Takeaways From Buffs' Narrow Loss To USC
October 01, 2023 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — There is an argument to be made that the Colorado Buffaloes may have played their best game of the year so far in Saturday's 48-41 loss to No. 8 USC.
But while Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders and his staff would likely resist such an assessment, one thing much harder to dispute is this:
CU's second-half performance was clearly the best 30 minutes of football the Buffs have put together this year.
Offensively, Colorado dominated a top 10 team for the final two quarters. Coordinator Sean Lewis' offense outscored USC 27-14 in that stretch while also nearly doubling the Trojans' yardage (318-165). The Buffs ran 44 offensive plays in the second half, averaged 7.2 yards per play and converted 50 percent of their third-down tries (4-for-8).
But along with a terrific offensive performance, the Buffs also needed a solid defensive effort, and that's exactly what they got from coordinator Charles Kelly's group.
After getting gashed in the first half — Colorado gave up 10.1 yards per play and 34 points in the opening 30 minutes — Kelly's defense came up with some big moments. That allowed CU's offense to get the Buffs back in the game.
USC did score back-to-back touchdowns in the third quarter. But the Trojans' last three possessions ended on a punt, an interception and a missed field goal.
Overall, CU held the Trojans to 165 yards and two touchdowns in the final two quarters. USC averaged just 5.2 yards per play — barely half of its first-half total — and the Buffs held Southern California to just 1-for-5 on third-down conversion attempts.
That led to those three straight empty possessions, each of which gave the Buffs offense a chance to climb back into the game.
That is, of course, exactly what the Buffs did. Had Colorado exhibited just a little better clock management on its last drive, there's a very good chance they could have gotten one more possession.
And, as Coach Prime noted, "We all knew and a multitude of our fans know that if we would have got that ball last, we were gonna go down and score. We knew that. Everybody in here knows that. His teammates knew that."
We're guessing even USC knew that — and that is why the Trojans were very, very happy to escape Boulder with a win.
Other takeaways from Saturday's game:
1. Shedeur Sanders continues to be brilliant in the second half. While Sanders played well for much of the game, he once again delivered on another level in the final two periods.
Sanders was 14-for-21 for 262 yard and three touchdowns in the second half, including an 8-for-11, 114-yard, two-touchdown fourth quarter.
In case you are wondering, he is the national leader in second half/overtime passing yards (1,236) and touchdowns (11). He is also the national leader in fourth quarter passing yards (582) and is tied for second in the nation in fourth-quarter TD passes (6).
And, he's also second in the nation in overall passing yards per game (356.2).
That's money.
2. Third downs matter. Colorado was 9-for-18 overall on third-down conversion tries, including an outstanding 8-for-8 on third-and-4 or shorter.
But equally importantly, the Buffs put themselves in good position to move the chains on third down, with their average distance to go just 5.6 yards — a far cry from last week's loss in Oregon, when their average distance to go on third down was nearly 10 yards.
CU's defense also did its job on third downs. Colorado held USC to a 3-for-9 day on third down tries, with the Trojans needing an average of 9.3 yards to convert.
3. Big plays are difference makers. Using the barometer of rushing plays of at least 10 yards and pass completions of at least 15, Colorado had 14 big plays against the Trojans — six rushes and eight passes.
Those are the kinds of plays that can break a defense, particularly on long drives. And, speaking of play that can take their toll on a defense …
4. CU's rushing game stepped up in a big way. The Buffs finished with a season-high 193 yards on the ground, more than doubling USC's rushing total (95 yards). Anthony Hankerson led CU with 74 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries (a solid 4.6-yard average) and Shedeur Sanders had 50 yards on 14 carries. Take away 26 yards in sacks, and Sanders had 76 rushing yards.
The rushing game was critical in CU's second half comeback. It produced the first touchdown of the rally, a 2-yard Hankerson dive, and helped keep the Buffs moving on their ensuing scores.
Dylan Edwards had 10 yards on CU's next scoring drive, Hankerson ran for 13 and Jimmy Horn Jr. added 17 on the ground on the third scoring drive of the half and Colorado added 13 more on the ground on the final scoring drive.
Those aren't particularly big numbers — but they were enough to keep USC's defense honest. The Trojans couldn't simply send the house after Sanders on every play because the threat of the run was there, and that made a difference in Colorado's comeback.
5. Kudos to Lewis' offensive game plan. One week after Sanders was sacked seven times in Oregon, the Buffs cut that number down to three against USC.
They did it by giving Sanders the green light to scramble up field when an opening presented itself, and they took short to medium gains far more often. The longest play of CU's second scoring drive of the day was a 25-yard Sanders scramble — a run that finished a nine-play drive that saw Colorado patiently use its short game to go 83 yards.
It's another wrinkle that will keep opposing defensive coordinators guessing.
6. No, we haven't forgotten Omarion Miller. Talk about a coming-out party. CU's true freshman wide receiver had the best game ever by a Colorado freshman wideout — seven catches, 196 yards and a touchdown.
But perhaps most important were Miller's yards after catch. He showed a tremendous ability to take short passes and turn them into long gains, finishing with 91 yards after the catch.
Miller, who played 52 snaps, no doubt makes the position bright for the Buffs in the future.
7. PFF grades. Miller received one of the highest grades of any Colorado player in any game this year from Pro Football Focus, grading out at a very impressive 91.1 Right behind him was Sanders at 85.8.
Defensively, safety Cam'Ron Silmon-Craig — who had his third interception of the season — graded out the best for Colorado at 72.3 Other defenders above 70 included defensive ends Derrick McLendon and Taijh Alston and nose tackle Bishop Thomas.
8. Depth helps. When right tackle Savion Washington went down, Reggie Young stepped in and played 46 snaps, including those key second-half stretches.
Miller received his opportunity only because another Buff was hobbled. Colorado also got some solid play on the defensive side from reserves Cormani McClain (season-high 47 snaps for the freshman) and safety Rodrick Ward (67 snaps), who stepped into the starting lineup for injured Shilo Sanders.
CU also continues to show depth at running back, with Hankerson and Edwards both getting plenty of work. Edwards has home run capability, but Hankerson can pick up tough yards and is more reliable in the pass protection game.
That depth will be more and more critical as the season progresses, and Colorado coaches are developing it.
9. Shoutout to Kelly's defensive scheme. CU's defensive coordinator has faced two of the nation's top offenses in the last two weeks.
Saturday, he gave the Buffs a chance to win with a strong second half.
Kelly doesn't have a host of all-conference players. But his schemes and ability to make in-game adjustments were evident Saturday — and will continue to be a positive as the season progresses.
10. This team won't quit. As Coach Prime said, the Buffs had multiple opportunities to check it in Saturday. They were down 34-7 late in the first half and still trailed by 27 points, 48-21, late in the third quarter.
But they never showed signs of calling it a day. They nearly recorded a miraculous comeback and continued to play hard to the very end.
That is a trait that will continue to serve them well as they make their way through the Pac-12 schedule.
