Colorado
Oklahoma State
CU Blanks Cowboys 34-0
October 01, 2005 | Football
STILLWATER, Okla. - Colorado needed just 18 seconds Saturday to hand Oklahoma State its first real test of the season.
Hugh Charles' 74-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage set the tone for the 34-0 victory that followed. Marcus Burton's 99-yard interception return for a touchdown in the final 24 seconds summed up the first home shutout of the Cowboys in 14 years.
"That first play was huge," Charles said. "Anytime you can get momentum like that, it is great."
The Buffaloes (3-1, 1-0 Big 12) outgained Oklahoma State (3-1, 0-1) 381 to 208 yards in the team's first Big 12 South Division win on the road since it beat the Cowboys in 2001.
The Cowboys, with redshirt freshman Bobby Reid making his second start at quarterback, failed to move the ball on short pass attempts and found its running game stymied. Coming off an open week, Oklahoma State continued its ongoing struggle to convert third downs, making only 2-of-17 attempts.
The rookie quarterback's struggles benefited Colorado, Buffs defensive tackle James Garee acknowledged. But he said Colorado also came ready to make up for last week's loss at Miami.
"We had a bad taste in our mouth and had to fix a lot of things from last week," Garee said.
Charles finished with 132 yards rushing and had another touchdown in the third quarter on a 15-yard run that gave Colorado a 16-0 lead.
Oklahoma State's defense gave the Cowboys hope early on, holding quarterback Joel Klatt to 151 passing yards, his lowest passing total of the season.
But Klatt led a 49-yard drive and put Mason Crosby in position for a 48-yard field goal that gave Colorado a 10-0 lead with 0:02 remaining in the first half. Crosby added a 42-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.
Klatt connected with Joe Klopfenstein with an 11-yard touchdown pass that expanded Colorado's lead to 24-0 with 9:28 to go in the third quarter.
Oklahoma State hadn't been shut out at home since a win by Kansas in 1991.
Colorado defeated New Mexico State 39-0 on Sept. 10, but coach Gary Barnett isn't giving sole credit to a dominating Colorado defense.
"I'm never quick to say that. You have to look at Oklahoma State. They are struggling on offense," he said. "They have even struggled in games that weren't against Big 12 teams. So I guess you have to look at everything before you are able to say that."
Reid, who made his first career start two weeks ago against Arkansas State, completed 14 of 29 passes for 116 yards and two interceptions for Oklahoma State.
He shouldered much of the blame for the loss, saying he had protection but made costly mistakes.
"I was being overanxious. I take the blame for everything that happened and want to just get ready to play next week," he said.
Gundy said it was the first time his team had faced adversity after a light opening schedule and that he wasn't ready to make wholesale changes.
"We are not very good at what we are doing on offense, but in the long run we feel like it is going to give us the best chance to win games in the future," he said. "We just have to get better at it."
