Woelk: Friday's Fast Five Keys For Buffs Vs. Utah

SALT LAKE CITY — When the Colorado Buffaloes line up against Utah in Saturday's season finale at Rice-Eccles Stadium (12:37 p.m. kickoff, Pac-12 Networks), they'll see a team in the mold Mike MacIntyre would like to build in Boulder.

Tough, physical defense and a balanced offense, solid special teams play, productive in the red zone and a team that is not prone to mistakes.

Not coincidentally, those have been some of the Buffs' problem areas this year, and Saturday will be CU's last chance to produce what would be a “quality win” in the Pac-12 this year.

The keys to getting there:

Win the red zone. A year ago, the Buffs tied for third in the Pac-12 in red-zone scoring, producing 29 touchdowns and 11 field goals in 45 trips inside an opponent's 20. This year, the Buffs are last in the Pac-12 in red zone efficiency, with just 37 scores in 51 attempts and just 25 touchdowns. It's been the difference in a handful of games this year — and in a season when two more wins would have had the Buffs playing for bowl eligibility today, that's a significant difference.

Contain Utah's run game. It's no secret the Utes aren't the same team without running back Devontae Booker, who started the season on lots of folks' Heisman Trophy watch list. While the Utes did run for 197 yards last week in a 17-9 loss to UCLA, they needed 49 carries to get there and they couldn't come up with yards on the ground when they most needed them. Utes quarterback Travis Wilson is also a running threat, but an inconsistent passer. If the Buffs can force Utah to the air, they'll be in the game.

Win special teams. This is a tall order. The Buffs have had their struggles in this department; the Utes are one of the nation's best when it comes to special teams. The Utes have the nation's leading punter (Tom Hackett) and kicker (Andy Phillips), and they lead the nation in net punting. The Utes are also adept at special teams trick plays — a year ago, it was a fake punt by Hackett in Boulder that kept a Utah touchdown drive alive. The Utes also have three returns for touchdowns this year (2 punt, 1 kickoff), but they'll be without leading receiver and returner Brittain Covey, who's out with an injury.

Give Cade Apsay some help. CU's redshirt freshman quarterback will be making just the second start of his career, and the Buffs are hoping it goes better than the first. Dropped passes and penalties were a problem last week in Washington State, and the Buffs need to correct those errors to give Apsay a chance. While Apsay was for the most part accurate again last week, he did miss a couple receivers that could have produced big plays. If those opportunities come up Saturday, he'll need to connect. Wide receiver Nelson Spruce had five catches for 91 yards in a 38-34 loss to the Utes last year, including a 66-yard TD reception. It won't be a surprise if Apsay looks for Spruce early and often.

Win the turnover battle. The Utes have taken good care of the ball for much of the season — but they did lose two fumbles in last week's loss to UCLA. They also had a pair of turnovers in a loss to Arizona and Wilson threw four interceptions in a loss to USC. If the Buffs can eliminate turnovers by their offense and record a couple defensive takeaways, they'll have a good chance of being in the game down the stretch.

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu