Woelk: Unbeaten Buffs Provide Plenty Of Answers In Win Over ASU

BOULDER — Questions?

Fair enough.

Mike MacIntyre's Colorado Buffaloes have answers.

Despite their 4-0 start, the Buffs entered Saturday afternoon's game with Arizona State fully aware that there were plenty of people around the nation who weren't convinced Colorado deserved its No. 21 ranking.

Those folks wanted to see more.

Saturday afternoon, they got what they wanted.

The Buffs answered with a dominant performance from their offensive line, one that simply hammered ASU into submission with the game on the line. They answered with a stifling effort from their defense, one that included five straight defensive stops when it was still anyone's ballgame. They answered with another outstanding effort from their offense, including two more eye-popping performances from quarterback Steven Montez and wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr.

And in the end, the answer on the scoreboard was their statement: Colorado 28, Arizona State 21.

It was, quite simply, an all-around team effort, one that demanded big plays from every group — and every group delivered.

Once again, the headline act was the Montez-to-Shenault connection. Montez connected with the CU sophomore 13 times for 127 yards and two touchdowns. Shenault also added a pair of scores rushing from the wildcat formation, leaving ASU coach Herm Edwards struggling for superlatives.

"He is a fabulous football player," Edwards said. "We could not tackle him. You have to give him credit, they found a way to get him the ball and he made a lot of big plays for them."

But, as Shenault noted after the game, it was a "total team effort."

Indeed. Colorado's offensive line had unquestionably its best performance of the year. When Montez brought the entire group to his post-game press conference, he described their work succinctly: "Absolutely phenomenal," Montez said. "Zero sacks. That's absolutely huge."

Indeed, the Sun Devils came into the game with the idea of wreaking havoc on CU's quarterback. ASU had recorded 41 tackles for loss this season — among the nation's leaders in that department — as well as 18 quarterback sacks.

There was, however, no havoc in Colorado's pocket. Instead, Montez had time to throw all day, and he did so with great efficiency and effectiveness: 24 completions in 33 attempts for 328 yards and a pair of scores. In five games this year, Montez has completed 115 of his 153 attempts (75.2 percent) for 1,420 yards, 11 touchdowns and just two interceptions.

Meanwhile, CU's line also dominated in the run game, opening holes all day for Travon McMillian's fourth 100-yard effort in five games (136 yards on 30 carries).

But perhaps most impressively, CU's big men in the trenches imposed their will on ASU's defense to put the game away.

Holding on to a 28-21 lead, the Buffs took possession with 7:10 remaining. All ASU needed was a defensive stop to get one more shot at a game-tying score. Instead, the Buffs proceeded to pound out a physically punishing 13-play, 47-yard march that ran out the clock and ended the game. Colorado ran the ball at the heart of ASU's defense — McMillian carried on six of the first seven plays of the drive — and the Sun Devils had no answer.

Ballgame.

"It was probably one of greatest feelings," said Buffs guard Brett Tonz. "Everybody is counting on you to lead the pack. … There is no greater feeling than running that ball down their throat for the win."

There were, of course, plenty of other big moments that set the stage for the final drive.

For the third time this season, Colorado's defense made some huge second-half adjustments to throttle an opponent — and Saturday, they were forced to do so without leading tackler Nate Landman, who was ejected after a targeting call in the first half.

For many teams, that would be a blow that would be difficult to overcome.

Instead, the Buffs simply adjusted and kept playing. The key moment was a goal-line stand that crushed the spirit of the Sun Devils.

After CU had scored the go-ahead touchdown late in the third quarter, ASU responded with a 72-yard bomb that put them on the Colorado 3-yard line. A tie game seemed all but inevitable.

But CU defensive end Mustafa Johnson recorded a huge quarterback sack on second-and-goal from the 2. Two plays later, Delrick Abrams Jr. came up with an equally big pass knockdown in the end zone.

End of threat.

End of game.

In the final period, the Sun Devils had just 3 yards offense, no first downs and zero points. In the fourth quarter this year, the Buffs have allowed just three points.

"We are more mentally and physically tough as a whole team than we were last year," MacIntyre said. "There's no doubt. We didn't win those type of games last year. We wouldn't have put them away like we did. We wouldn't have kept battling."

Now, the 5-0 Buffs — the only remaining unbeaten team in the Pac-12 — lead the South division with a 2-0 conference mark. They will almost assuredly move up in the national rankings.

Meanwhile, there will no doubt still be a few folks who wonder about the Buffs as they head into next week's battle at USC in what is now a pivotal Pac-12 South matchup.

It will be Colorado's next defining moment — and today, we can be sure of at least one thing:

The Buffs will show up with all the answers they can muster.

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu