FINAL
The Buffs hold off Iowa State with a final score of 33-16 to improve their record to 2-9 (2-5 BIG 12).
Stay with thecampuspress.com for full coverage of the game following the post-game press conference.
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7:44 left
4th QThe Buffs first play was a handoff to Holliday for 7 yards to start the fourth quarter. A 5-yard completion to Barnett garnered Colorado a new set of downs. On the next play, CU gave to Charles for 2 yards, then Jackson kept it and ran outside for an 18-yard gain that Jackson made look easy. Holliday carried next for 2 yards. It was Holliday on the counter play, cutting it back and rumbling up the middle for an 11-yard gain. It was Charles’ turn on the ensuing play, and he weaved and deked his way for 15 yards. After a 5-yard false start penalty, Jackson carried up the middle to get that 5 yards back and then some, gaining 7 yards. Jackson fumbled the snap but fell on it for a loss of one, bringing up third-and-nine. Jackson was sacked on the next play for a loss of 7, and Crosby came on for his fourth attempt of the day, this one from 42. He made that one as well, giving CU a 33-10 lead.
Meyer’s first pass on the ensuing possession was complete to Flynn for 2 yards. Meyer’s next pass was dropped by an ISU receiver, bringing up third-and-eight. Meyer could not find anyone open and was dragged down after a gain of 1 yard to the 20, forcing another ISU punt after going three-and-out. Colorado took over at the 44-yard line with 7:44 remaining in the game, up 33-10
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End of the
3rd QThe Buffs took over inside Iowa State territory at the Cyclone 39, and the Buffs went right for the jugular. Jackson dropped back and threw a touchdown to a wide-open Williams for a 39-yard touchdown pass. The score was the first touchdown of Williams career, and it gave CU a 30-7 lead. It was a one play, 39-yard drive the lasted only 16 seconds.
After the quick score, ISU took over and Meyer booted right and ran for 11 yards. Meyer ran the option and chose to keep the ball and ran for 5 yards after that. Kock rumbled for 3 yards on second down, and Meyer passed outside to Flynn for 6 yards and a first down on the ensuing play. Meyer completed a deep post to Sumrall for a gain of 30 on the next play, and Buffs junior cornerback Terrence Wheatley was shaken up on the play, but walked off under his own power. Kock gained 4 yards, Meyer ran an option keeper for no gain, and Meyer’s pass was knocked down by Dizon over the next three plays, but a roughing the passer penalty on CU kept the Cyclone drive alive with an automatic first down. Kock carried again for 2 yards after the penalty. Meyer rolled right and simply threw the pass away since he was unable to find any receiver open, resulting in a third down situation. Meyer threw a fade to the end zone that fell incomplete, so ISU kicker Bert Culbertson came on to attempt a 27-yard field, and it was good, bringing Iowa State within 20 as the third quarter came to an end.
End of 3rd quarter: Colorado 30, Iowa State 10.
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5:22 left
3rd QISU got the ball after halftime and went to Kock on the first play who carried for no gain. A second down pass from Meyer fell incomplete, bringing up a third-and-10 play. A gain of 11 on a Meyer-to-wide receiver R.J. Sumrall got the Cyclones a first down. The next play saw a tip-toe catch by Davis on the sideline for 6 yards, but a false start penalty moved ISU back 5 yards. On second-and-nine, Meyer was sacked by a swarm of Buffaloes after an all-out blitz for a loss of 11. Meyer evaded trouble and fired a pass over the middle for Moses, who would have had a first down, but he dropped a pass that was right in his hands. The drop forced an Iowa State punt that was returned 20 yards by McBride and CU took over at the 50-yard line.
Jackson’s first pass was a flip to Tyson DeVree, but Devree took the short pass and turned it into a 19-yard gain. Williams caught a short 3-yard pass but was wrapped up quickly. Holliday carried for no gain on the next play, resulting in a third-and-seven. Jackson dropped to throw and was flushed out of the pocket, eluding defenders for 4 yards. Crosby came out for a 41-yard attempt on fourth down and made good his third attempt of the day, giving CU a 23-7 lead. That gave Crosby 301 points in his career at CU, the first player in CU history to score over 300.
The Cyclones took over first-and-ten at their own 8 with Kock plowing ahead through a pile of bodies for 4 yards. Another handoff to Kock for 7 yards gave Iowa State a new set of downs. Two straight false-start penalties on Iowa State moved them back 10 yards, resulting in a first-and-twenty situation. Kock took a handoff for five yards, another for equal yardage, and Meyer was sacked by sophomore defensive end Maurice Lucas over the next three plays, resulting in an ISU punt.
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HalftimeAfter the timeout, Charles took a handoff for only 1 yard, bringing up third-and-goal from the 5-yard line. Colorado took another timeout prior to the next play. After the timeout, Jackson kept the ball after faking to Charles from the shotgun and ran up the middle where he was hit at the goal line, but burrowed his way underneath two ISU defenders and plowed into the end zone, giving CU a 17-7 lead. The play capped a 15-play, 95-yard offensive showing that took 7:51 off the clock.
Meyer and the Cyclones took over after the CU scoring drive and went deep right away, but Meyer’s pass sailed over a well-covered Davis. Johnson took the next carry for no gain as he was stopped by Buffs junior linebacker Jordon Dizon on the play. On third-and-10, Meyer escaped trouble in the backfield after being pressured by Buffs senior defensive end Abraham Wright and ran for 10-yards and a first down. Kock took the next handoff for 4 yards over the right side, and Johnson carried for 2 yards after that. Meyer was unable to locate an open receiver on third down, and was stopped after a short 2-yard pickup. The Cyclones were again forced to punt, and McBride fair caught the punt at the Buffs 31-yard line.
Jackson and the rest of the Colorado offense took over and promptly went to the ground on first down, handing off to Holliday for a loss of 1. Jackson ran another quarterback keeper up the middle, weaving his way through the ISU defense and snaking a crafty run for 20 yards. However, the play was called back because of an illegal block. So, on second-and-one, Holliday burst through a huge hole over the left side, broke free of two tacklers and rumbled down the left sideline for an electrifying 52 yards before getting caught from behind and dragged down at the 8-yard line. That run was the longest of senior Holliday’s career. Holliday started right then cut back left for a 3-yard gain on first-and-goal, and Jackson completed a pass to junior wide receiver Dusty Sprague who went out at the 1-yard line. An offensive pass interference penalty on Sprague moved the Buffs back 15 yards, however. From the 21-yard line, Jackson threw a pretty good pass to the pylon for Crawford, but Crawford tripped over the goal line and couldn’t reel in the touchdown catch. Jackson booted right on third-and-goal and floated one to the back of the end zone for Williams but the pass was just out of his reach. Crosby came on to attempt a 38-yard field goal on fourth down, and he hammered it home to give the Buffs a 20-7 lead.
Meyer and Iowa State got the ball with 26 seconds left in the half and handed off to Kock for a 3-yard gain, ending the first half.
End of 2nd quarter: Colorado 20, Iowa State 7
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7:40 left
2nd QOn the first play of the second quarter, Meyer rolled right and zipped a pass outside intended for wide receiver Austin Flynn, but Flynn dropped the pass, forcing ISU to punt. On the punt, Buffs receiver Chase McBride fielded the punt at the 3-yard line and was spun down at the 15 but an illegal block penalty on the play moved the Buffs back to their own 5-yard line. That is where Jackson and company would take over.
Charles took the first handoff from Jackson for 11 yards and Holliday carried for 3 yards on the ensuing handoff. Jackson hit Crawford on an out pattern for a gain of 6. On third-and-one, Holliday bobbed and weaved through the Cyclone defense for a gain 16 yards. A false start penalty moved the Buffs back 5 yards, and on first-and-15, Charles carried for no gain. Jackson dropped back, set in the pocket, and fired a perfectly timed seam post to Crawford for an 18-yard gain. On the next play, Jackson’s pass to the flat appeared to be intercepted, but the officials ruled it incomplete. Iowa State challenged the play, and after the review, the officials determined the pass was indeed incomplete – the ball hit the ground before the Iowa State defender had secured possession.
CU went to the ground with Charles after the review, and he gained 7 yards on the play. Freshman tight end Riar Geer caught a short out for a 5-yard gain on third-and-three, giving the Buffs another first down. Charles ran the stretch play that had been working all day over the left side for 5 yards, and Jackson’s pass intended for sophomore wide receiver Stephone Robinson was incomplete on second down. Jackson stood tall in the pocket and delivered a pass to Williams as he was hit, and Williams took the pass 19 yards up the sideline, setting up a goal-to-go situation for CU from the 9-yard line. A holding penalty moved the Buffs back 10 yards, but Jackson kept the ball on the quarterback draw right up the middle, bursting for 13 yards. Jackson called a timeout prior to the next play.
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End of the
1st QAfter the Cyclones scoring drive, the Buff’s first play saw Holliday take a handoff for 8 yards over the right side. Charles took the next handoff for 4 yards and a first down. Jackson bootlegged to his left and kept the ball, zipping up the hash marks for a 9-yard gain. Charles was hit as soon as he got the line of scrimmage on second down, resulting in no gain. The Buffs ran a stretch play off right tackle on third-and-one with Holliday, and he burst outside for a 7-yard gain. Jackson called an audible on the next play, a rarity for Jackson, and he threw a hitch pass outside to Barnett for 8 yards. A pulling guard counter didn’t fool the Cyclones defense on second down, as Holliday managed only one yard. Jackson, looking sharp early in the game, bootlegged right and completed a 4-yard out to wide receiver Cody Crawford for a first down. Holliday took the next handoff for no gain. Jackson faked a handoff from the shotgun and bootlegged to his left but there was a Cyclone defender in his path, so he scrambled back to his right, leaping over one defender and juking another. However, the exciting play was called back because of an illegal block in the back on CU. On second-and-20, Jackson again bootlegged right and fired a pass for an open Crawford, but the ball sailed too high and flew over the hands of Crawford. Jackson flipped a pass to his outlet receiver Williams for 10 yards but short of the first down, so senior kicker Mason Crosby came on for a 47-yard field goal attempt. Crosby booted the kick through the uprights, giving Colorado a 10-7 lead.
But oh those tricky Cyclones.
On their first play after the CU field goal, Meyer flipped an end around to Austin Flynn, who then turned and threw the quarterback throwback to Meyer for a gain of 19 yards. Kock took the next handoff for two yards, and carried again for 1 yard. That was the last play of the first quarter.
End of 1st quarter: Colorado 10, Iowa State 7.
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8:33 left
1st QThe Colorado Buffaloes and the Iowa State Cyclones met on a crisp November afternoon in Boulder, and the Buffs seniors were the guests of honor, as they would each be playing in their last home game wearing the black and gold. The Buffs hoped the motivation of winning one for the seniors would be enough to get their second victory of the season.
The Buffaloes won the coin toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff, which was kicked out of the back of the end zone for a touchback giving junior quarterback Bernard Jackson and the Buffaloes the ball at their own 20-yard line. On the first play from scrimmage, Jackson faked a handoff to senior running back Mell Holliday, pump faked to junior wide receiver Alvin Barnett and then floated one up the sideline for Barnett, who was wide open after the pump fake, and caught the pass for a 38-yard gain. On the next play, Jackson went deep to the end zone for sophomore wide receiver Patrick Williams, but the pass was just out of the reach of a diving Williams. On second down, Charles took a handoff over the right side for a 16-yard scamper, bursting through Iowa State defenders. On the next play, Jackson dropped back, settled in the pocket and threw a crossing route to a wide open Barnett who caught the pass at the 4-yard line and trotted into the end zone for the touchdown, capping a drive that lasted four plays, went 80 yards, and took only 1:24. The Buffs made their opening drive look astoundingly easy. The Buffs led 7-0.
Iowa State began their opening possession at their own 14-yard line, and on first down and second down, quarterback Brett Meyer handed off to fullback Kock who got the Cyclones a first down with the two carries. On the next play, Meyer flipped a pass complete for 9 yards. On second down, Kock was stuffed for no gain, bringing up third down and one. Kock took the handoff and buried himself into the pile for a 2-yard gain and a first down for Iowa State. Kock took another handoff on the ensuing play and burst up the middle for 24 yards, running over Buffs safety Ryan Walters on the play. A defensive holding penalty on the Buffs sophomore defensive tackle George Hypolite gave the Cyclones a first down from the Buffs 26-yard line. A gain of three by running back Josh Johnson on first down and a pass from Meyer to wide receiver Milan Moses for 2 yards brought up a third-and-five for ISU. Meyer floated a pass to the back of the end zone for wide receiver Jon Davis who was covered well by Buffs corner Terry Washington, but Davis made a leaping grab and pulled in the pass for a touchdown, tying the score 7-7. The scoring drive was a 10 play, 86-yard beauty that took 4:47 off the clock.
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