Colorado-USC Notes
vs
TCU
Oct 4 (Sat)
5:30 p.m.
Records. USC now leads the series a 16-0 count (8-0 in Los Angeles; 11-0 since CU joined the Pac-12 in 2011) … CU is 19-28 all-time in Friday games (7-14 road) and now 4-28-1 all-time in the state of California ... CU’s 10 opponents this season are now 61-30 heading into Saturday … CU is now 3-7under interim head coaches (1-4 under Mike Sanford).
Solid Start. USC went 3-and-out on its first possession, just the third time this year CU didn’t allow a first down on the opponents first drive (TCU, Oregon State); CU had just 15 three-and-outs coming in.
This-N-That. Two “new” NFL teams scouted a CU game tonight (Houston, New England), bringing the total to 24 that have seen CU games in person in 2022 ... The 55 points by USC were the most against CU in a regular season game since a 56-28 setback at USC in 2014; Oregon was the last to score 50 (52-29 in Eugene last year); and Texas scored 55 in the 2020 Alamo Bowl (55-23) ... Three Buffaloes celebrated birthdays today: S Austin Dahlke (20) and ILB Eoghan Kerry (19) were on the trip; CB Keyshon Mills (19) did not travel.
2’s Were Wild. CB Nikko Reed picked off his second career interception (first was against Washington last year); it was just the second INT by USC QB Caleb Williams, and he swiped it from former teammate Brenden Rice (who wears No. 2).
Last Safety. The first quarter safety by USC was the first against the Buffs since Oct. 22, 2016, when Sefo Liufau ran out of the back of the end zone with 0:04 to play in CU’s 10-5 win at Stanford.
First Quarter Defense. In the first nine games, opponents racked up 1,156 yards in the first quarter (or 128.4 per); the Trojans managed just 8 in the quarter (TCU had the previous low of 27).
First Downs. Colorado out-averaged USC on first down, 7.0 to 6.1 (Statbroadcast gets it wrong whenever there is a quarterback sack on the down). It was a season high for CU and the third time the Buffs out-averaged the opponent (previously vs. Cal and Arizona State).
Sacks. After not recording a quarterback sack in the last two games the Buffs had a season-high three (for 21 yards) tonight; USC had allowed just 16 coming into the game.
3:55. That was the game time, the fifth-longest in CU history and the second-longest for a regulation game (topped by 3:56 versus Nebraska in 2007, a 65-51 Colorado win).
Global Warming? The temperature at kickoff was 60 degrees; the average for CU’s 10 games dropped to 64.6 with only two games warmer than 80 degree at kickoff.
INDIVIDUAL LINER NOTES
TB Alex Fontenot (20-108, 5.4 avg., 1 TD, 6 FDE)
-It was his fourth 100-yard game of his career, his first since gaining 105 yards against Washington in 2019. Career high was 125 versus Colorado state in ’19 season opener.
-He had the long run of his career (37 yards); former long rush was a 32-yard TD run against Colorado State on Aug. 30, 2019.
- He converted twice on fourth downs; in his career, he is now 17-of-21 earning a first down one 3rd or 4th-and-1.
-He moved from 34th into 31st on CU’s all-time rushing yards list (1,476 yards).
PK Cole Becker (1-1 FG, 2-2 PAT, 5 Points)
-He moved into a tie for sixth for all-time field goals made at Colorado with 25 (of 33 tries).
WR Jack Hestera (3-39, 13.0 avg., 0 TD receiving)
-He is the first player who as a walk-on to lead the Buffs in receiving yards in a game since WR Scotty McKnight did it the first for games on the 2007 season (McKnight would be placed on scholarship after that season; due to a recruiting issue, he had walk-on status that season). Otherwise, you have to go back to Sept. 15, 1979, when sophomore RB Willie Beebe caught four passes for 47 yards against LSU in Boulder.
QB J.T. Shrout (21-11-1, 124 yards, 0 TD; 92.5 rating)
-He became the 36th player in CU history to throw for 1,000 yards in a career, ending the game with exactly 1,100 yards and 34th on the list. It is the 54th 1,000-yard season in school annals.
-He also scored his first career touchdown.