Tonight wasn’t enjoyable. In any respect.
The Buffs went into TDECU Stadium on Friday evening needing to show themselves with a giant win on the highway to open convention play towards the Houston Cougars. With a model new quarterback on the helm after the thorough demolition of Delaware, it felt as if the Buffs would possibly lastly be capable of discover their identification.
As an alternative, Colorado regarded extra misplaced than ever towards the Coogs, falling by a ultimate rating of 36-20. Friday evening’s sport left Buffs followers with extra questions than solutions, as there have been struggles in nearly each section of the sport.
Colorado’s begin couldn’t have been a lot worse, with 4 straight punts on the Buffs’ first 4 drives. Beginning quarterback Ryan Staub regarded uncomfortable, Pat Shurmur’s playcalling raised eyebrows in each the run and move sport, and the offensive line struggled to carry its floor.
CU’s sheer incapability to maneuver the soccer was trigger for concern, however head coach Deion Sanders opted to stay with Staub to see if his younger quarterback might construct any semblance of momentum. As a silver-lining, Colorado averted turnovers and gave punter Damon Greaves loads of probabilities to point out off his leg.
Defensively, the Buffs weren’t nice both, however they did handle to carry Houston to discipline objectives in key moments and saved issues from getting out of hand early. The Cougars had 5 drives within the first half and got here away with one landing and three discipline objectives. Houston was in a position to transfer the ball by means of each the air and on the bottom, with quarterback Conner Weigman and operating again Dean Conners giving the Buffs’ protection suits—particularly within the run sport.
CU’s ‘bend, not break’ protection did simply sufficient to maintain give Colorado’s offense an opportunity to remain on this contest, and so they did precisely that with a 38-yard speeding landing by Simeon Worth to make the rating 13-7. Houston and Weigman would reply with one other drive, however Colorado’s protection proved stout as soon as once more, holding the Coogs to a different discipline objective.
Down 16-7, Colorado took the sphere with lower than two minutes earlier than halftime and an opportunity to chop the result in one rating. Identical to final week towards Delaware, CU lastly confirmed indicators of life. Ryan Staub would transfer the chain with a shovel move to Omarion Miller for 31 yards, adopted by the CU quarterback channeling his interior John Elway by taking a helicopter shot-esque hit to attain a landing to chop the result in two factors.
It wasn’t fairly, however Staub’s willingness to place his physique on the road within the two-minute drill gave Colorado an opportunity. They’d simply must construct on that momentum within the second half.
Rating at Half:Colorado 14Houston 16
It’s onerous to capitalize on the momentum whenever you don’t have the soccer, and the Buffs realized that the onerous means within the third quarter.
It rapidly turned clear that the Buffs had no reply for what Houston wished to do offensively. The Cougars scored on three of their first 4 drives within the second half and managed the sport from there. That wasn’t even the worst of it—Houston dominated the time of possession by over 13 minutes, and the Buffs’ offense did little or no to assist the protection keep off the sphere.
Colorado solely ran 5 performs in the course of the entirety of the third quarter, as their offense couldn’t keep on their discipline and the protection couldn’t discover a technique to get off it. Houston took benefit of their time of possession edge, scoring ten factors within the third quarter to construct a wholesome cushion between them and the Buffs.
As for the Buffs’ second half offense: two punts, two interceptions from Staub, and a turnover on downs. Staub’s efficiency towards the Coogs didn’t do him any favors, as the printed repeatedly questioned his standing because the starter transferring ahead, and the complete offense regarded out of rhythm and fully misplaced. Vast receivers dropped a number of catchable balls, Staub missed some open throws, and the offensive line continued to battle.
Colorado did handle to search out the tip zone one ultimate time on a deep shot to Joseph Williams that made the rating look a little bit extra respectable, however by then, the sport felt out of attain. The Buffs regarded outmatched, and in some areas, outcoached.
Ultimate Rating:Colorado 20Houston 36
Issues are trying bleak for the Buffs after tonight, particularly for offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur. The identical points that plagued Colorado final season haven’t gone away. The Buffs ran the ball simply 23 instances, and after they did, it got here largely out of shotgun. Failed run after failed run continues to outline this offense, and regardless of bringing in a number of backs with totally different ability units, the utilization continues to baffle followers.
Final 12 months, the Buffs have been in a position to masks a few of these issues with Shedeur Sanders’ arm and 4 NFL-caliber receivers. However this 12 months’s group doesn’t have the identical firepower, and it’s honest to ask if the suitable items are in place. The offensive identification nonetheless isn’t there. The road nonetheless can’t maintain up. And the playcalling feels predictable and caught in impartial.
Colorado now drops to 1–2 and leaves Houston with extra heaps to reevaluate and replicate on, as they return residence for his or her ultimate non-conference sport towards Wyoming subsequent Saturday night.
0 Feedback
