What You Need To Know: Buffs Vs. Arizona
October 16, 2021 | Football, Neill Woelk
COLORADO (1-4, 0-2)Â
vs. ARIZONA (0-5, 0-2)
KICKOFF: 1:40 p.m., Folsom Field (50,183)
TV, RADIO: The game will be televised by the Pac-12 Network with Ted Robinson (play-by-play) and Yogi Roth (color). The radio broadcast will be carried by KOA (850 AM) with Voice of the Buffs Mark Johnson and Gary Barnett in the booth and Andy Lindahl from the sidelines. KOA's coverage begins at 11:30 a.m. with the pregame show.
ON THE INTERNET: The game can be heard on the internet at CUBuffs.com and www.850koa.com in the Denver-Boulder metro area. Live statistics and a continuously updated in-game blog will also be available at CUBuffs.com.
THE COACHES: Colorado head coach Karl Dorrell is in his second year at the Buffs' helm. Last year's Pac-12 Coach of the Year, Dorrell is 5-6 at CU and 40-33 overall as a head coach. Jedd Fisch in his first year at Arizona, where he is 0-5. Dorrell is 4-2 all-time against the Wildcats as a head coach (1-0 with CU, a 24-13 win last year in Boulder).
THE SERIES: CU holds a 15-8 all-time lead over the Wildcats, including a 6-5 mark in Boulder. Arizona holds a 7-3 edge since Colorado joined the Pac-12 in 2011, including a 35-30 win at CU in 2019 — the last time UA won a game.
WHAT'S AT STAKE: Both teams need a win to end their current losing streaks (CU has lost four in a row; the Wildcats have dropped 17 straight). The loser, meanwhile, will have a firm grasp on the cellar in the Pac-12 South.
LAST OUTING: Colorado, coming off a bye week, dropped a 37-14 decision to USC on Oct. 2. Arizona lost at home last week to UCLA, 34-16.
TEAM LEADERS: CU linebacker Nate Landman, who leads the Buffs with 34 career starts, is living up to his Butkus Award candidacy, averaging 10.6 tackles per game. Landman has a team-high five tackles for loss and is tied for the team lead in third-down stops (five) and pass breakups (three). Safety Mark Perry is also having a solid season, averaging 6.8 tackles per game.
Offensively, RB Jarek Broussard has gained 256 yards on 60 carries. Broussard had 301 yards rushing in CU's win over the Wildcats last season. Brady Russell leads the team in receiving with nine catches for 124 yards, including a 65-yard reception that is CU's longest play from scrimmage this season.
Arizona's offense is led by WR Stanley Berryhill, who has 40 catches and is averaging nearly 80 yards receiving per game. Drake Anderson leads the 'Cats in rushing with 239 yards on 62 attempts.
Defensively, linebacker Anthony Pandy leads Arizona with 42 tackles while DL Kyon Barrs has four tackles for loss, including 2.5 sacks.
KEY MATCHUPS: Colorado's secondary vs. UA receivers. The 'Cats prefer to move the ball in the air and Berryhill is no doubt the top target. But the Wildcats also have five other receivers with at least one catch of 20 yards or longer. … Colorado offensive line vs. UA defensive line. Arizona is giving up nearly 220 yards per game on the ground. CU's O-line, which has struggled to find consistency, has a chance to put a big game together and open up holes for Colorado's backs. If the Buffs can accomplish that, they can establish some much-needed offensive rhythm and control the tempo.
UP NEXT: Colorado hits the road next Saturday for a 1:30 p.m. game at Cal.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
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