One week after it defeated Cal in overtime, 20-13, for its first win of the season, Colorado fell at Oregon State, 42-9, to drop to 1-6 on the season.
The Buffs’ sixth loss looked a lot like the five that preceded it – lopsided, non-competitive and potentially dispiriting.
For the seventh time in as many games this season, Colorado’s offense failed to score more than 20 points while its defense was gashed, giving up 472 total yards and allowing the Beavers to average 7.2 yards per play.
Here are five takeaways from the game.
1. That was a dose of reality
Following the victory against Cal, Colorado had every reason to be optimistic and enjoy their accomplishment. In what had been a miserable season to that point, the Buffs finally broke through, not only playing a competitive game, but actually winning and doing so in front of a home crowd. Students and spectators rushed the field. Players and coaches embraced one another. It’s been 10 years since I graduated college – and I certainly wasn’t a Power Five football player – but I have to imagine some fun was had that night in Boulder.
If that felt like a dream, what transpired this most recent Saturday was an alarm clock blaring loudly.
While the game wasn’t quite as statistically lopsided as the final score might indicate, the Buffs not only lost yet again, but were blown out, notching their fourth loss this season by at least four touchdowns. Some of the problems that defined their 0-5 start re-emerged (one of which we’ll get to here in a bit). The defense languished, whether it was against the run or the pass. The offense couldn’t finish off drives or capitalize on mistakes. Receivers dropped catchable balls.
“It was very tough,” wide receiver Jordyn Tyson said. “I feel like we didn’t do enough as a team to come out with that W, even though we really wanted it.”
Colorado didn’t look lifeless in the same way it had in its first five losses. Even when it was down by a significant margin late in the game, players still stepped up to make positive contributions in a matchup that had long ago been decided. But Saturday did show the limitations to the new energy and mindset Mike Sanford has brought to the program since he took over as interim head coach. Sanford can make some tweaks, liven the culture around the program and motivate the players, but ultimately, only so much can be done in a couple of weeks to change the fact that this is a team that is at significant disadvantage in virtually every game it plays.
2. As things stand now, there’s no quarterback controversy
Between Owen McCown’s injury and JT Shrout’s play late in the victory over Cal, there was some question about whether the Buffs’ quarterback situation is as resolved as we presumed it to be the past several weeks.
The loss to Oregon State should end much of that uncertainty.
Shrout struggled against the Beavers, completing only 13 of 29 passes for 206 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions. The second of those picks came in the final minutes of the game, with the Buffs trailing by 33, but the first was a pick-six early in the third quarter that stretched Oregon State’s lead to 35-3 and ended whatever small hope Colorado had of a comeback.
As poor as his numbers were, they weren’t entirely on Shrout, as his receivers dropped a number of passes that could have gained big chunks of yards, extended drives and potentially led to points, all things that could have changed the complexion of the game (even though it would have almost certainly been a loss regardless). Even when factoring in the poor weather conditions for one of his other starts – a September loss at Air Force – Shrout is 22 of 61 for 281 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions in three starts this season. For the season, he’s completing just 44.8% of his passes and averaging only 4.5 yards per attempt.
“You can see the pocket presence, the demeanor,” Sanford said after the loss. “He’s a guy that I think will continue to get better as the year goes on as he gets into a groove and a rhythm.”
Indeed, Shrout looks the part at times, from his 6-foot-3 frame to the power he can get behind his throws. But that promise that he has shown at times this year simply hasn’t been sustainable over the course of a full, single game. Once McCown is healthy and ready to play, the job will and should be his for the rest of the season.
3. The run defense is maybe what we thought it was
Few aspects, if any, of Colorado as a team looked more improved against Cal than the run defense, which held the Golden Bears to 1.6 yards per carry and standout freshman Jaydn Ott to 2.9 yards per rush.
Had the Buffs turned a corner? Not exactly.
Each of Oregon State’s top three rushers Saturday night averaged at least 6.9 yards per carry, led by freshman running back Damian Martinez, who went off for 178 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 8.1 yards per carry. In what was a familiar occurrence for Colorado in its first five games, the Beavers’ rushing attack got stronger as the game went on, running for 177 yards and averaging eight yards per rush in the second half.
“Cal didn’t really know what we were going to do at all,” linebacker Josh Chandler-Semedo said. “We ran a completely different defense. Oregon State got to see us at our peak running that defense. They were a little more prepared. We made plays, but at the same time, they had some adjustments ready for us and they executed them very well.”
The Buffs’ front seven showed more effectiveness than it had in its first five games, as it got a sack and applied at least some pressure on the quarterback, but it spent much of the night getting overpowered. The fact it came against one of the Pac-12’s best offensive lines may offer some encouragement that things may not be as bad moving forward as they appeared on Saturday night, but it was nonetheless a step back.
4. The game was lost on the third drive
In a road game in which it was a 23-point underdog, Colorado got the kind of break it seldom has this season. On Oregon State’s first offensive play of the game, quarterback Ben Gulbranson fumbled, with the Buffs recovering the ball at the Beavers’ 46. With the score tied at zero, it was an excellent opportunity for a lethargic Buffs offense to work with a shorter field and take an early lead.
They were unable to do that, as Shrout threw two incomplete passes before running back Anthony Hankerson fumbled. Oregon State returned it to the Colorado 40 and 10 plays later, it scored a touchdown to take a lead it would never surrender.
Despite their strong record, the Beavers are a team prone to mistakes, with 12 turnovers in their first seven games. Those miscues, though, are only so costly if the opponent is unable to take advantage of them. The Buffs weren’t able to do that and it’s among the many reasons why they lost by as much as they did Saturday.
5. There’s hope to be found at running back
Among the few positives for Colorado in the losing effort was the play of sophomore running back Jayle Stacks, who ran for a career-high 50 yards and a touchdown while averaging 6.3 yards per carry. Entering the day, Stacks had just 20 yards in his team’s first six games. He was thrust into a more prominent role with Deion Smith, Alex Fontenot and Hankerson all dealing with injuries – Hankerson played Saturday, but was dinged up in the first quarter – and he capitalized on that opportunity.
It shows that for all of the Buffs’ offense shortcomings this season, it has a strong-enough running backs room, with three different players who have stepped up to have good games this season. Hankerson impressed against Arizona, averaging 5.7 yards per carry and running for 68 yards. Smith had commendable outings in back-to-back games against Minnesota and Air Force, combining for 129 yards and 6.1 yards per carry between those contests. Fontenot and freshman Charlie Offerdahl have had their moments this season, as well.
More than halfway through the season, each of Colorado’s top three players in rushing yards is averaging at least four yards per carry. Last year, there was just one, the since-departed Jarek Broussard. It’s something that only offers so much solace in the middle of a difficult season, but it’s still worth noting.
