Colorado
5-3 , 2-3
Oregon State
2-6 , 1-4
Oregon State Rally Sinks Colorado In Overtime
October 27, 2018 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — In the span of 30 minutes Saturday afternoon, the Colorado Buffaloes saw their hopes of contending for a Pac-12 South title suffer what could have been a mortal blow.
The Buffs allowed Oregon State to come back from a 31-3 deficit to ultimately tie the game at 34-34, then collect a 41-34 win in overtime when Colorado couldn't match an OSU touchdown in the extra period.
Oregon State outscored Colorado 38-3 after CU took its big lead. The blown 28-point edge matched the biggest rally by an opponent in CU history. The last time the Buffs gave up a 28-point lead came in 2010, when Colorado allowed Kansas to overcome a 28-point deficit for a 52-45 win.
The loss, Colorado's third in a row, saw the Buffs slip to 5-3 overall and 2-3 in Pac-12 play while still remaining one win away from bowl eligibility. The Beavers ended a five-game losing streak and improved to 2-6, 1-4.
Colorado led for nearly the entire game, but their offense went stagnant in the second half and OSU's offense patiently chipped away at the lead. The Beavers finally tied the game with just 29 seconds left in regulation, and while CU had new life after Terrance Lang blocked the extra point try, the Buffs couldn't recover in overtime.
Oregon State scored on its first possession of the extra period — OSU's first lead of the game — on a 1-yard run from quarterback Jack Colletto.
Colorado then drove to the OSU 7 on the ensuing possession, but a run for no gain and three straight incompletions ended the game.
"Extremely bad loss," said Colorado head coach Mike MacIntyre. "No doubt about it. It's one we should have won. We should have put it away and didn't."
OSU quarterback Jake Luton engineered the comeback, coming off the bench in the second half to complete 28 of 39 attempts for 310 yards and three touchdowns.
Colorado quarterback Steven Montez completed 24 of 39 attempts for 319 yards and two touchdowns, but CU managed just one touchdown and a field goal after halftime while OSU put 38 points on the board after intermission
HOW IT HAPPENED: After taking a 24-3 lead at the half that included two Montez touchdown throws to K.D. Nixon and a Dante Wigley interception return for a touchdown, the Buffs appeared ready to put the game away on the first play of the second half when Travon McMillian went 75 yards for a touchdown and Colorado led 31-3.
But from that point on, the CU offense went stagnant and OSU methodically chipped away at Colorado's lead. The Beavers went 75 yards in 17 plays to close the gap to 31-10 midway through the third quarter, then added another touchdown on a 71-yard drive early in the fourth quarter to pull within 31-17. Luton threw 8 yards to Isaiah Hodgins for the first score, then drove the Beavers downfield again before Colletto came in to score from 2 yards out for the second touchdown
CU's offense, meanwhile, could not sustain a drive. The Buffs did drive into OSU territory but had a 35-yard field goal attempt blocked late in the third quarter.
Oregon State then added a field goal before another long touchdown drive and two-point conversion cut Colorado's lead to 31-28 with just more than seven minutes remaining.
The Buffs then had one more chance to put the game away. Colorado drove deep into OSU territory but had to settle for a 34-yard Evan Price field goal and 34-28 lead.
That left Oregon State with two minutes on the clock — and it was more than enough for the Beavers to drive for the tying touchdown, with Luton throwing to Trevon Bradford. But, OSU's chance to take the first lead of the game was stymied when CU's Lang blocked the PAT, leaving the game tied at 34-34.
After the ensuing kickoff, Colorado took over with 23 seconds remaining and drove into OSU territory, but a 53-yard Davis Price field goal try fell short.
That set the stage for overtime and Colletto's touchdown capped OSU's comeback. Â
In the first half, the Buffs appeared ready to take care of business and put the game away. After struggling on offense early — CU's first three possessions ended on punts — the Buffs finally put together a scoring drive late in the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead when Montez hit Nixon with a 32-yard scoring pass down the left sideline.
Colorado then added a field goal and a defensive touchdown — a 27-yard interception return by Dante Wigley — sandwiched around an OSU field goal before the Buffs scored on Montez-to-Nixon connection from 7 yards out. The play was set up by a 47-yard Montez throw to Nixon, and the score gave Colorado a 24-3 lead at the half.
The Buffs then appeared to put the game away on the first play of the second half, when McMillian raced 75 yards for a touchdown and 31-3 Colorado lead. It was the second time this season McMillian scored from 75 out on the first play of the half, matching the feat he accomplished against New Hampshire.
But the Beavers then put together their rally, setting the stage for overtime.
NOTEWORTHY: Colorado's starting lineup included three freshman offensive linemen, a first in CU history: William Sherman at left tackle, Colby Pursell at center and Frank Fillip at right tackle. Sherman and Pursell are redshirt freshmen while Fillip, a true freshman, made his first career start. … The interception return for a touchdown by Wigley was the 18th time in CU history that a Colorado player returned his first interception for a score. Prior to Saturday, the last Buff to do it was Nick Fisher, who returned his first career interception 100 yards for a touchdown last season against Cal.  Â
NEXT UP: The Buffs head to Tucson next week for their third Friday night game of the year, when they face Arizona in an 8:30 p.m. game (FS1).
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
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Team Stats
OSU 0, COLO 7
COLO - Nixon, K.D. 32 yd pass from Montez, Steven (Price, Evan kick) 3 plays, 42 yards, TOP 1:07
OSU 3, COLO 7
OSU - Choukair, J. 30 yd field goal 9 plays, 68 yards, TOP 3:41
OSU 3, COLO 10
COLO - Price, Evan 21 yd field goal 10 plays, 71 yards, TOP 4:00
OSU 3, COLO 17
COLO - Wigley, Dante 27 yd interception (Price, Evan kick)
OSU 3, COLO 24
COLO - Nixon, K.D. 7 yd pass from Montez, Steven (Price, Evan kick) 6 plays, 70 yards, TOP 2:25
OSU 3, COLO 31
COLO - McMillian, Trav 75 yd run (Price, Evan kick), 1 plays, 75 yards, TOP 0:12
OSU 10, COLO 31
OSU - Hodgins, Isaiah 8 yd pass from Luton, Jake (Choukair, J. kick) 17 plays, 75 yards, TOP 6:31
OSU 17, COLO 31
OSU - Colletto, Jack 2 yd run (Choukair, J. kick), 9 plays, 71 yards, TOP 3:05
OSU 20, COLO 31
OSU - Choukair, J. 35 yd field goal 6 plays, 39 yards, TOP 2:52
OSU 28, COLO 31
OSU - Hodgins, Isaiah 7 yd pass from Luton, Jake (Hodgins, Isaiah pass) 5 plays, 63 yards, TOP 1:22
OSU 28, COLO 34
COLO - Price, Evan 34 yd field goal 9 plays, 58 yards, TOP 5:08
OSU 34, COLO 34
OSU - Bradford, T. 10 yd pass from Luton, Jake (Choukair, J. kickblocked) 9 plays, 75 yards, TOP 1:36
OSU 41, COLO 34
OSU - Colletto, Jack 1 yd run (Choukair, J. kick), 15 plays, 0 yards, TOP 0:00
Game Leaders
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