Buffs Aim To Bounce Back Against No. 15 Huskies
October 20, 2018 | Football, Neill Woelk
SEATTLE — One week after suffering their first loss of the season, the Colorado Buffaloes hit the field Saturday believing they have something to prove.
Standing in their way at Husky Stadium for Saturday's 1:30 p.m. game (Fox) will be 15th-ranked Washington (5-2 overall, 3-1 Pac-12), a team with its own chip on its shoulder after last week's overtime loss to Oregon.
The Buffs (5-1, 2-1) are coming off a 31-20 loss to USC. The defeat dropped the Buffs out of the Associated Press top 25 (from 19th) and from No. 18 in the USA Today Coaches poll to No. 25.
But more importantly, they are no longer in control of the Pac-12 South. A win over the Huskies would at least keep them in a contender's role.
"We always have something to prove just because people don't look at Colorado and think we are an elite college football team year in and year out," Colorado quarterback Steven Montez said. "We have had something to prove since the season started. We just have to keep moving in a positive direction. I think we'll prove what we want to prove. There is always something for this team, for sure."
The Huskies present a tall order for Colorado. Since the Buffs joined the Pac-12, UW has won six in a row against Colorado, including a win in the Pac-12 title game two years ago and a victory in Boulder last season.
Neither of those last two games were close. Washington won the championship game matchup 41-10, then pulled away in the second half last year for a 37-10 win. The Huskies won those games with a powerful rushing attack — 265 yards and 254 yards, respectively — along with a defense that produced three interceptions in each contest, including one returned for a touchdown both times.
It is a challenge the Buffs say they welcome.
"If you're going to be the best in the conference, you have to beat the best and they've been one of the best since I've been here," said Buffs co-offensive coordinator Darrin Chiaverini. "They're still really, really good."
But the Huskies aren't quite the dominant team they have been the past two years — at least not thus far this season. They lost their season opener to Auburn, then dropped an overtime decision to Oregon last week. In terms of comparative scores, they beat ASU 27-20, a team Colorado beat 28-21; and UCLA 31-24, a team Colorado beat 38-16.
But the Buffs are still prohibitive underdogs. To be in the game when it matters — in the fourth quarter — CU will need its defense to contain the Huskies early.
"Defense travels," linebacker Nate Landman said. "On road games, it is hard for offenses to get going because it's a new environment, but defense has to step up."
That will mean stopping UW's running game. After rushing for just 102 yards in the opener, the Huskies have put together six straight games with at least 170 yards on the ground.
"Their offensive line is big and powerful," head coach Mike MacIntyre said. "The thing that they do different than a lot of people is their tight ends are excellent blockers. They've got big, athletic tight ends that are excellent blockers that bothered us a little bit last year in the run game. That's something we're going to need to handle."
Offensively, the Buffs need to get their game back on track after being stifled for most of the night against USC. CU's passing game never found its groove last week, as the Trojans eliminated the deep ball and kept Colorado's perimeter game in check all night. Colorado's run game was also held in check, and the Buffs' aim is to establish that part of their offense early and give the passing game some room to operate.
"Our plan is to get the ball down field more," Montez said. Â "We kind of tried to stretch USC out. When you're a good defense like USC, they fly to that outside stuff and cover the flats really well. Washington is going to be the exact same, athletically. If we get the ball downfield a little bit more we'll be alright."
MATCHUP TO WATCH: Colorado's Montez against UW's secondary. The Huskies have some standout defensive backs, beginning with safety Taylor Rapp, who has four sacks, three fumble recoveries and an interception this year. The Huskies will do their best to get to Montez and lean on corners Jordan Miller, Byron Murphy and Myles Bryant to provide one-on-one coverage.
KEEP AN EYE ON: Colorado nose guard Javier Edwards. If Edwards and his fellow Buffs in the trenches — in particular Mustafa Johnson and Israel Antwine — can prevent the Huskies' offensive line from getting a push, it will allow Colorado's linebackers to make plays before UW's backs can get some downhill momentum.
THE SERIES: Â Washington has won eight straight in the series to take an 11-5-1 Â lead, including a 4-3-1 mark in Seattle and a six-game win streak since Colorado joined the Pac-12 in 2011.
NUTS AND BOLTS:
Kickoff: 1:40 p.m., Husky Stadium (70,158).
Broadcast: The game will be televised by Fox with Joe Davis, Brady Quinn and Bruce Feldman. The radio broadcast will be carried by AM 850 KOA with Mark Johnson and Gary Barnett in the booth and Bobby Pesavento on the sidelines.
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
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