Colorado
4-4 , 1-3
Oregon State
2-5 , 0-4
Buffs Halt OSU To End Pac-12 Drought
October 25, 2015 | Football, Neill Woelk
CORVALLIS, Ore. — Finally.
After almost two full years — 707 days if you're counting — and 14 conference games, the Colorado Buffaloes ended their Pac-12 drought Saturday night, making a single touchdown in the second half hold up for a 17-13 win over Oregon State at Reser Field.
The win, which also ended a 13-game Pac-12 road game losing streak for the Buffs, didn't come easily. After taking a 17-10 lead early in the fourth quarter, the Buffs gave up a field goal to OSU on the Beavers' next possession, then had to rely on their defense to clinch the win.
The defense delivered in a big way. Colorado improved to 4-4 on the season and 1-3 in Pac-12 play, keeping the Buffaloes' bowl hopes alive, while the Beavers dropped to 3-4, 0-4.
"The kids just kept coming back and coming back," an emotional Mike MacIntyre said after the game. "They just kept believing. It's really, really special."
After taking the 17-10 lead, the Buffs had three more possessions in the fourth quarter — and each one consisted of just three plays and a punt. That put the burden on CU's defense, and on this night, the Buffs were up to the challenge, stopping the Beavers on three straight possessions.
OSU's last drive ended with 24 seconds left on the clock when CU's Chidobe Awuzie picked off a Nick Mitchell pass on fourth down at the Colorado 38-yard line.
That's when the Buffs ran perhaps their sweetest offensive snap of the night — one from "victory formation" to run out the clock.
"It wasn't pretty, but I'll take an ugly win every day," MacIntyre said.
Awuzie said the Buffs' defense was determined not to give up a scoring drive in the fourth quarter, especially after allowing Arizona to score 21 unanswered points last week in a 38-31 loss. Along with the interception, Awuzie recorded a sack for the third straight game.
"It just shows we're a resilient team," Awuzie said. "We weren't going to let this one get away from us."
OSU's 13 points were the fewest allowed by a CU defense since joining the Pac-12 in 2011, eclipsing 14 allowed against Utah in their first year in the conference.
The Buffs started what proved to be their winning drive in the third quarter and finished it in the fourth. Led by 31 yards in offense from Donovan Lee — 27 yards rushing and a 4-yard reception — and a 22-yard pass from Sefo Liufau to Sean Irwin, the Buffs drove 85 yards in 13 plays. After back-to-back 6-yard runs from Lee, Liufau capped the drive with a 4-yard touchdown run with 12:31 still left in the game.
Lee finished as CU's leading rusher, picking up 55 of CU's 188 yards on the ground on eight carries. He also caught two passes for 8 yards.
"Before the game, my coaches said I might have a bigger role," Lee said. "I was just grateful to have the opportunity. We punched through the clouds tonight. I'm just really proud of my team."
Then came CU's terrific fourth-quarter defensive effort, one that stopped the Beavers on three straight possessions. The Buffs had two fourth-down stops in the final period and forced a three-and-out and punt on the third.
"We were pointing to the fourth quarter," said linebacker Kenneth Olugbode, who returned to action after missing two games with a leg injury and was credited with seven tackles and a sack. "It's a great feeling to finally win one."
For the first time in Pac-12 play this season, the Buffs drew first blood, taking the opening kickoff and driving 73 yards before being forced to settle for a 21-yard Diego Gonzalez field goal. Sparked by a 17-yard run from Lee, Colorado drove inside the 10 before the third CU penalty on the drive forced the Buffs back to the 15-yard line. Liufau scrambled to the 3-yard line on third down, but facing fourth-and-goal, MacIntyre opted for the field goal and 3-0 lead.
Liufau carried 18 times in the game for 44 yards and a touchdown and completed 16 of 23 passes for 140 yards and a touchdown. The Buffs did not turn the ball over once in the game, as Liufau extended his streak of attempts without an interception to 98.
Oregon State, though, quickly answered CU's field goal with an eight-play, 74-yard touchdown drive. OSU quarterback Seth Collins had a 27-yard run early in the drive, then completed an 11-yard pass to fellow quarterback Nick Mitchell on a trick play to put the ball inside the CU 5. The Beavers scored two plays later to take a 7-3 lead.
After punting on their next possession, the Buffs turned to their defense to come up with a stop. The Beavers drove inside the CU 35-yard line, but on fourth and 1, Buffs defensive tackle Justin Solis stopped 260-pound OSU running back Ryan Nall for no gain.
"That was one of the biggest plays of the game," MacIntyre said. "That got some momentum back our way."
The Buffs took advantage of the stop and drove 67 yards in 10 plays for a go-ahead touchdown. Phillip Lindsay had a 24-yard run to boost the drive and Liufau completed six passes, including a beautiful strike to Nelson Spruce for a 15-yard touchdown, and Gonzalez's extra point gave the Buffs a 10-7 lead.
The lead, though, was short-lived. OSU responded with a nine-play drive that yielded a 42-yard Garrett Owens field goal to tie the game at 10-10, and that's how the half ended.
Neither team scored in the third, setting the stage for the deciding fourth period.
OSU's Nall finished as the game's leading rusher, carrying 20 times for 122 yards. But when the Beavers were forced to turn to the air in the fourth quarter, CU's secondary came up with stops. The two OSU quarterbacks combined to complete 13 of 32 attempts for 199 yards.
"I love seeing us grow," MacIntyre said. "I love coaching at Colorado and I love coaching these kids. We still have the goal of going to a bowl game and we still believe we can. This is just one. We have to build on this and get some more."
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
And Nelson Spruce has career TD #21 #GoBuffs #CUvsOSU https://t.co/SK4Y7dWQ3y
— Colorado Buffaloes (@cubuffs) October 25, 2015
This TD run by Sefo Liufau put the Buffs up for good. #GoBuffs #CUvsOSU https://t.co/iE1QR1yMK7
— Colorado Buffaloes (@cubuffs) October 25, 2015
The game-clinching interception from Chidobe Awuzie. #GoBuffs #CUvsOSU https://t.co/SECN00ERjV
— Colorado Buffaloes (@cubuffs) October 25, 2015
Team Stats
COLO 3, OSU 0
COLO - Gonzalez, Diego 21 yd field goal 13 plays, 73 yards, TOP 8:34
COLO 3, OSU 7
OSU - Nall, Ryan 1 yd run (Owens, Garrett kick), 8 plays, 74 yards, TOP 3:21
COLO 10, OSU 7
COLO - Spruce, Nelson 15 yd pass from Liufau, Sefo (Gonzalez, Diego kick) 10 plays, 67 yards, TOP 4:11
COLO 10, OSU 10
OSU - Owens, Garrett 42 yd field goal 9 plays, 50 yards, TOP 3:20
COLO 17, OSU 10
COLO - Liufau, Sefo 4 yd run (Gonzalez, Diego kick), 13 plays, 85 yards, TOP 4:22
COLO 17, OSU 13
OSU - Owens, Garrett 34 yd field goal 9 plays, 60 yards, TOP 3:13
