Buffs Begin Preparation For Visit From No. 8 USC
September 26, 2023 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — In the first eight quarters of the season, the Colorado Buffaloes' offense produced 10 touchdowns and four field goals.
In the last eight quarters of regulation play, the Buffs' offense has scored three touchdowns and two field goals.
With high-scoring No. 8 Southern California coming to Boulder on Saturday for a 10 a.m. matchup at Folsom Field (Fox), the 3-1 Buffs know they need to return to that early season form. The key will be providing more consistent protection for quarterback Shedeur Sanders and improving a run game that is currently averaging 55.8 yards per game — the fewest in FBS.
Quarterback sacks are clearly a concern for the Buffs. In four games, Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders has been sacked 22 times. Overall, CU has given up 23 sacks this year, second-most in the nation.
This week, Colorado faces a USC defense that produced eight sacks in the Trojans' 42-28 win over Arizona State last weekend.
"You don't want your quarterback to get touched," said Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders in his regular Tuesday press conference. "We're giving up not only pressures but sacks. Sometimes you hold it waiting for guys to clear, waiting for guys to get open. Sometimes there's nobody open. So it is what it is. We have to fix it."
Despite being under pressure on a consistent basis, Colorado's quarterback is still completing 77 percent of his attempts (130-for-169) for 1,410 yards, 11 touchdowns and just one interception.
But those sacks — CU gave up seven in last weekend's 42-6 loss at Oregon — are too often either ending drives or putting the offense consistently behind the chains.
"When he gets it off, he's doing his job, which is tremendous," Coach Prime said. "We just got to do a better job in protecting him and getting the ball out of there."
Sacks, though, aren't the only issue plaguing the Buffs in the last couple of weeks. CU's run game has yet to establish anything resembling consistency — another reason the Buffs find themselves in too many third-and-long situations. On 14 third down plays last week against the Ducks, the Buffs' average yards to go was 10.
"We got to run the ball," Coach Prime said. "Not only that, we got to implement short and intermediate as well as the deep passing game. But the main thing, you got to protect your quarterback. I don't care who you are. You got to protect the quarterback."
EYEBALLS ON THE BUFFS: Viewership for Colorado's games this year has been off the charts. More than 35 million people have watched CU games this year — nearly three times more than any other Pac-12 school.
Oregon is second in the conference with 12.58 million.
Those numbers will likely continue this weekend as Colorado makes its third appearance this season on Fox's "Big Noon Kickoff" game. CU's other two games were nationally televised by ESPN and ABC.
All four CU games this year have been among the most-watched in the nation each weekend.
ASSISTANTS RESPOND: Sanders said he has carefully watched how his assistants have reacted this week in the wake of CU's first loss.
"The coaches have been responding," Sanders said. "They have taken it upon themselves to make the necessary changes. Scheming a little differently, because you have to understand that four games of film on us really predicates what we're going to do and where we are."
FIRST LOOK USC: Any scouting report on the Trojans obviously starts with the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, quarterback Caleb Williams, who is having another outstanding season.
Williams leads the nation in passing efficiency rating (223.07), is second in touchdown passes (15) and 11th in passing yards per game (300).
For the season, he is 75-for-101 for 1,200 yards, 15 touchdowns and no interceptions.
Former CU receiver Brenden Rice leads USC in touchdown receptions with five, having hauled in 12 passes for 257 yards thus far. The Trojans also have one of the nation's most electric returners in freshman Zachariah Branch, who has returned a punt and kickoff this year for a score while also catching 13 passes for 178 yards.
Defensively, the Trojans have been susceptible at times, giving up nearly 365 yards and 20 points per game. But they have also recorded 16 quarterback sacks thus far, with eight different players recording at least one.
The Trojans have also forced 10 fumbles and recovered four and intercepted two passes.
BUFFS BITS: Coach Prime confirmed that safety Shilo Sanders suffered an injury in the Oregon game and was taken to the hospital when the team returned to Boulder. He didn't say, though, whether Shilo would be available against USC. "We're praying that he heals and he's playing this weekend," Sanders said. ...
With CU's only touchdown last week, a 6-yard TD catch in the fourth quarter, tight end Michael Harrison is now tied with Dylan Edwards for the team's receiving touchdown lead with three. ... Linebacker Juwan Mitchell now leads CU with 28 tackles, including 2.5 for loss ... Jordan Domineck had a team-leading two sacks ... Edwards leads the team in rushing with 157 yards on 28 carries, a healthy 5.6 per carry average ... Five different Buffs now have recorded an interception.
