Colorado-Utah Notes
vs
Wyoming
Sep 20 (Sat)
8:15 p.m.
CU 2022 STATISTICAL CHAMPIONS
Rushing: Deion Smith, Jr. (83-393, 4.7 avg., 2 TD)
Passing: J.T. Shrout, Jr. (203-90-8, 1,220, 7 TD; 98.3 rating)
Receptions: Montana Lemonious-Craig, Soph. (23-359, 15.6 avg., 3 TD)
Receiving (Yards): Jordyn Tyson, Fr. (22-470, 21.4 avg., 4 TD)
Scoring: Cole Becker, Soph. (53 points: 20-21 PAT, 11-13 FG)
Punting: Trent Carrizosa, Fr. (46-1,877, 40.8 avg., 10 In20, 2 50+, 36.5 net)
Punt Returns: Jordyn Tyson, Fr. (4-131, 32.8 avg., 1 TD)
Kickoff Returns: Nikko Reed, Soph. (19-430. 23.6 avg., 45 long, 0 TD)
Tackles: Josh Chandler-Semedo, Gr. (had 91 entering today; had 7; subject
to coaches video numbers)
Quarterback Sacks: Josh Chandler-Semedo, Gr. (3-19)
Interceptions: Nikko Reed, Soph. (2-56, 28.0 avg., 0 TD)
Special Team Points: Toren Pittman, Soph. (final total TBD)
QUICKLY
Records. Utah has won 10 of the 12 games between the two schools that bookend the Rockies since both joined the Pac-12 and thus has taken a 34-32-3 series lead (CU leads 16-15-1 in Boulder) … Colorado is 24-34-1 when wearing all black uniforms (but 3-20-1 in last 24) … CU finishes its 133rd year of football with a 1-11 mark, and was 1-6 under interim head coach Mike Sanford) … The Buffs finished 0-4 against ranked programs in 2022 (the final four games of the year: Oregon, USC, Washington, Utah; CU also played three others who were/are ranked, TCU, Minnesota and Oregon State) … CU’s 12 opponents this season are 95-46 with tonight’s three Pac-12 games and Air Force-SDSU, the Pac-12 title game and bowl results to be added later on.
Best Interview Award. The annual “Best Interview” award as selected by the team’s beat media went to OG Casey Roddick (other team awards will be presented at the team’s senior banquet Sunday).
Buffalo Heart Award. The 25th annual Buffalo Heart Award (selected by the “fans behind the bench”) for the player who epitomizes what it means to be a Colorado Buffalo was presented postgame to TE Brady Russell.
CU, Northern Illinois & Rutgers. Are the only known teams to have started four different quarterbacks with CU’s Maddox Kopp becoming the fourth Buff to do so this afternoon. In the end, J.T. Shrout (7), Owen McCown (3), Brendon Lewis (1) made the other starts. Colorado previously started three different signal callers in a season seven times: 1947, 1969, 1980, 1987, 1992, 2000 and 2012 (New Mexico was the only school to start four in 2019, 2020 and 2021.)
Global Warming II? The temperature at kickoff was 58 degrees; the final average for CU’s 12 games dropped to 62.2.
The Fillip Conundrum. TE/OT Frank Fillip scored his first TD of his career on likely his final play as a Buff, as he walked with the seniors. He was moved from OT to TE earlier this month; the last OL to score a TD was C Alex Kelley, who recovered a fumble in the end zone against Colorado State in 2016. Does Fillip count?
Wells Does Well. C Van Wells wound up starting eight games (six at center, two at left guard), just the 13th true freshman to start a game on the offensive line in CU history. The eight tied for the second-most starts of the 13 players, one shy of the top mark (OG Brian Daniels started nine in 2003). Wells is the only true freshman to ever start a game at the center position.
300. CU assistant coach Darian Hagan today became the ninth known person to play and/or work in some capacity for 300 or more CU games. He also passed his college coach, Bill McCartney, into fourth for the most games coached (154); he also was a part of 62 as a football staff member, 35 as the Alumni C-Club director and 49 as a player.
53 . WR Daniel Arias played in his 53rd CU game, the most by any scrimmage player (was tied with TE Quinn Sypniewski, 2000-05). Only P Alex Kinney played in more (54, 2015-19).
Final CU Games. The 21 players who played their final game in a CU uniform today (or have declared to at present; *--denotes some eligibility remaining): WR Daniel Arias, ILB Robert Barnes, SN *Derek Bedell, OG *Tommy Brown, ILB Josh Chandler-Semedo, OT/TE *Frank Fillip, TB Alex Fontenot, WR Jaylon Jackson, DL Justin Jackson, DE Terrance Lang, FS Isaiah Lewis, S Anthony Lyle, DE Chance Main, OLB Jamar Montgomery, ILB Quinn Perry, TE Brady Russell, DT *Jalen Sami, WR, R.J. Sneed, S *Jaylen Striker, OLB Guy Thomas and CB Mac Willis.
Final Season Attendance. For six home games in 2022, CU’s attendance was 257,084, an average of 42,487.3 per game. CU finished the year 1-5 at home as the 99th season at Folsom Field came to a close.
O-Line Improvement. CU’s performance as a whole on the offensive line improved over 2021 numbers in two key categories. A look over the last five seasons (excluding the 2020 COVID year):
2018 2019 2021 2022
Tackles For Loss Allowed 106 69 79 65
Quarterback Sacks Allowed 34 21 32 23
22. With TB Dante Capolungo and OT/TE Frank Fillip both making their first receptions of the year, a record 22 Buffaloes caught at least one pass in 2022. CU was one behind Michigan entering the day and tied with four other schools.
TO Bookends. CU did not commit a turnover in two games this season, in the opener against TCU and today against Utah.
Final Counts. With QB Maddox Kopp playing for the first time, 37 players saw their first action in a CU uniform this year, including freshmen (16 true). In the end, 43 different players made starts over the 12 games (23 for the first time in 2022).
INDIVIDUAL LINER NOTES
TB Alex Fontenot (7-11, 1 TD)
- He finished his career with 1,558 rushing yards, which places him 29th on the CU’s all-time list.
-He also finished with 84 points (67th) and amassed 1,829 all-purpose yards and 1,816 yards from scrimmage, with his 46 receptions ranking 68th (tied for 12th-most by a running back).
ILB Josh Chandler-Semedo (5,2—7 TT)
-He finished his one-year Colorado career with 98 tackles (72 solo); he not only led the team in tackles overall, he also led in tackles for loss (13 including three quarterback sacks) and with five tackles for zero gains, he had 18 total stops at or behind the line of scrimmage.
CB Nikko Reed (5,0—5 TT, 1 TFL, 1 INT)
His 56-yard interception return was the longest by a Buff since 2017, when Nick Fisher returned one 100 yards for a touchdown against California.
QB Maddox Kopp (28-15-0, 123 yds, 1 TD, 102.3 rating)
-He is the 55th player since 1959 to start a game at quarterback for Colorado (combining for a 27-27-1 record). He is the 15th freshman (seventh redshirt) to start a game in that group.
- In the first half, he was 5-of-14 for 26 yards (51.3 rating); in the second half, he was 10-of-14 for 97 yards with 1 TD (153.2 rating).