anytime soon. Colorado may not see another quarterback of Tate's special abilities until next year, when CU heads to Tucson.
Overshadowed by Saturday's loss was the breakout performance from CU's offense fans had been waiting to see. Along with Lindsay's magnificent performance, Steven Montez completed 19 of 32 pass attempts for 251 yards and three touchdowns (although he was sacked four times). The Buffs had five scoring drives of 75 yards and an 85-yard touchdown drive.
But the bottom line was still a loss. A week ago the defense played well enough for much of the game to win; Saturday night, the offense filled the bill.
Now, the Buffs have to put both together and win a game.
"You just have to bounce back," safety Ryan Moeller said. "You can't hang your head. It is time to hit the drawing board and come back with a vengeance."
It's the attitude the Buffs will need. A team that started the year with sky-high goals still has a chance to make this a season that keeps Colorado in the conversation as a quality Pac-12 program.
But now, pride has to become part of the equation. It's not what the Buffs expected, but it's the hand they've been dealt.
How they play those cards will be a big part of the legacy they will leave.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
