Colorado University Athletics
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Buffs Sink Stanford On Price's Game-Winning Field Goal
November 09, 2019 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — Colorado's Evan Price kicked a 37-yard field goal on the last play of the game Saturday to give the Buffaloes a 16-13 win over Stanford at Folsom Field.
CU ended a five-game losing streak with the win in front of 49,224 and improved to 4-6 overall, 2-5 in Pac-12 play. The Cardinal dropped to 4-5, 3-4.
Mel Tucker's Buffs used the final six minutes of the game to drive into position for the game winner, going 61 yards in 12 plays. Price, taking the place of injured James Stefanou, calmly booted the kick through to break a 13-13 tie and give CU the win.
It was CU's first game-winning field goal on the final play of the game since Kevin Eberhart's kick beat Oklahoma on the last play in 2007, 27-24.
Colorado's defense was outstanding in the game. CU not only held an opponent under 30 points for the first time this season, the Buffaloes also held Stanford to 372 total yards — a season low for an opponent — and just 127 on the ground. The Buffs also allowed Stanford to convert just three of 10 third-down tries.
Alex Fontenot rushed for 95 yards on 18 carries and Steven Montez added 40 yards rushing on 11 carries, including a 13-yard touchdown. Montez also completed 20 of 30 attempts for 186 yards with one interception, and Laviska Shenault Jr. had eight catches for 91 yards and a huge 5-yard run on fourth-and-1 on the game-winning drive.
"That was a very good team win for us, with offense, defense and special teams playing complementary football and playing together," Tucker said. "We talked all week about guys playing for each other and playing for the man next to you. I saw that out there today."
HOW IT HAPPENED: Colorado scored its only touchdown of the day on the opening possession, taking the opening kick and marching 75 yards for a touchdown in nine plays. Fontenot ran four times for 34 yards on the drive and Montez ran twice for 22 yards, including the 13-yard touchdown run when he bootlegged left and dived for the pylon.
But from that point, CU's offense stalled, with the next three drives ending twice in punts and once on an interception after the Buffs had driven into Stanford territory.
The Cardinal, meanwhile, managed a pair of field goals. Stanford drove to the CU 21 on its first possession before the Buffs came up with a big third-down stop to force the Cardinal to settle for a 40-yard field goal to close CU's lead to 7-3 with 5:58 to go in the first quarter.
Stanford then closed to within 7-6 midway through the second quarter after driving to the Colorado 17. The Buffs came up with another third-down stop, forcing an incompletion, and the Cardinal collected a 36-yard field goal.
CU finally added to its tally late in the second quarter after an interception from safety Derrion Rakestraw, his third of the season. CU drove from its own 20 to the Stanford 17, converting two third downs in the process, including a third-and-16 when Montez connected with Laviska Shenault Jr. for a 16-yard gain.
The drive stalled in the Stanford red zone, with the Buffs getting a 34-yard Price field goal with 32 seconds left in the half to take a 10-6 lead into intermission.
The Buffs then dodged a bullet early in the second half when Stanford's Ryan Sanborn was wide left on a 32-yard field goal try on the Cardinal's first possession after the Buffs came up with another third-down stop.
"We came out there and didn't do anything crazy," CU linebacker Nate Landman said. "We did our base stuff and got back to the basics. That's what our emphasis was. Doing little things better and getting back to the basics."
But CU's offense continued to struggle, and Stanford finally took its first lead of the game early in the fourth quarter. K.J. Costello connected with Simi Fehoko on a 79-yard touchdown pass and the Cardinal took a 13-10 lead with 14:05 left in regulation.
Colorado, though, responded with a 69-yard drive that yielded a game-tying 23-yard field goal from Price. Fontenot ran for 37 yards on the march before the drive stalled at the Stanford six, resulting in the field goal.
CU then forced a Stanford three-and-out and took over on its own 20-yard line after a Cardinal punt with 6:00 on the clock.
The Buffs then methodically drove into Stanford territory, converting two third-down plays and a fourth down that saw Laviska Shenault Jr. run for 5 yards on fourth-and-1. Steven Montez then threw a 12-yard completion to K.D. Nixon to the Stanford 17. One play later, CU called timeout with two seconds remaining and possession at the Stanford 19, setting up Price's kick and a wild Folsom Field celebration.
Price, whose only prior action this season was a PAT last week at UCLA, learned Thursday that he would handle placekicking duties.
"A lot of people put it (the win) on me for making that kick, but it's just one kick I made to get us there," Price said. "It was an amazing drive on offense and the defense played incredible the whole game. I just did the last one percent of it."
TURNING POINT: After CU tied the game at 13-13 with a field goal in the fourth quarter, Stanford took possession with 7:34 to go. But CU's defense delivered a three-and-out, giving the offense the ball with 6:00 still to play. That was enough time for Colorado to drive into Price's range for the winning field goal.
KEY STATISTICS: Colorado held Stanford to opponent season lows in points (13) and yards (372). The Buffs also limited the Cardinal to 3-for-10 on third-down tries while the Buffs were 6-for-14 on third down and 2-for-2 on fourth down.
WHAT IT MEANS: With a 4-6 record and two games remaining, the Buffs are still mathematically alive in the chase for a bowl berth.
NEXT UP: The Buffs have a bye week next week, then return to action Nov. 23 in their home finale against Washington. Kickoff time has yet to be determined.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
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