Colorado University Athletics
Buffs Take Aim At Sixth-Ranked Utes
November 30, 2019 | Football, Neill Woelk
SALT LAKE CITY — The Colorado Buffaloes have been here before.
That's "here" as in 5-6 and heading into the regular season finale needing a win to gain bowl eligibility, a scenario they have faced in each of the last two seasons. "Here" as in Utah's Rice-Eccles Stadium, the place the Buffs visited just two years ago in search of that sixth win, only to come away empty handed.
Now they are here again — and this time around, Mel Tucker's Buffs are aiming to write a different ending.
There should be no lack of motivation for either team.
The 5-6 Buffs (3-5 in Pac-12 play) need a win over the sixth-ranked Utes (10-1, 7-1) in today's nationally televised 5:30 p.m. game (ABC) at Rice-Eccles to extend their season. The Utes need a victory to clinch a Pac-12 South title and advance to the conference championship game, as well as keep alive their hopes of a College Football Playoff berth.
"It's our goal to finish strong," Tucker said at his weekly press conference. "We don't feel like we're done yet."
While their record heading into the regular season finale is the same as it has been the last two years, there is a much different feeling about this year's Buffs.
For starters, they have some momentum and the confidence that goes with it.
Two years ago, the Buffs came to Utah on the heels of a two-game losing streak. Last year, they entered the final week of the season lugging a six-game skid.
But this year, the Buffs are coming off back-to-back wins over perennial Pac-12 powers Stanford and Washington. Both wins featured outstanding defense, efficient offense and excellent special teams play — the very definition of Tucker's "complementary football."
Thus, despite being a heavy underdog, Colorado comes into the game liking its chances against a team that hasn't lost since the fourth week of the season.
"This is a great opportunity for our program because we get a chance to play football," Tucker said. "You don't get many opportunities to play games. There's a lot of preparation in the offseason for very few opportunities. To play on a national stage in front of a great opponent is something that we have to take advantage of and we're going to finish strong."Â
The Buffs will have to be at their best on both sides of the ball to make that happen. The Utes boast the Pac-12's leading rushing attack (215.3 yards per game) and the league's top defense (yielding just 10.9 points per game). That includes league-leading running back Zack Moss (115.8 yards per game) and a defense that has produced 24 sacks while holding opponents to a measly 55.9 yards per game on the ground.
But the Buffs have some numbers to back their optimism.
In early November, Washington held Utah to just 115 yards rushing in a 33-28 Utes win. Two weeks later, the Buffs hammered out 207 yards rushing against that same Huskies defense in a 20-14 win.
The Buffs also took USC down to the wire before finally succumbing in a 35-31 loss; Utah's only defeat thus far was a 30-23 loss to the Trojans.
"Utah doesn't make a lot of mistakes and they don't beat themselves," Tucker said. "We're going to have to be at our very best."
One thing the Buffs won't do is sneak up on the Utes. Twice in Kyle Whittingham's tenure in Utah the Utes have had a chance to clinch the Pac-12 South with a win over Colorado. But both times — 2011 and 2016 — the Buffs ruined those chances in the regular season finale.
"They have a lot of weapons," Whittingham said of the Buffs. "Their quarterback is playing well, their receiver is a big-time talent and they have two receivers with over 50 catches. We have to be ready to play just like always and they are obviously motivated with bowl implications for them and we have our own implications that we are dealing with. Two motivated teams should be squaring off on late Saturday afternoon."
CU's offense has indeed been efficient in the last couple of weeks. Quarterback Steven Montez is 37-for-58 for one touchdown and one interception in CU's last two wins; wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. has caught 15 passes for 191 yards and a score, along with carrying the ball out of the backfield for some key gains at critical situations.
But it is CU's defense that has been the big story. After giving up at least 30 points in each of the first nine games, the Buffs' defense yielded just 13 to Stanford and 14 to Washington. They did it by first stopping the run, then producing a big pass rush with a variety of blitzes from virtually everywhere on the field.Â
"All we're focused on is getting a victory," said CU linebacker Davion Taylor. "We just want to win and get a bowl game. This week coach Tucker has been emphasizing all the little things and making sure we do everything correct. We really just want to get a bowl game. It would be big for this program, it would be big for the state of Colorado, and that's one thing we're just really trying to do."
MATCHUP TO WATCH: Colorado's offensive line vs. Utah defensive line. The Utes have a pair of 330-pounders in the middle of their defense who are solid against the run and an edge rusher — Bradlee Anae — who has 11 sacks. If the CU O-linemen can create holes for the run game and keep Colorado out of third-and-long situations, it will be a big boost for the offense.
KEEP AN EYE ON: CU wide receiver Shenault. When Colorado gets the ball in Shenault's hands, good things usually happen.
THE SERIES: Colorado leads the all-time series, 32-30-3. But the Utes have a 6-2 edge since the series resumed in 2011 after a 50-year hiatus. The Buffs' only win in Salt Lake City in Pac-12 play came in 2011 when CU scored a 17-14 upset.
NUTS AND BOLTS:
Kickoff: 5:44 p.m. (MT), Rice-Eccles Stadium (45,807).
Broadcast: ABC will carry the telecast with Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Molly McGrath and Todd McShay. KOA 850 will carry the radio broadcast with Voice of the Buffs Mark Johnson, Gary Barnett and Jeff Campbell.
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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