Colorado
5-4 , 2-4
Arizona
5-5 , 4-3
Buffs Fall Short At Arizona
November 03, 2018 | Football, Neill Woelk
TUCSON, Ariz. — For the second year in a row, Colorado didn't have an answer for Arizona quarterback Khalil Tate.
Last year, Tate rushed for 327 yards and four scores and threw for 154 yards and another touchdown in a 45-42 UA win.
This time around, Tate burned the Buffs with his arm, throwing for 350 yards and five touchdowns in a 42-34 win. Tate was 17-for-22 in the game with one interception.
Colorado's fourth straight loss dropped the Buffs to 5-4 on the year and 2-4 in Pac-12 play while Arizona improved to 5-5, 4-3.
CU led at three different junctures in the game — 10-0 early, 24-23 late in the second quarter and 31-26 early in the third period — but could not prevent the Wildcats from coming back every time. The Buffs also missed some golden opportunities early, getting just three points off of two possessions inside the UA 15-yard line that could have made the early 10-0 lead much bigger.
Arizona finished with 566 yards offense, as UA also rushed for 216, led by 192 from JJ Taylor. The Buffs totaled 383 yards, but just 40 on the ground. CU quarterback Steven Montez was 27-for-42 for 343 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Juwann Winfree had a career-high eight catches for 101 yards.
"I thought our kids battled," CU head coach Mike MacIntyre said. "We had opportunities to win the football game. They made some big plays. Khalil ran around and threw it up in the air and their guys came down with it on long, delayed plays. Those were tough to stop."
Montez bemoaned CU's lost opportunities.
"It's not a question of effort or of guys going hard, it's just what's killing us, dragging us down, is when those opportunities to make plays present themselves, we have to take advantage," he said. "There was a fade at the very beginning of the game (to Kabion Ento) that I missed wide. That's on me. I just missed a throw. It was there, the fade was there, the opportunity was there to score a touchdown. We just didn't execute. We've got to start executing if we want to have a chance to win these close games."
HOW IT HAPPENED: After trailing 26-24 at the half, the Buffs quickly regained the lead in the third quarter, driving 75 yards in 11 plays for the go-ahead score. The Buffs' drive was aided by a pair of pass interference calls on Arizona and Montez also had a 21-yard throw to Kabion Ento on third down. Montez completed the drive by connecting with Tony Brown for a 20-yard score and a 31-26 lead.
The Wildcats, however, answered with a touchdown to take a 32-21 lead — the 2-point conversion try failed — before tacking on a field goal for a 35-31 edge with 2:39 to go in the third quarter. Colorado responded with a Tyler Francis field goal on the final play of the third quarter to pull within one, 35-34, only to see the Wildcats come right back with an 85-yard touchdown drive in just four plays. Tate completed the drive with a 57-yard scoring pass to Cedric Peterson for a 42-34 UA lead.
That ended the scoring for the night. Colorado made one more push to tie the game late in the fourth quarter, driving to the Arizona 18-yard line before Montez was intercepted at the 1-yard line on third-and-10 to end the drive with 5:07 remaining.
The Wildcats then converted a key third-and-9 from their 2-yard line, then ran out the clock.
The first 30 minutes featured plenty of offense — and some missed Colorado opportunities.
After forcing an Arizona three-and-out to start the game, Colorado put itself in great position when Ronnie Blackmon returned the punt 59 yards to the Arizona 14. But three plays netted just 8 yards, and on fourth-and-2, the Buffs eschewed a field goal try only to see K.D. Nixon thrown for a 2-yard loss.
The Buffs finally drew first blood after forcing another Arizona punt. Montez completed three passes to Juwann Winfree to fuel an 11-play, 66-yard drive that finished with an 8-yard Nixon run for a touchdown, and Tyler Francis' PAT gave CU a 7-0 lead.
Colorado then had another opportunity to build a big lead on Arizona's ensuing possession. Linebacker Rick Gamboa forced a fumble on the first play and Nate Landman recovered at the Arizona 7. But the Buffs failed to move the ball and instead settled for a 25-yard Francis field goal and 10-0 lead.
Arizona then finally found its offensive footing, putting 17 straight points on the board. The Wildcats went 44 yards for a field goal, forced a Colorado punt, and then needed just 1:29 to drive 62 yards for the tying touchdown. Colorado's offense again couldn't move, and eight plays and 82 yards later, the Wildcats took a 17-10 lead on a Khalil Tate 1-yard pass to Shawn Poindexter.
That set the stage for a wild final six minutes of the half.
The Buffs ended UA's 17-0 run with a nine-play, 89 yard scoring drive. Montez completed passes of 18 yards to Kabion Ento and 25 to Winfree before connecting with a wide-open Kyle Evans from 17 yards out for the tying score.
But Arizona quickly answered with a six-play, 75-yard march that finished with a 12-yard Tate pass to Shun Brown. The Wildcats, however, missed the PAT to settle for a 23-17 lead with 59 seconds left in the half.
That was more than enough time for the Buffs to regain the lead. After a 16-yard pass Tony Brown and a2-yard run, Montez connected with Travon McMillian for a 57-yard scoring pass and Francis' PAT gave Colorado a 24-23 edge with just 33 seconds remaining in the half.
And again, that was enough time for Arizona to answer. The Wildcats drove past midfield, and with 1 second remaining in the half, Lucas Havrisik booted a 55-yard field goal to give UA a 26-24 lead at intermission.
NOTEWORTHY: CU sophomore cornerback Mekhi Blackmon got his first start of the year. … CU tackle Jake Moretti got his second start of the season — but started as an H-back/tight end, lined up in the backfield. … Walkon freshman kicker Tyler Francis made his debut in the place of Evan Price (out with illness). … Derrion Rakestraw got his first career start at safety and had an interception in the fourth quarter. … Linebacker Carson Wells had his first two-sack game for Colorado. ... The Buffs' injuries continued to mount, as both Nixon and wide receiver Jay MacIntyre left the game. Nixon suffered a hip injury and MacIntyre suffered what appeared to be a concussion, his second of the season.
NEXT UP: The Buffs play host to Washington State next Saturday, with the time to be announced Sunday evening.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
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Team Stats
COLO 7, ARIZ 0
COLO - Nixon, K.D. 8 yd run (Francis, Tyler kick), 11 plays, 66 yards, TOP 4:19
COLO 10, ARIZ 0
COLO - Francis, Tyler 25 yd field goal 4 plays, -1 yards, TOP 1:26
COLO 10, ARIZ 3
ARIZ - Havrisik, L. 49 yd field goal 11 plays, 44 yards, TOP 4:22
COLO 10, ARIZ 10
ARIZ - Berryhill, S. 40 yd pass from Tate, K. (Pollack, J. kick) 4 plays, 62 yards, TOP 1:29
COLO 10, ARIZ 17
ARIZ - Poindexter, S. 1 yd pass from Tate, K. (Pollack, J. kick) 8 plays, 82 yards, TOP 2:43
COLO 17, ARIZ 17
COLO - Evans, Kyle 17 yd pass from Montez, Steven (Francis, Tyler kick) 9 plays, 89 yards, TOP 3:20
COLO 17, ARIZ 23
ARIZ - Brown, S. 12 yd pass from Tate, K. (Pollack, J. kickfailed) 6 plays, 75 yards, TOP 1:51
COLO 24, ARIZ 23
COLO - McMillian, Trav 57 yd pass from Montez, Steven (Francis, Tyler kick) 3 plays, 75 yards, TOP 0:26
COLO 24, ARIZ 26
ARIZ - Havrisik, L. 55 yd field goal 4 plays, 21 yards, TOP 0:25
COLO 31, ARIZ 26
COLO - Brown, Tony 20 yd pass from Montez, Steven (Francis, Tyler kick) 11 plays, 75 yards, TOP 5:34
COLO 31, ARIZ 32
ARIZ - Poindexter, S. 39 yd pass from Tate, K. (Tate, K. passfailed) 5 plays, 66 yards, TOP 2:07
COLO 31, ARIZ 35
ARIZ - Pollack, J. 41 yd field goal 9 plays, 62 yards, TOP 3:34
COLO 34, ARIZ 35
COLO - Francis, Tyler 48 yd field goal 7 plays, 44 yards, TOP 2:39
COLO 34, ARIZ 42
ARIZ - Peterson, C. 57 yd pass from Tate, K. (Pollack, J. kick) 4 plays, 85 yards, TOP 1:56
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
