Coming off a game it thought it could win against Oregon, the University of Colorado football team hoped, at least, to carry the remainder of its confidence into Saturday night’s game against Arizona State. That was not the case, as CU fell 48-23. The opening kickoff went for a touchback and after that almost everything went wrong.
“We cannot shoot ourselves in the foot and expect to win a Pac-12 football game,” Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre said. “We’ve got to stop doing that.”
The Sun Devils’ first touchdown defined the game. After punting away their first possession, the Buffs’ defense gave up a 38-yard completion. Two plays later, ASU fumbled, and it looked like maybe things would start to go CU’s way, but in the blink of an eye that all changed. ASU’s Kody Khol recovered the ball and brought it in for a 28-yard for a touchdown.
Things got worse. CU quarterback Sefo Liufau felt the ASU pressure and threw an interception deep in Colorado territory. ASU quickly responded with a second Khol touchdown.
CU had chances to get back in the game. In one, the offense’s only flash of brilliance, Liufau hit tight end Sean Irwin down the seam for 42 yards. Running back Philip Lindsey scored with an impressive run on the next play to make it a seven-point game. Then, cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon stopped ASU’s ensuing drive with an interception, putting CU in position to even the score. Again, it felt like the momentum was turning in CU’s direction, but the Buffs went three-and-out. To make matter worse, the Buffs’ line let ASU block the punt, giving the Sun Devils the ball on CU’s 11-yard line. ASU kicked a field goal, and any momentum the Buffs had quickly disappeared.
“It was one of those times that you just got to make your own breaks,” MacIntyre said. “The kids are still fighting, they’ll always fight, they have good character. We’ve got to coach smarter and play smarter, and take care of the football.”
After another CU three and out, ASU put the game out of reach with a two-play touchdown drive.
The key to the game was Liufau’s protection. Nearly every time Liufau dropped back, he was hit or hurried. ASU continually exploited CU’s offensive line, which was depleted because of injuries. Arizona State finished the game with eight sacks. With no time to find his receivers, Liufau was left trying to make something happen with his legs or on short throws. Liufau’s lingering shoulder injury only made things worse. The injury seemed to worsen as the game went on. Give the Colorado quarterback credit, though, he dragged himself off the turf time and time again despite being in obvious pain.
“I’m not going to lie, it’s tough but you just have to put it in the corner of your mind and push yourself and be tough,” Liufau said. “Especially if you’re on this team, you have to be a fighter.”
Partly because of their offense and partly because of their pressure on Liufau, the Sun Devils went into half time with a 24-10 lead. ASU picked up right where it left off in the second half, with a quick touchdown drive. Sophomore running back Phillip Lindsay sealed CU’s fate when he fumbled away the Buffs’ next possession. Colorado quickly answered with a touchdown, but by then the game was already out of reach.
CU had a few explosive plays late in the game. Liufau found wide receiver Devin Ross for a deep touchdown. Later, Shay Fields caught a ball across the middle and made a few people miss as he ran down to the goal line. Both plays were exciting, but neither mattered in the end.
“We just have to come together,” Fields said. “We don’t want to be a three-win team.”
The Buffs were outplayed in every facet of the game Saturday night. As Pac-12 Network announcer Yogi Roth put it, ASU was ready for CU Saturday night. The Buffs “ran into a buzzsaw,” Roth remarked toward the end of the game. He couldn’t be more right. Not only did CU not do anything right on Saturday night, but the Sun Devils came ready to play and the Buffs didn’t stand a chance.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Sean Kelly at Sean.d.Kelly@colorado.edu
