Buffs Aim For 4-0 Start As Bruins Visit For Pac-12 Opener
September 28, 2018 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — It's hard to imagine a better set-up for a conference opener than the one Colorado will enjoy Friday night.
Consider:
- Â Mike MacIntyre's Buffs are 3-0 and bursting with momentum and confidence. Their opponent, UCLA, is 0-3 and still trying to find its footing under new coach Chip Kelly and his staff.
- Â The Buffs will not only have the home-field advantage at Folsom Field, they will have the added bonus of playing at night, a factor that should only add to what will no doubt be an electric atmosphere.
-  CU fans have had two weeks to build enthusiasm for this nationally televised game (FS1). They are no doubt excited about the possibility of their team opening the Pac-12 season with a win and starting the season 4-0, and perhaps picking up a few more votes in the national polls in the process. (In case you are wondering, the Buffs are just 2-5 in Pac-12 openers since joining the conference in 2011. As for a 4-0 start — that hasn't happened in 20 years at Colorado, when Rick Neuheisel's last CU team jumped out to a 4-0 start in 1998.)
But as both coaches will tell you, once the kickoff occurs at 7:05 p.m., most of that "outside" noise will go away quickly. The crowd could no doubt have an effect, but the Bruins are no strangers to big crowds, having already played in front of 86,000 at Oklahoma earlier this year.
What will matter most is how much both teams have improved since their last outing. The Buffs are coming off a 45-14 win over New Hampshire, followed by a bye week; the Bruins are trying to bounce back from a 38-16 loss to Fresno State, and they also have the benefit of a bye week under their belts.
The Buffs are expecting the Bruins' best effort yet, and if history is any guide, the game will go down to the fourth quarter. The total margin of victory in the last four games between the two teams is just 21 points, with the largest margin a 20-10 Colorado win in 2016. Two other games in the stretch were decided by four points and one by a field goal.
MacIntyre made it clear this week — both to the media and to his team — that nobody in black and gold is taking the Bruins lightly. MacIntyre called UCLA the "best 0-3 team in the country," added that the Bruins are "the most athletic team we've played this year," and paid full homage to their schedule thus far, saying, "They've played a tougher schedule than we have at this point."
Kelly has been equally complimentary about the Buffs. But the UCLA coach hasn't divulged who he will start at quarterback. The Bruins opened the year with grad transfer Wilton Speight at the helm, but turned to true freshman Dorian Thompson-Robinson after Speight suffered a back injury in the season-opening loss to Cincinnati.
Media reports this week indicated that while Speight is back at practice, Thompson-Robinson continued to get repetitions with the No. 1 offense.
If that is the case, the Buffs are preparing for a dual-threat quarterback who can throw — he has completed 41 of 75 attempts for 522 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions — as well as make plays with his legs.
"He's a scrambler," said CU defensive lineman Mustafa Johnson. "A scrambler, you've noticed, we've had a little more trouble with. We're preparing on keeping him in the pocket and closing in."
The Buffs did indeed have some trouble early with Nebraska's mobile quarterback, Adrian Martinez, but they made some halftime adjustments in that game and kept him contained in the second half.
Offensively, the Buffs will see a Bruins defense that has had its share of problems. UCLA is 11th in the conference in scoring defense (37.7 points per game) and 10th in yardage allowed (403.0). Colorado will do its best to establish tempo early and put the Bruins on their heels. CU has scored on its first possession in all three games this year, as well as its first possession of the second half.
"They have played three games, they've had a bye week and I expect them to be much better on defense," MacIntyre said. "I expect them to play well. We are going to have to play really well on offense."
Perhaps most importantly, the Buffs went to work this week in practice with a business-like attitude. MacIntyre several times during the week noted that it was as good of a week of practice as the Buffs have had this year.
Now, they need to translate that into a good effort Friday night.
"Pac-12 play is huge," said linebacker Nate Landman. "It starts now. UCLA is a great team. We are preparing hard for them. The bye week was great, but we can't wait to get out there."
MATCHUP TO WATCH: UCLA safety Adarius Pickett vs. Colorado wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. Pickett has led the Bruins in tackles in all three games this year, hitting double digits each time. He will no doubt be keeping a close eye on Shenault — the nation's leader in yards and receptions per game.
KEEP AN EYE ON: Colorado's pass rush. The Buffs have recorded 10 sacks this year; the Bruins have yielded 12. If CU can get to UCLA's quarterback — whoever it might be — it will bode well and help build some early momentum.
THE SERIES: The Bruins hold a 10-3 all-time series lead, including a 4-2 mark in Boulder. CU won the last encounter in Folsom Field, 20-10, in 2016. The Bruins won on their home turf last season, 27-23.
NUTS AND BOLTS:
Kickoff: 7:05 p.m., Folsom Field (50,183).
Broadcast: The game will be televised by the FS1 with Brian Custer, Ben Lieber and Jennifer Hale.The radio broadcast will be carried by AM 850 KOA with Mark Johnson and Gary Barnett in the booth and Andy LIndahl 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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