Colorado University Athletics
Buffs Host Utah In Home Finale, Senior Day
November 16, 2018 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — No doubt, the landscape has changed dramatically for the Colorado Buffaloes over the last five weeks.
A Buffs team that once boasted a 5-0 record, a top-20 ranking and legitimate hopes of a Pac-12 South title has lost five in a row. Dreams of a division title faded weeks ago, as did any hint of an appearance in the national polls.
But one thing hasn't changed since that 5-0 start: Mike MacIntyre's Buffs (5-5 overall, 2-5 Pac-12) still need just one more win to become bowl eligible. That is something they can accomplish Saturday, when they play host to Utah (7-3, 5-3) in their 11:30 a.m. home finale at Folsom Field.
Saturday's game will mark Senior Day, when 19 Buffs will make their last gameday appearance as part of the team on their home turf. It will also be the 500th CU game at Folsom Field, a historic moment in a stadium that has had its fair share of big moments over the years. Cold weather and snow showers are in the forecast.
The 2018 Buffs would love to leave their own footnote in that historic ledger by ending the five-game skid, sending their seniors out on a high note and making Colorado bowl eligible for the second time in three seasons — and just the second time since 2007.
"Our goal is we want to make the bowl game," said senior linebacker and team captain Rick Gamboa. "We don't want to leave here knowing we didn't make the bowl game and knowing we only made one bowl game our whole time here. I know the seniors and the rest of the team, we all want to win these last two. We want to give it all we've got and secure a bowl game and make sure we have a 13th game. All we can control is the next two games we have."
Of course, Kyle Whittingham's Utes come to Boulder with their own motivation, specifically remaining in the hunt for a South title. A win, plus an Arizona State loss against either Oregon or Arizona over the next two weeks, would give the Utes their first-ever division title and Pac-12 title game appearance.
"I think our team plays best when our team has a chip on their shoulder," Whittingham said earlier this week. "When they feel they have something to prove, our guys seem to handle it pretty well. So I guess to answer the question, we like the position we are in, when we have to come through."
Designated as a "rivalry game" by the Pac-12 when both schools entered the conference in 2011, the annual contest has been slow to gain that kind of steam. While it is usually the last game of the regular season for both programs, the schedule was adjusted this year to make room for Utah's matchup with BYU, set next week.
But rivalry designations are not among the Buffs' top concerns. Rather, they are simply anxious to put together a complete game, something that has evaded them in their five-game skid. In that stretch, they have had good offensive performances, stretches of solid defense and consistent special teams play.
They haven't, however, been able to put all three together for an entire game since a 28-21 win over Arizona State in early October.
"What we have to do is get back to playing Colorado football," quarterback Steven Montez said. "That is what we were doing in the beginning of the season against Nebraska, CSU, and all of those teams we were playing. We just have to get back to doing that. We have been playing hard this whole entire season. We have been playing our butts off. We just have to get back to getting those small, minute details. If we get back to doing those right and getting on the same page as everybody, we'll be in a good spot."
Both teams come into the game battling injury problems. The Buffs have lost at least 11 starters and significant contributors for at least one game this season, with several out for the year. Among the missing Saturday will be starting cornerback Delrick Abrams Jr. and starting safety Evan Worthington, both out with concussions.
The Utes, meanwhile, will have redshirt freshman quarterback Jason Shelley making his second start of the season, with running back Armand Shyne also making just his second start.
But one constant the Buffs know they will see from Utah is physical play. The Utes annually are considered one of the Pac-12's most physical squads, and this year is no different.
"They're extremely big up front on both sides of the ball," MacIntyre said. "That's where you see a huge difference in them, defensively and offensively, is their lines are so powerful. Their running backs run hard and physical, they play a lot of man coverage in the back end, they have really good corners and safeties that can cover tight coverage. They make you earn everything."
Â
SENIOR DAY:Â The 19 seniors who will be honored Saturday:
DT Mo Bandi
DT Javier Edwards
WR Kabion Ento
RB Kyle Evans
DB Nick Fisher
DL Jase Franke
LB Rick Gamboa
OL Josh Kaiser
P Bailey Landwehr
RB Donovan Lee
LB Drew Lewis
WR Jay MacIntyre
RB Travon McMillian
DE Chris Mulumba
DB Jaisen Sanchez
LB Daniel Talley
DB Kyle Trego
WR Juwann Winfree
DB Evan Worthington
MATCHUP TO WATCH: Colorado's offensive line vs. Utah's defensive line. When the Buffs offense is at its best, they are getting the ball in space to their receivers and establishing at least enough of a run game to win short-yardage battles. It's been a while since Colorado has managed to do that on a consistent basis, and Utah's big defensive line and active linebackers won't make it easy.
KEEP AN EYE ON: The weather. The forecast calls for cold and snow showers. Whichever team handles the elements best will have an immediate edge.
THE SERIES: The once regular rivals went 49 years without playing (1962-2011) before resuming the series when they both joined the Pac-12 in 2011. Colorado holds a 32-29-3 all-time edge, but the Uhtes have won five of seven since 2011. Utah won last year's game in Salt Lake City, 34-13; the Buffs won the last game in Boulder, a 27-22 decision in 2016.
NUTS AND BOLTS:
Kickoff: 11:31 a.m., Folsom Field, (50,183).
Broadcast: Pac-12 Networks will carry the telecast with J.B. Long (play-by-play), Jeremy Bloom (color commentary) and Camryn Irwin (sidelines). KOA will provide the radio broadcast with Mark Johnson, Gary Barnett and Andy Lindahl.
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
Â
Players Mentioned
