Colorado-Colorado State Notes
vs
Wyoming
Sep 20 (Sat)
8:15 p.m.
Players who carried out CU’s symbolic instruments today:
Sledgehammer: Ryan Moeller
Toolbox: Jonathan Huckins
United States Flag: Trent Headley
Colorado Flag: Isaac Miller
ATTENDANCE Tonight’s attendance of 73,932 exceeded last year’s (69,850) and is the most in the series since 2003 (76,219); this was the fifth-highest in the 17 games in Denver; Colorado sold 38,859 tickets (11,395 student) for the game; CSU sold 32,762; and the Broncos/Ticketmaster moved 2,311 ducats.
QUICKLY Colorado has won three straight season openers for the first time since 2003-04-05 (all against CSU both times) … Buffs now lead the series 65-22-2 (11-6 in Denver, 22-8 since it was resumed in 1983) … MacIntyre is now 3-2 in season openers at CU and is 6-1 against CSU overall (2-0 at San Jose State) … Colorado is now 79-44-5 in 128 season openers … CU won the coin toss and has now won 14 of the last 15 dating back to last year’s opener … Game time was 3:11, or 11 minutes quicker than last season.
The 17 points were the fewest scored by the Buffs in a season-opening win since 1970 (won 16-9 at Indiana) and the fewest by the winning team in the CU-CSU series since 2006 (CSU, 14-10 in Denver), and it is only the third time since the rivalry resumed in 1983 that the winning team didn’t score at least 20.
The 3 points the Buffaloes allowed were the fewest in a season opener since 2010 (24-3 win over CSU in Denver) and 1988 (45-3 over Fresno State in Boulder); otherwise, you have to go back to a 0-0 tie at Wisconsin in 1965 to find the last time CU allowed fewer … It was the third time in the last 11 games that CU did not allow a touchdown, and the fewest points the Buffs have allowed in any game since a 48-0 win over Nicholls State in 2015 (the fewest by an FBS opponent since the 2010 CSU game).
The winning team the last two nights at Mile High Stadium combined to allow 5 points (Denver beat Arizona, 30-2 in the final NFL preseason game) …
It’s been eight years since CU played a game with a scoreless second half; last: at Kansas State, Oct. 24, 2009 (KSU won, 20-6) … Colorado’s first play in the red zone came with 8:19 to go in the game (first three scores were all from outside the 20) …
OOPS TB Phillip Lindsay’s 45-yard TD run to open the scoring for the year was NOT the longest first score of the year in Colorado history as announced in the first half. It’s the fourth longest, though is the longest rush (the longtime dummy SID looked at the wrong list). Here are the top six:
LONGEST FIRST SCORES OF THE YEAR (from scrimmage)QUICKLY Colorado has won three straight season openers for the first time since 2003-04-05 (all against CSU both times) … Buffs now lead the series 65-22-2 (11-6 in Denver, 22-8 since it was resumed in 1983) … MacIntyre is now 3-2 in season openers at CU and is 6-1 against CSU overall (2-0 at San Jose State) … Colorado is now 79-44-5 in 128 season openers … CU won the coin toss and has now won 14 of the last 15 dating back to last year’s opener … Game time was 3:11, or 11 minutes quicker than last season.
The 17 points were the fewest scored by the Buffs in a season-opening win since 1970 (won 16-9 at Indiana) and the fewest by the winning team in the CU-CSU series since 2006 (CSU, 14-10 in Denver), and it is only the third time since the rivalry resumed in 1983 that the winning team didn’t score at least 20.
The 3 points the Buffaloes allowed were the fewest in a season opener since 2010 (24-3 win over CSU in Denver) and 1988 (45-3 over Fresno State in Boulder); otherwise, you have to go back to a 0-0 tie at Wisconsin in 1965 to find the last time CU allowed fewer … It was the third time in the last 11 games that CU did not allow a touchdown, and the fewest points the Buffs have allowed in any game since a 48-0 win over Nicholls State in 2015 (the fewest by an FBS opponent since the 2010 CSU game).
The winning team the last two nights at Mile High Stadium combined to allow 5 points (Denver beat Arizona, 30-2 in the final NFL preseason game) …
It’s been eight years since CU played a game with a scoreless second half; last: at Kansas State, Oct. 24, 2009 (KSU won, 20-6) … Colorado’s first play in the red zone came with 8:19 to go in the game (first three scores were all from outside the 20) …
OOPS TB Phillip Lindsay’s 45-yard TD run to open the scoring for the year was NOT the longest first score of the year in Colorado history as announced in the first half. It’s the fourth longest, though is the longest rush (the longtime dummy SID looked at the wrong list). Here are the top six:
82 Connor Wood to Paul Richardson vs. Colorado State in Denver, Sept. 1, 2012
54 Sefo Liufau to Nelson Spruce vs. Colorado State in Denver, Aug. 29, 2014
48 Kordell Stewart to Michael Westbrook vs. Colorado State in Boulder, Sept. 5, 1992
45 Phillip Lindsay run vs. Colorado State, Sept. 1, 2017
43 Mike Moschetti to Roman Hollowell vs. Colorado State, Sept. 4, 1999
40 Gale Weidner to Jerry Hillebrand vs. Oklahoma State, Sept. 30, 1961
FIRST CAREER …
ACTION: A total of 16 players made their Buffalo debuts tonight (*—mainly saw action on special teams):
TRUE FRESHMEN (6): OLB Jacob Callier, WR *K.D. Nixon, TE Jared Poplawski, WR *Laviska Shenault, OLB Dante Sparaco, PK *James Stefanou
REDSHIRT FROSH (5): CB Ronnie Blackmon, CB *Derrion Rakestraw, ILB Akil Jones, CB Trey Udoffia, OT *Hunter Vaughn
SOPHOMORES (3): DT Javier Edwards, DE Chris Mulumba, CB *Dante Wigley,
JUNIORS (1): WR Juwann Winfree
SENIORS (1): H T.J. Patterson
STARTS: Six Buffaloes made their first career starts: DT Javier Edwards, OLB Terran Hasselbach, OT Josh Kaiser, ILB Drew Lewis, DE Chris Mulumba and CB Trey Udoffia.
INTERCEPTIONS: S Evan Worthington and CB Trey Udoffia made their first career picks, both in the second half.
INDIVIDUAL LINER NOTES
TB Phillip Lindsay (19-140, 1 TD rush, 2-16 receiving, 156 all-purpose yards). He passed Lamont Warren (2,242 career rushing yards, Lee Rouson (2,296) and Bobby Anderson (2,367) into ninth place on CU’s all-time rushing list (2,373). He remained third on the all-time all-purpose yards list (4,185), but inched closer to Eric Bieniemy (4,351) with Rodney Stewart (4,828) in his sights. With 89 career receptions, he trails Stewart (93) needing five more to become CU’s all-time leader in receptions by a running back. He surpassed the 3,000-yard mark in yards from scrimmage, as he now has the 2,373 rushing with 707 receiving for 3,080 total.
PK James Stefanou (1-2 FG, 1-1 PAT, 4 points). The Australian tried his first kicks in a game in America tonight, connecting on his first field goal try from 48 yards (the fourth longest first career FG in CU history; the longest is 54 yards, set last year by teammate Davis Price against Oregon State).
WR Shay Fields (6-78, 1 TD receiving). He became the sixth player at Colorado to make 150 career receptions, and became the 10th to eclipse 2,000 in receiving yards (he has 150 for 2,007 yards); he is seventh all-time with 17 TD receptions, breaking a tie with Javon Green.
CB Isaiah Oliver (3,0—3 TT, 4 PBU). If the number holds after coaches’ review, he will have 24 career passes defended, second in the Pac 12 (trailing Arrion Springs of Oregon, who has 25).
QB Steven Montez (29-21-2, 202, 1 TD, 128.5 rating). He improved to 3-1 as a starter but was sacked a career-high five times that took away from his rushing yards (7-30 otherwise).
MORE TEAM NOTES
CU has now forced at least one turnover against CSU in 19 straight games, and has forced one or more in 26 of its last 28 games overall.
This was just the fourth time dating back to 1990 (28 games), that CU allowed a single score in a season opener; in 1995, the Buffs won 43-7 at Wisconsin; in 2010, CU bested the Rams, 24-3, and last year, 44-7 over the Rams (both in Denver); the last time CU held opponents to single digits in the opener in back-to-back years was 1988 (45-3 over Fresno State) and 1989 (27-6 over Texas).
D.J.’s DEBUT New Colorado defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot is in some fine … and rare company after the Buffs held CSU to just 3 points (some 55 fewer than it scored last week in its 58-27 win over Oregon State). Take a look:
PK James Stefanou (1-2 FG, 1-1 PAT, 4 points). The Australian tried his first kicks in a game in America tonight, connecting on his first field goal try from 48 yards (the fourth longest first career FG in CU history; the longest is 54 yards, set last year by teammate Davis Price against Oregon State).
WR Shay Fields (6-78, 1 TD receiving). He became the sixth player at Colorado to make 150 career receptions, and became the 10th to eclipse 2,000 in receiving yards (he has 150 for 2,007 yards); he is seventh all-time with 17 TD receptions, breaking a tie with Javon Green.
CB Isaiah Oliver (3,0—3 TT, 4 PBU). If the number holds after coaches’ review, he will have 24 career passes defended, second in the Pac 12 (trailing Arrion Springs of Oregon, who has 25).
QB Steven Montez (29-21-2, 202, 1 TD, 128.5 rating). He improved to 3-1 as a starter but was sacked a career-high five times that took away from his rushing yards (7-30 otherwise).
MORE TEAM NOTES
CU has now forced at least one turnover against CSU in 19 straight games, and has forced one or more in 26 of its last 28 games overall.
This was just the fourth time dating back to 1990 (28 games), that CU allowed a single score in a season opener; in 1995, the Buffs won 43-7 at Wisconsin; in 2010, CU bested the Rams, 24-3, and last year, 44-7 over the Rams (both in Denver); the last time CU held opponents to single digits in the opener in back-to-back years was 1988 (45-3 over Fresno State) and 1989 (27-6 over Texas).
D.J.’s DEBUT New Colorado defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot is in some fine … and rare company after the Buffs held CSU to just 3 points (some 55 fewer than it scored last week in its 58-27 win over Oregon State). Take a look:
FIRST GAME AS DC / FEWEST POINTS ALLOWED
3 Mike Hankwitz, 1988 vs. Fresno State (CU, 45-3)
3 D.J. Eliot, 2017 vs. Colorado State in Denver (CU, 17-3)
7 Don James, 1968 vs. Oregon (CU, 28-7)
7 A.J. Christoff, 1995 at Wisconsin (CU, 43-7)
10 Dan Radakovich, 1972 vs. California (CU, 20-10)