Buffs QB Montez Hopes To Keep Recent Hot Streak Going

BOULDER — Since a halftime benching three weeks ago, Colorado quarterback Steven Montez has put together back-to-back quality performances.

The Buffs sophomore would like to make it three in a row Saturday, when 5-5 CU (2-5 Pac-12) plays host to 15th-ranked USC (8-2, 6-2) in a 2 p.m. game at Folsom Field.

In his last two games — a win over Cal and a loss at Arizona State — Montez has completed 43 of 67 attempts for 692 yards and four touchdowns. Included in that stretch are Colorado's four longest pass plays of the season: a 65-yard touchdown toss to Shay Fields and a 58-yard pass to Laviska Shenault Jr. against Cal; and a 60-yard completion to Phillip Lindsay and 54-yard touchdown pass to Fields at ASU.

While those numbers would be even more impressive had it not been for some key drops against the Sun Devils, Montez said those miscues were a one-time aberration.

"We'll catch them," Montez said. "I'm not even concerned."

The Trojans are one of three teams Montez saw as a starter last year. In a 21-17 loss in Los Angeles, Montez was 25-for-40 for 197 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

This year, he will see a USC defense that has produced 13 interceptions — including four by cornerback Jack Jones — as well as 34 quarterback sacks, the most by any FBS team in the nation. Ten different Trojans have been in on sacks this season, with defensive ends Rasheem Green (7.0) and Christian Rector (6.5) leading the way.

"They're extremely athletic," head coach Mike MacIntyre said. "They have guys that can make plays all over the place. They do a good job defensively in their scheme, utilizing their talent to its strengths. They're a big man coverage team. They've got dudes that can cover dudes."

That man-to-man coverage is both a challenge and an opportunity, Montez said.

"It's opportunities for us to go out and show how good we are and for us to go compete against good corners and good safeties and have our receivers beat them one on one and just get open and make throws," Montez said. "It's definitely going to be a good week for us to show what we have on offense."

The Trojans' defense has been good this year, but not impenetrable. USC gave up 377 yards rushing in a 49-14 loss to Notre Dame and 340 yards in the air in a 30-27 loss to Washington State.

"They're active, they get their hands up, they bat a ton of balls down, they're athletic and they play the zone read really well," Montez said. "You think they're playing a running back so you pull it and they attack you, or they play in between the quarterback and the running back and they can tackle both."

OLIVER UPDATE: MacIntyre said cornerback Isaiah Oliver, who has missed the last two games with a leg injury, continues to improve but will still likely be a game-day decision.

"It's tough on him, tough for us, tough on everybody," MacIntyre said of not having his most reliable cornerback in the lineup. "He's a difference maker, for sure."

TRACKING LINDSAY: Buffs tailback Phillip Lindsay has accounted for 1,567 yards from scrimmage this season, nearly 38 percent of Colorado's total offense. Lindsay has touched the ball 287 times since his last fumble, which was on his last touch of the third quarter in the 2016 Alamo Bowl (a fumble he recovered).

His 78 points this season rank second on the team, one point behind kicker James Stefanou (a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award). Lindsay is second in the FBS in yards from scrimmage (trailing only SDSU's Rashaad Penny, who has 1,738), is fourth in total rushing yards with 1,334, and his 263 carries are 30 more than any other player in the nation.

Lindsay is 374 yards away from breaking Eric Bieniemy's school rushing record that has stood for the last 27 seasons, and he needs 18 more receiving yards to have the most by a tailback in Colorado history. Bieniemy ran for 3,940 yards from 1987-90 and Rodney Stewart had 969 receiving yards from 2008-11. Lindsay enters with 3,567 rushing yards (currently ranks third, just 31 yards shy of Stewart's 3,598) and 952 receiving yards. He would need to average 187.0 yards in the last two games of the season to break Bieniemy's career mark.

HELTON ON BUFFS: In his weekly press conference, USC coach Clay Helton said two Buffs in particular stood out. One is Lindsay — "he jumps out all over the tape" — and the other is safety Evan Worthington.

"I've been really impressed with Worthington, how rangy he is and how fast he is," Helton said. "You have to know where he's at."

Lindsay last year had just 57 yards rushing on 11 carries against the Trojans, but also had a 67-yard touchdown reception — gathering in the pass from wide receiver Bryce Bobo.

BOWL GAME IMPORTANCE: Colorado senior safety Afolabi Laguda said earning a bowl bid this year for the Buffs won't "make or break this program."

"This program is strong," Laguda said. "It's been strong. It's going to continue to grow. I think it more so helps the morale going into the next season. You want to leave those young guys with good faith and that's more so what going to a bowl game means. It's not going to determine the strength of this program. Colorado football has great history, and that history isn't going to change, it's going to grow."

FOX CREW: Saturday's game will be nationally televised by Fox. Tim Brando will handle the play-by-play, with Spencer Tillman on color commentary and Holly Sonders as sideline reporter.

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu