Buffs Square Off With Utes With Bowl Bid On The Line

SALT LAKE CITY — Two teams whose seasons have not gone as planned will meet Saturday night at Rice-Eccles Stadium in an attempt to put a positive finish on thus-far disappointing seasons.

Both Colorado and Utah enter the 8 p.m. game (FS1) with 5-6 overall records, 2-6 in the Pac-12. The winner will extend its season and have the opportunity to play in a bowl game; the loser will finish the year in last place in the Pac-12 South.

But the similarities between the two teams extend past the records. Both have also endured a handful of narrow losses, games in which just a couple of plays made the difference in the outcome — and have thus left the teams in their current positions.

For the Buffs, who have lost six of their last eight after a 3-0 start, three games stand out: losses at UCLA, at home to Arizona and at Arizona State. Against the Bruins, the Buffs had one touchdown called back by a penalty and dropped two more potential touchdown passes in the end zone in a 27-23 loss. In a 45-42 loss to Arizona, one stop of the Wildcats on any one of their touchdown drives (the Wildcats converted six of nine third-down tries) or their last possession would have given CU a chance to win.

And, against Arizona State, the Buffs dropped two long would-be touchdown passes and even then led by 10 points going into the fourth quarter before being outscored 24-3 in the final period.

For the Utes, who have lost six of their last seven after a 4-0 start, the heartbreaks have been even more pronounced. Utah led USC at the half, 21-7, then scored in the final minute to pull within a point, 28-27, after the Trojans had rallied to take the lead. Utah coach Kyle Whittingham elected to go for two but the run failed.

Last week, the Utes led Washington for most of the game before the Huskies scored 10 points in the final minute — including a field goal as time expired — to hand Utah a 33-30 loss. Utah also lost by three to Stanford (23-20) and by eight to Washington State (33-25).

"They're a good football team, but they've just kind of been snakebit here or there, kind of like we have in a few close games," CU head coach Mike MacIntyre said. "If you flip a couple close games and we're both going into this game like 8-3 or 9-2. It's a whole different story. But, we didn't and that's something that both of us are probably going, 'Why?' We'd like to finish off strong. They are very talented."

A number of Buffs seniors, in particular running back Phillip Lindsay, have some unfinished business. Lindsay, who already owns CU's career all-purpose yardage mark and is second on the all-time CU rushing chart, still has one more game to hit 1,000 yards receiving for his career (Colorado does not count bowl statistics in career marks). Lindsay needs just 37 yards receiving to hit 1,000. If he does, he will be the first player in Colorado history to have at least 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 receiving.

But those numbers are secondary to the CU senior. Tops on his priority list is a second straight bowl appearance for the Buffs, something Colorado hasn't done since the 2004-05 seasons.

"At the end of the day, that's what we're playing the game for, to go to a bowl game," Lindsay said. "That's what we're looking forward to, executing Saturday, getting the win and having fun at our bowl game."

If the Buffs can get Lindsay untracked early — on the ground and in the air — it will be a good sign. In three of their losses, the Utes have given up at least 120 yards on the ground including 347 to Oregon and 205 to Arizona State.

But they have also had their issues in the secondary, something Colorado quarterback Steven Montez and his wide receivers hope to attack. In losses to Washington and Washington State, Utah yielded more than 300 yards in the air.

Defensively, the key for the Buffs will be containing UU quarterback Tyler Huntley, who is 5-4 as a starter. Huntley has thrown for 2,246 yards and 15 touchdowns, along with 10 interceptions, and he is also Utah's second-leading rusher, with 480 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. Overall, he's second in the Pac-12 and 15th in the nation in total offense.

"Tyler Huntley is a real athletic quarterback," Buffs linebacker Rick Gamboa said. "He can beat you running and throwing. If you let him run, he's real fast. He'll get to the edge, run down DBs, run by linebackers. The O-line is real big and physical. I think that's one thing Utah prides themselves on, real physical linemen to get the running game going."

History suggests the game will go down to the wire. In their six previous meetings, neither team has won by more than seven points.

"The guys have been excited about playing in this game, because there's a lot on the line," MacIntyre said. "They're healthy and excited about playing. This is always a big game, close game, exciting game. It's always fun to play at Utah, because the crowd's always into it. Our guys will be ready to go."

MATCHUP TO WATCH: Colorado's defensive front seven vs. Utah quarterback Tyler Huntley. The Buffs have to keep Huntley in the pocket, both to limit him from running as well as limiting his ability to extend plays and give receivers more time to get open. If CU can get to Huntley and knock him off his "spot," he will make a mistake — he's thrown 10 interceptions this year.

KEEP AN EYE ON: Colorado running back Phillip Lindsay. If the Buffs can get Lindsay involved early — both running the ball and as a receiver — it will help the Buffs move the chains and establish some early tempo. … Utah defensive end Bradlee Anae, who has has forced two fumbles, recovered two and recorded 4.5 quarterback sacks.

THE SERIES: Colorado owns a 32-28-3 all-time lead, but the two teams went 49 years without playing after their 1962 meeting. The series was resumed when both programs entered the Pac-12 in 2011, with the Utes holding a 4-2 edge in those conference games. Colorado won last year's meeting in Boulder, 27-22, while the Utes won the 2015 game in Salt Lake City, 20-14.

NUTS AND BOLTS:

Kickoff: 8:05 p.m., Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Broadcast: The game will be televised nationally by FSN1 with Guy Haberman and Petros Papadakis. The radio broadcast will be carried by AM 850 KOA with Mark Johnson, Gary Barnett and Chad Brown.

In-game live blog, stats: A live in-game blog as well as continually updated statistics will be available on www.CUBuffs.com

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu