Colorado-Nebraska Notes
vs
Wyoming
Sep 20 (Sat)
8:15 p.m.
ATTENDANCE Today’s attendance of 52,829 (sellout) is the largest (and third crowd of 50,000-plus) since Folsom was reconfigured ahead of the 2015 season (club seats swapped in for bleacher seating in the north end zone and northeast corner). The other two crowds were: 52,681 against Arizona State last Oct. 6 (Family Weekend, not a sellout as the student section was oversold) and the last sellout, 52,301 against Utah on Nov. 26, 2016.
- This was CU’s largest home opener crowd since 2009 (53,168 vs. Colorado State).
QUICKLY Colorado is now 7-8 in overtime games in its history (1-1 vs. Nebraska; in the 1999 OT game won by the Huskers, CU rallied from down 27-3 tie the game but missed a 33-yarder that would have won it; NU held CU to a field goal in OT as it did today, but scored a TD on its possession to win) … The Buffaloes snapped an 8-game losing streak against (AP) ranked teams, its last win coming over No. 21 Utah in 2016 … CU has won 13 straight non-conference games in the state’s borders (eight in Boulder, five in Denver) … Nebraska now leads the series 49-20-2 (23-11-2 in Boulder) … CU was last shutout in the first half at Utah on Nov. 25, 2017 (down 28-0); last time at home on Nov. 11, 2017 (USC led, 20-0) … Colorado gained 258 yards in the fourth quarter after having 193 at the end of three … Colorado’s first 10 plays in NU territory were for net negative 6 yards; the last 21 gained 134 yards … Colorado had six quarterback sacks in the game, four coming on third downs (all in the second half) … The Buffs have now made 106 consecutive PAT kicks dating back to October 2016 … CU has now scored 54 of its last 55 times in goal-to-go situations (45 TD/9 FG) over the course of its last 29 games.
FIRST CAREER …
- ACTION: OLB Joshka Gustav (on special teams). u START: None
MONTEZ-To-NIXON’S 96-YARDER … It took nearly 65 years to break one of the oldest records in school history, but the 96-yard pass was the longest play from scrimmage in Colorado history. It was the longest play since Robert Hodge-to-Jeremy Bloom covered 94 yards for a touchdown against Kansas State on Oct. 5, 2002. The longest plays in sum history:
COLORADO / ALL-TIME LONGEST PLAYS FROM SCRIMMAGE
96 Steven Montez to K.D. Nixon vs. Nebraska in Boulder, Sept. 7, 2019 (TD).
95 Emerson Wilson run vs. Kansas State in Boulder, Nov. 20, 1954 (TD).
94 Robert Hodge to Jeremy Bloom vs. Kansas State in Boulder, Oct. 5, 2002 (TD).
92 Koy Detmer to Charles Johnson vs. Oklahoma in Boulder, Oct. 17, 1992 (TD).
91 Kayo Lam run vs. Brigham Young at Provo, Oct. 20, 1934 (TD).
91 Bob West run vs. New Mexico in Pueblo, Nov. 4, 1944 (TD).
90 Eddie Dove run vs. Kansas in Boulder, Oct. 5, 1957 (TD).
90 Marc Walters to Jeff Campbell vs. Kansas State in Boulder, Nov. 19, 1988 (TD).
89 Koy Detmer to Herchell Troutman vs. Colorado State in Boulder, Sept. 9, 1995.
89 Steven Montez to Laviska Shenault vs. Colo. St. in Denver, Aug. 31, 2018 (TD).
88 Mike Moschetti to Javon Green vs. Oklahoma in Boulder, Oct. 30, 1999 (TD).
LONGEST FLEA FLICKER IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL HISTORY: SBNation is reporting the play was the longest “flea-flicker” in college football history.
1-3/FOURTH A defensive battle through three quarters (24 points, 509 yards) did a 180 in the fourth, when the teams combined for 38 points and 417 yards.
WACKY STAT OF THE GAME Nebraska was 7-of-12 on second down in the first half, but was held to 1-of-12 in the second half.
INDIVIDUAL LINER NOTES
QB Steven Montez (41-28-1, 375, 2 TD, 156.3 QBR passing; 8-(-17) rushing; 358 yards total offense).
—He is now 14-15 as CU’s starting quarterback; his 29 starts are now sixth-most in CU history.
—His 26 consecutive regular season starts trail only Kordell Stewart (33, 1992-94) and Gale Weidner (31, 1959-61).
—He moved into second place on CU’s all-time passing yards list (7,448), trailing only Sefo Liufau (9,568) as he passed Cody Hawkins (7,409) and Joel Klatt (7,375) this afternoon.
—He topped the 8k mark in total offense (8,277) and again only trails only Liufau (10,509).
—He now has 50 career TD passes (trailing 60 by both Liufau and Cody Hawkins).
WR K.D. Nixon (6-148, 1 TD receiving).
He had the third 100-yard game of his career, and in the process 51st on CU’s all-time receiving yards list into 41st with 830 yards. That included passing Jeff Campbell who was in 41st; Jeff was on hand to sub for Gary Barnett (who was ill) as analyst on KOA-Radio.
—He also moved from 48th into 40th in receptions with 62.
WR Laviska Shenault (5-31 receiving).
He moved from 17th into 16th on CU’s all-time receiving yards list (1,258), but with five receptions, he became the 18th player to record 100 career catches, ending the game with 101.
PK James Stefanou (4-4 PAT, 2-2 FG, 10 points)
—He is now 19th in scoring at Colorado (151 points, which has him for eighth in kick-scoring).
—He is now 76-of-76 in PAT kicks in his career and 25-of-33 in field goals.
CB Chris Miller had his first career interception.
DE Mustafa Johnson had three sacks (for 21 yards) in losses; the first Buff with three since Leo Jackson against Texas State in 2017 (which was the first time since Josh Hartigan had three against Kansas State in 2010). So the third time in 10 seasons.
MORE TEAM NOTES
The attendance of 52,829 was the largest at Folsom since 2010, when 52,855 were in the house for the Georgia game (a 29-27 win).
TUCKER JOINS ELITE CU COMPANY Mel Tucker is the 10th coach (out of 26) in CU history to win his first two games:
Year Coach Wins First Two Opponents
1894 Harry Heller 7 EAST DENVER H.S., at Denver A.C.
1905 Willis Kleinholtz 6 at North Denver H.S., at Regis
1900 T,W, Mortimer 5 at Denver Manual H.S. at Denver West H.S.
1995 Rick Neuheisel 5 at Wisconsin, NE LOUISIANA
1895 Fred Folsom 3 DENVER MANUAL H.S., DENVER WHEEL
1903 Dave Cropp 3 at State Prep School, UTAH
1920 Myron Witham 2 at Denver, at Wyoming
1932 William Saunders 2 at Colorado Mines, UTAH STATE
2013 Mike MacIntyre 2 *Colorado State, CENTRAL ARKANSAS
2019 Mel Tucker 2 *Colorado State, NEBRASKA
COMEBACKS CU rallied from a 17-point deficit to win, tying its fourth-largest comeback in school history. The top comebacks:
Trailed By Time, Qtr. Final Opponent (Date)
20 ( 7-27) 8:01, 3Q 28-27 at Missouri (Oct. 28, 1978)
19 ( 0-19) 13:18, 4Q 20-19 KANSAS (Oct. 7, 1961)
18 (17-35) 8:20, 3Q 43-38 at Iowa State (Nov. 8, 1997)
17 ( 0-17) 7:00, 3Q 21-20 at Minnesota (Sept. 19, 1992)
17 ( 7-24) 12:23, 3Q 27-24 OKLAHOMA (Sept. 29, 2007)
17 (14-31) 14:47, 4Q 35-34 at Washington State (Sept. 22, 2012)
17 ( 0-17) 4:06,3Q 34-31 NEBRASKA (Sept. 7, 2019)