Colorado
5-1 , 2-1
USC
4-2 , 3-1
Buffs Drop From Unbeaten Ranks, Fall At USC
October 14, 2018 | Football, Neill Woelk
LOS ANGELES — Mike MacIntyre's Colorado Buffaloes ventured into the Los Angeles Coliseum on Saturday aiming to write a new chapter in their history with the USC Trojans.
Instead, the 13th meeting between the two schools ended like the previous 12. The Buffs' offense struggled for most of the night and CU's secondary gave up a rash of big plays in the second quarter, leading to a 31-20 USC win at the Coliseum.
The loss knocked 19th-ranked Colorado from the nation's unbeaten ranks, dropping CU to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in Pac-12 play. Unranked USC won its 19th straight at home to improve to 4-2, 3-1.
The deep ball that had been a staple of the Buffs' offense in the first five games never materialized against the Trojans. CU's longest play of the night was a 49-yard touchdown run by wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr., a score that gave the Buffs a temporary 7-0 lead. But the Trojans responded with 28 unanswered points — 21 in the second quarter — and Colorado never threatened again.
Through the air, Colorado's biggest gain was a 24-yard pass to Shenault, as the Trojans managed to keep the CU sophomore bottled up for most of the evening. While he did catch nine passes, he totaled just 72 yards receiving and he left the game early with an unspecified foot injury. It was Shenault's second-lowest yardage total of the season, just ahead of the 67 yards he had in one half against New Hampshire.
CU quarterback Steven Montez was 26-for-47 for 170 yards and no touchdowns and an interception. The interception, his first in three games, bounced off Shenault's hands and into the hands of USC's Ajene Harris, who returned it 6 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter. Montez was also sacked four times.
Defensively, the Buffs gave themselves two golden opportunities in the first quarter when they picked off a pair of JT Daniels passes, including one on the first play from scrimmage of the game that gave CU the ball at the USC 40-yard line. But both times, CU failed to capitalize and came away empty.Â
HOW IT HAPPENED: After a scoreless first quarter, the Buffs drew first blood when  Shenault ran 49 yards from the wildcat formation for the game's first touchdown. The score was CU's first against USC in the first half since their 2015 meeting. Shenault's run — his fifth rushing touchdown of the season and 11th overall — capped a three-play, 58-yard drive and gave Colorado a 7-0 lead with 11:58 to go in the half.
But USC answered quickly, putting three touchdowns on the board in the second period, all through the air.
The Trojans tied the score on their ensuing possession. J.T. Daniels shook off two early interceptions to hit Tyler Vaughns with a 28-yard pass to put the Trojans at the Colorado 27, then hit Vaughns again on the next play with a 27-yard scoring toss to tie the game.
After a pair of Colorado punts sandwiched around a USC punt, the Trojans scored again, needing just two plays. Daniels hit Michael Pittman with a 65-yard touchdown bomb to give USC a 14-7 lead with 3:33 to go in the half.
The Buffs' offense then continued to go nowhere, producing its third straight three-and-out. That left the Trojans more than enough time to go 55 yards for their third touchdown, this one a 9-yard Daniels toss to Pittman that was set up by a 39-yard Daniels to Pittman connection.
The Buffs then drove into USC territory in the final minute of the period, but a Hail Mary attempt on the last play of the half fell incomplete, leaving Colorado trailing 21-7 at intermission.
USC finished the first half with 255 yards offense, all through the air. Colorado, meanwhile, had 111 yards — 51 passing and 60 through the air.
Any hopes of a Colorado rally were dashed in the third period. After the two teams traded punts, the Buffs found themselves backed up deep in their own territory. On  third-and-22, a Montez pass bounced off the hands of Shenault to USC's Harris. The Trojans defensive back returned the ball 6 yards for a score and a 28-7 USC lead. It was the second year in a row Harris returned a Montez interception for a touchdown.
The Buffs finally got on the board again late in the fourth quarter when they went 65 yards in 16 plays, getting a 2-yard Kyle Evans run to cap the drive and cut the USC lead to 28-14. USC recovered the ensuing onside kick and then drove 28 yards before settling for a 38-yard field field goal before Colorado drove 75 yards in 10 plays for the final score of the night. Montez carried in from 19 yards out for the touchdown, but a 2-point conversion try failed.
USC finished with 334 yards offense, including 272 in the air. Colorado had 265 yards, with 170 coming in the air.
TURNING POINT: After Shenault scored on his long run, the Buffs had the chance to put the Trojans on their heels with one more defensive stop. Instead, USC answered with a scoring drive to regain momentum, then put two more scores on the board before halftime to take control and Colorado never recovered.
NOTABLE: CU cornerback Chris Miller ade his first career start …  WR Jaylon Jackson made his career debut, and also made his first career receptions. He had two catches for 19 yards. … Kicker James Stefanou is now 61-of-61 for his career in PAT kicks … ILB Drew Lewis made his first career interception on the first play of the game; it was CU's fourth pick of the year, all by linebackers at that point. The secondary then got its first later in the quarter when safety Evan Worthington had the fourth of his career. ... Colorado came in allowing just 3 points in the fourth quarter (best in the nation); USC came in with 39 fourth quarter points (47th). Colorado won the quarter, 13-3, meaning CU has yet to allow a fourth quarter TD. CU outgained the Trojans 101-22, and over the last two games CU has outgained the opponent 198-25 with 22:36 of possession time in the final period. ... Ajene Harris' interception in the third quarter ended a run of 11 straight quarters by the Buffs without committing a turnover; it also ended a streak of 83 consecutive passes by QB Steven Montez without throwing a pick, his third streak of 80-plus in his career. ...
Before leaving with a foot injury, Shenault improved his numbers to 60 receptions for 780 yards (13.0 per) in six games; his streak of one receiving TD in five games came to an end (it tied for the second longest streak in CU history, two short of the record), but his career-long rush of 49 yards for a score extended it overall to six games (11 TDs on the season). ... With 179 yards total offense (170 passing, 9 rushing) Montez moved into fifth on CU's all-time list with (6,285), passing Tyler Hansen (6,183, 2008-11).
Along with Shenault's injury, WR Jay MacIntyre left the game with a concussion and defensive lineman Jase Franke suffered what CU officials fear may be a torn ACL.
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NEXT UP: The road doesn't get any easier for the 5-1 Buffs. Colorado travels to Seattle next Saturday for a 1:30 p.m. (MT) meeting with Washington at Husky Stadium in Seattle.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
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Team Stats
COLO 7, USC 0
COLO - Shenault, Lavis 49 yd run (Stefanou, James kick), 3 plays, 58 yards, TOP 0:59
COLO 7, USC 7
USC - Vaughns, Tyler 27 yd pass from Daniels, JT (Brown, Michael kick) 6 plays, 69 yards, TOP 1:40
COLO 7, USC 14
USC - Pittman, Michae 65 yd pass from Daniels, JT (Brown, Michael kick) 2 plays, 62 yards, TOP 0:41
COLO 7, USC 21
USC - Pittman, Michae 9 yd pass from Daniels, JT (Brown, Michael kick) 4 plays, 55 yards, TOP 0:47
COLO 7, USC 28
USC - Harris, Ajene 6 yd interception (Brown, Michael kick)
COLO 14, USC 28
COLO - Evans, Kyle 2 yd run (Stefanou, James kick), 16 plays, 65 yards, TOP 6:53
COLO 14, USC 31
USC - Brown, Michael 38 yd field goal 7 plays, 28 yards, TOP 1:41
COLO 20, USC 31
COLO - Montez, Steven 19 yd run (Montez, Steven passintercepted), 10 plays, 75 yards, TOP 1:42
