Game Updates: Colorado at Arizona

Colorado

24

December 4 ,2020 • Arizona Stadium • Tucson, Ariz. • 5:05 p.m. MT

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Arizona

13

Pregame:

• The Colorado Buffaloes (3-0, 2-0 Pac-12) are coming off a 20-10 home win over the San Diego State Aztecs. Arizona (0-3, 0-3 Pac-12) fell at UCLA, 27-10, last week.
• Colorado has had its previous two scheduled games canceled due to COVID-19 issues in the opposing programs. After the game with USC was canceled last week, a replacement game was arranged against San Diego State. 
• Colorado leads the all time series vs. Arizona, 14-8, but is 2-7 since joining the Pac-12. The Wildcats have won the previous three meetings. 
• Arizona has not gotten a victory since their win over the Buffaloes in Boulder on October 5, 2019. Since then, the Wildcats have lost 10 straight contests. 
• With last week's win, the Buffs are bowl eligible for the first time since 2016. In that year, Colorado fell to Oklahoma State 38-8 in the Alamo Bowl. 
• The Buffs currently sit a half game behind USC (3-0 Pac-12) in the south standings. 

Weather: Forecast calls for clear skies and 64 degrees at kickoff. 
Uniforms: Colorado will be sporting white jerseys and pants with gold helmets. Arizona will be wearing gray jerseys and pants with navy blue helmets. 

START OF GAME: Arizona received first half kickoff. 
1Q: The Wildcats got three yards of total offense on their opening drive and were well short of the line to gain after an incompletion on third down. Punt from Tyler Hoop went 53 yards and was downed at the Colorado 19 yard line. 1st and 10 CU. 
1Q: After getting a first down on a 10 yard pass to La'Vontae Shenault, the Buffs were unable to convert on a third down and were forced to punt. Punt from Josh Watts went 46 yards and was returned 33 yards by Joiner of Arizona to the Colorado 40 yard line. 
1Q: TOUCHDOWN ARIZONA. On third down, Will Plummer connected with Brian Casteel for a 14 yard gain. Two plays later, Wildcats' running back, Gary Brightwell found a hole up the middle and broke a few tackles on his way to a 26 yard rushing touchdown. PAT from Lucas Havrisik was good. Arizona leads 7-0 with 10:26 remaining in the 1st quarter. 
1Q: Self inflicted wounds hurt the Buffaloes on this drive. A 24 yard run from quarterback Sam Noyer was called back because of a holding penalty. On third and long, The Buffs were unable to get a first down and were forced to punt. Punt from Watts went 49 yards and was downed at the Arizona 5 yard line. 
1Q: FIELD GOAL ARIZONA: Arizona running back Michael Wiley had two huge runs for a combined 74 yards which helped Arizona move the ball to the Colorado 20 yard line. The Wildcats could not move the ball any further and had to settle for a 38 yard field goal attempt that was good from Havrisik. 
1Q: COLORADO TURNOVER: After gaining positive yardage through the air, the Buffs moved down into Wildcat territory. Then Shenault caught a short pass from Noyer and fumbled the ball. Arizona recovered at the CU 47 yard line. 1st and 10 UA. 
1Q: END OF 1ST QUARTER: Arizona moved down to the CU 29 yard line as time expired in the 1st quarter. Arizona leads 10-0.

Start of 2nd quarter

2Q: FIELD GOAL ARIZONA: The Colorado defense came up with some solid plays to slow down the Arizona offense and force them to a field goal attempt. 42 yard field goal attempt from Havrisik was good. Arizona leads 13-0 with 13:19 remaining in the 2nd quarter. 
2Q: COLORADO PUNT: Colorado was once again shut down by Arizona's stingy defense. Unable to get past their own 45 yard line, Colorado was forced to punt. On Watt's third punt of the night, he sent it 40 yards and the ball was fair caught. 1st and 10 Arizona from their own 15 yard line. 
2Q: ARIZONA PUNT: Derrion Rakestraw applied great pressure to Arizona QB Plummer on 3rd and 12. Plummer released the ball as he was getting hit and connected with Casteel who made a tremendous catch for a gain of 42 yards. From there, the Buffaloes came up with a much needed stop and got the ball back thanks to a punt from Loop. 1st and 10 CU from their own 5 yard line. 
2Q: TOUCHDOWN COLORADO: On the first play of the drive, Jarek Broussard burst though a hole and exploded down field for a 75 yard run all the way to the Wildcat 20 yard line. Then Freshamn Ashaad Clayton came in for just the second run of his young career and ran 17 yards to the 3 yard line. Two plays later, Clayton got the ball again and was able to get Colorado onto the scoreboard with a 1 yard touchdown run. PAT from Evan Price was good. Arizona leads 13-7 with 6:38 remaining in the 2nd quarter. 
2Q: ARIZONA PUNT: This Colora do defense is starting to build momentum. On 3rd and 4, Terrance Lang and Isaiah Lewis teamed up for sack on Plummer. This forced Arizona to punt. Punt from Loop went 55 yards to the CU 22 yard line. 1st and 10 Buffs. 
2Q: TOUCHDOWN COLORADO: Broussard again broke through the Arizona defense for a big gain, this time with a 59 yard run to the UA 4 yard line. On the next play, Clayton got the handoff and burst into the end zone for his second touchdown of the night. PAT from Price was good. Colorado leads 14-13 with 3:00 remaining in the 2nd quarter. 
2Q: ARIZONA PUNT: Arizona began their drive from their own 25 yard line. After a pair of first downs, the Wildcats had the ball at the 50 yard line and Wiley dropped a wide open pass from Plummer down the field. Christian Gonzalez broke up a pass on third down to force Arizona's third punt in a row. Punt from Loop went 46 yards and was returned 4 yards to the CU 9 yard line. 
2Q: HALFTIME: Broussard ran the ball twice up the middle and then time expired. Colorado leads 14-13 at halftime. 

Start of second half

3Q: COLORADO INTERCEPTION: Colorado began their drive from their own 35 yard line. On the second play of the drive, Noyer's pass was intercepted by Anthony Pandy. 1st and 10 UA from the CU 43 yard line. 
3Q: ARIZONA PUNT: After the interception, Arizona could not do anything and went three and out. Punt from Loop went 51 yards for a touchback. 
3Q: TOUCHDOWN COLORADO: After getting the ball to the CU 44 yard line, Noyer found some space and ran 54 yards for his biggest run of the night down to the Wildcat 2 yard line. Two plays later, Noyer kept it once again and dove into the end zone for the Buff's third rushing touchdown of the game. PAT from Price was good. After the touchdown, left guard Chance Lytle was carted off due a leg injury suffered on the play. Colorado leads 21-13 with 9:22 remaining in the 3rd quarter. 
3Q: ARIZONA PUNT: The Wildcats worked to re-establish their run game on this drive but the Colorado defense was quickly able to recover and halt their drive. On 3rd and 6, junior linebacker Carson Wells rushed up the middle and got to the QB and took him down for an 8 yard loss. Arizona was forced to punt once again and CU will begin their drive from their own 20 yard line. 
3Q: COLORADO PUNT: After a 13 yard catch by K.D. Nixon on the first play of the drive, Colorado could not find any more success. On 3rd and 6, Shenault dropped a pass from Noyer which brought up 4th down. On 4th down, punter Watts sent a kick 51 yards down to the Wildcat 12 yard line. 1st and 10 Arizona. 
3Q: ARIZONA INTERCEPTION: Poor tackling from the Buffs helped the Wildcats make some big plays on this drive. From the CU 38 yard line, Wiley was able to break free and break tackles on a 33 yard run to the CU 5 yard line. Three plays later, a tipped pass from Plummer was intercepted by Nigel Bethel of CU. The ball was returned 2 yards to the CU 3 yard line. 1st and 10 Colorado. 
3Q: END OF 3rd QUARTER: Colorado used three runs to move the ball to their own 34 yard line. End of quarter. Colorado leads 21-13. 

Start of 4th quarter: 

4Q: COLORADO PUNT: On third down, Noyer's pass to Shenault was caught for an 8 yard completion but was 1 yard short of the line to gain. Colorado punted on 4th down and Watts' punt went 39 yards and out-of-bounds at the Arizona 21 yard line. 
4Q: ARIZONA PUNT: After getting a first down on a 12 yard rush from Brightwell, a penalty set the Wildcats back and they could not recover from it. On 3rd down, Plummer was brought down by Wells after a four yard rush. Arizona's punt went 43 yards and was returned 26 yards by Dimitri Stanley to the CU 48 yard line. 
4Q: COLORADO INTERCEPTION: On third down, Noyer found Stanley on a tunnel screen and completed with him for a 32 yard gain to the UA 18 yard line. Two plays later, Noyer's pass was intercepted by Pandy, who came up with his second pick of the night. Pandy returned it to the UA 13 yard line but penalties brought the ball back to the 7 yard line. 1st and 10 Arizona. 
4Q: ARIZONA TURNOVER ON DOWNS: On the first play of the drive, Brightwell ran for 27 yards to the Arizona 34 yard line. Two pass interference calls on the Buffalo's defense helped the Wildcats move to the CU 7 yard line. The Wildcats were unable to punch it in thanks to a 2 yard tackle for loss by Nate Landman. Arizona went for it on 4th down and were unable to convert after a pass breakup by Mekhi Blackmon. 1st and 10 Colorado from the Arizona 5 yard line. 
4Q: COLORADO FIELD GOAL: On a third down play, Noyer was able to break a few tackles and come up with four crucial yards. Two plays later, Broussard found a hole up the middle and exploded down the right side of the field all the way to the Arizona 8 yard line. With that run, Broussard surpassed 300 yards for the first time in his career. From there, the Buffs ran three running plays and were unable to get into the end zone. Field goal attempt from Price was good. Colorado leads 24-13 with 2:26 remaining in the 4th quarter. 
4Q: ARIZONA TURNOVER ON DOWNS: Arizona started their drive from their own 25 yard line. Nate Landman came up with a sack and a tackle to force 4th down for the Wildcats. On 4th down, Plummer's pass fell incomplete and Colorado took over from the Arizona 35 yard line. 1st and 10 CU. 
4Q: END OF GAME: Colorado set up in victory formation and Noyer knelt on the ball twice to run out the clock. End of game. 

Colorado defeats Arizona 24-13.