Colorado-Arizona State Notes - University of Colorado Athletics

Arizona

Nov 1 (Sat)

TBA

Colorado Postgame Notes

QUICKLY The Buffs won the coin toss for the fourth time in as many games this season, and for the 33rd time in the last 42 games … The 91-degree temperature at kickoff tied for the eighth-warmest for a CU game in its history (the 18th of 90 or hotter; CU was 8-9 in the previous games) … The Sun Devils now lead the series by an 8-3 margin, as the Buffs won for the first time in Tempe (1-5) and for the first time in back-to-back games in the series (nine of the games have been at night: ASU leads those, 6-3) … CU is 4-5 in Pac-12 conference openers (3-1 on the road), averaging 36.3 points in its three wins ... The Buffs are 82-42-2 all-time in conference openers, including a 5-15-1 mark against ranked teams ... CU’s last win on the road against a ranked team was on this very date (Sept. 21) in 2002, winning 31-17 at UCLA (snapping a 29-game losing streak) … CU has won two straight games wearing white jerseys and pants with the gold helmet (also CSU in Denver last year), after losing six straight in the get-up … CU is 2-0 against ranked teams this year, equaling its total over the previous nine seasons … CU scored a touchdown on its first drive of the game for the third time in four tries in 2019 … Colorado had season highs in points (14) and yards (145) in the first quarter; it matched it high in first half points (24) but had a high in yards (269) … Colorado drove into ASU territory on its first six possessions (running 27 of its first 49 plays in the plus-zone) … the Buffaloes did not a allow a quarterback sack for the second time this season, and has yet to allow one in the second half … This is the first game in 2019 that Colorado outgained its opponent (475-453) … CU has now scored 56 of its last 57 times in goal-to-go situations (47 TD/9 FG) over the course of its last 31 games (CU not charged with an attempt for taking a knee at the end).

FIRST CAREER … ACTION: DE Jeremiah Doss, S Mark Perry, CB K.J. Trujillo.
START: DT Janaz Jordan.

INDIVIDUAL LINER NOTES

Mel Tucker is just the second Colorado coach to win his first two games against ranked opponents (Nebraska, Arizona State). Rick Neuheisel won his first three in 1995 (Wisconsin, Texas A&M, Oklahoma); the only other CU coach to win the first time he faced a ranked opponent was Gary Barnett (Oklahoma, 1999).

WR Tony Brown (9-150, 3 TD, 7 FDE receiving).
—He had career-highs in all four categories for his breakout game at Colorado; it was his first 100-yard game as a Buffalo.
—The last Buff to have three touchdowns receiving in a game was Shay Fields against Oregon State in Boulder on Oct. 1, 2016; that tied the school record, as only three others have had three in a game: Richard Johnson vs. Kansas in 1982, Rae Carruth vs. Iowa State in 1996; Nelson Spruce at Cal in 2014 in addition to Fields.

S Derrion Rakestraw (7,2—9 TT, 1 INT, 1 TFL, 1 3DS).
—In making his third career start, he led the team in tackles and made his second career interception (had his first against Arizona last year).

QB Steven Montez (30-23-0, 337, 3 TD, 204.0 QBR passing; 2-10 rushing; 347 yards total offense).
—He is now 15-16 as CU’s starting quarterback; his 31 starts tie Gale Weidner (1959-61) for the fifth-most in CU history; his 28 consecutive regular season starts tie Kordell Stewart (33, 1992-94) for second, trailing only Weidner (31).
—It was the fourth game in his career with a QB rating of over 200 (246.8 vs. CSU in 2018; 227.1 vs. Cal in 2017; 224.3 vs. Idaho State in 2016). No other CU quarterback has more than two.
—He is the second Buff to eclipse the 8k mark in passing, though remains in second place (8,005), trailing only Sefo Liufau (9,568);
—this was his 12th career 300-yard passing game, setting the school record as he snapped a tie with Liufau;
—He now has 8,828 yards of total offense (Liufau: 10,509).
—He now has 55 career TD passes (trailing 60 by both Liufau and Cody Hawkins).

WR K.D. Nixon (6-98, 3 FDE)
—He moved from 40th into 35th on CU’s all-time receiving yards list with 948; he is poised to become the 31st Buff to reach 1,000.

PK James Stefanou (4-4 PAT, 2-2 FG, 10 points)
—With 167 career points, he moved into 13th all-time on CU’s scoring charts (sixth in kick scoring).
—He has now made all six field goal tries in 2019 (eight of his last nine dating to last year).
—He made the game winner with 2:03 left in the game (he also kicked the game winner in overtime versus Nebraska); it’s the latest in regulation that CU won a game with a field goal since Kevin Eberhart made a 45-yard field goal as time ran out lead CU to a 27-24 win over No.3 Oklahoma in Boulder on Sept. 29, 2007.