Game Updates: Northern Colorado at Colorado

Colorado

35

September 3, 2021 • Folsom Field • Boulder, Colo. • 7:07 p.m. MT

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Northern Colorado

7

Pregame:

• The Colorado Buffaloes will kickoff the 2021 season at Folsom Field against in state foe Northern Colorado.
• Colorado leads the overall series between the two schools 10-2 after being victorious in their most recent meeting in 2017 where the they won 41-21. 
• The Buffaloes are fresh off their first winning season since 2016 in a shortened 2020 campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic (Colorado finished 4-2, 3-1 Pac-12). The last time the herd took the field was in the Alamo Bowl where they fell to Texas 55-23.
• Northern Colorado has not competed in a game in 650 days after opting out for the entire season last year. The last time the Bears played in a game was Nov. 23, 2019. 
• 2020 Pac-12 coach of the year Karl Dorrell will begin his second season in charge of the Buffaloes. 
• Denver Broncos legend and former Valor Christian High School head coach Ed McCaffrey will make his coaching debut for the Bears after being hired in December of 2019. His son - Michigan transfer Dylan McCaffrey - will start at quarterback for UNC. 
• Freshman QB Brendon Lewis will make his first collegiate start for the Buffaloes this evening. Lewis saw some action last season in the Alamo Bowl where he was 6-for-10 with 95 yards and a touchdown. 
• Other notable returning players for CU include sophomore tailback Jarek Broussard - 2020's Pac-12 offensive player of the year. All-Pac 12 senior linebacker Nate Landman will suit up for the first time since rupturing his Achilles in the Buffs' final Pac-12 game last season against Utah in December. 

Ralphie VI:
Ralphie VI will make her debut tonight leading out the Buffaloes. 

Uniforms: Colorado will be wearing black jerseys with gold pants and helmets. The Bears will sporting white jerseys and pants with navy helmets. 
Captains: Colorado captains for this evening are junior DL Terrance Lang, freshman QB Brendon Lewis, junior OL Colby Pursell and senior LB Landman.
Weather: Temperature is currently 75 degrees at Folsom Field with cloud cover and cooler temperatures set to roll in as the game progresses. 
Coin Toss: Colorado wins the toss and deferred to the second half. The Buffs will kickoff and defend the south goal. 

4Q: END OF GAME - COLORADO WINS: After five straight carries by Joe Davis for CU, Carter took a knee and ran out the clock. FINAL - Colorado defeats Northern Colorado 35-7. 
4Q: TURNOVER ON DOWNS UNC: Northern Colorado took advantage of some Colorado miscues and picked up 20 yards on a pair of penalties. Thanks to some completions from McCaffrey, the Bears put themselves in good position to put some points on the board. After McCaffrey was tackled was short on reaching the line to gain on third down, UNC decided to go for it on fourth down. The Bears could not connect on a shot to the end zone and turned the ball over on downs. 1st and 10 CU from their own nine yard line with 3:25 left in the game. Drew Carter checks into the game at quarterback for the Buffs. 
4Q: TOUCHDOWN COLORADO: Lewis just overthrew CU reciever Daniel Arias on a pass near the left sideline. The following play, Lewis connected with La'Vontate Shenault for a 17 yard third down convertion. Deion Smith then capped off the drive with a five yard plunge into the end zone to become the third Buff to score a rushing tocuhdown tonight. PAT from Becker was good and Colorado has their largest lead of the game, 35-7 with 7:27 left in the fourth. 
4Q: TURNOVER ON DOWNS UNC: The Bears quickly progressed the ball into Colorado territory on a 17 yard reception from Darren DeLaCroix. UNC's offensive success was short-lived however, and on a second down play, Sami was able to tackle McCaffrey behind the line of scrimmage for the Buffs' second sack of the game. Down 21, the Bears elected to go for it on fourth and 11, but McCaffrey's pass fell incomplete and Colorado took over on downs. 1st and 10 CU from their 45 yard line with 9:22 left in the fourth quarter. 
4Q: Following Brenden Rice's helpful 44 yard return, Ashaad Clayton found a gap down the left sideline for a 35 yard carry. Lewis then found Alec Pell for a 17 yard gain that put the Buffs at the UNC two yard line. Two plays later, Clayton hopped into the end zone for his first score of the evening. PAT from Becker was good and Colorado pushes their lead back to 21, 28-7 with 12:29 remaining in the fourth quarter. 
Start of fourth quarter: 

3Q: TOUCHDOWN UNC - END OF THIRD QUARTER: A pair of penalties assisted UNC advancing into Colorado territory. McCaffrey then connected with Woods, who trucked a CU tackler and before waltzing into the endzone for six. PAT from Ben Raybon was good. UNC tightens things up and trails 21-7 at the end of the third quarter.
3Q: TOUCHDOWN COLORADO: Lewis came up with some big plays in crucial moments on this drive. On two separate third down plays, the freshman was able to scramble away from pressure and pick up yards with his feet to move the chains. On another third down play, he found Chase Penry for his first grab of the game on a 16 yard completion. Fontenot also had success on this drive, rushing for 32 yards and capping off a 16 play, 90 yard series with a three yard touchdown for his first score since the 2019 season. PAT from Becker was good and Colorado leads 21-0 with 3:10 left in the third quarter. 
3Q: UNC PUNT: McCaffrey sent an ambitious deep ball down the left side of the field on third down but the UNC quarterback could not connect with his target. Brickhouse' punt went 36 yards and out of bounds at the CU 10 yard line. 1st and 10 Colorado with 10:35 left in the third. 
3Q: Missed Field Goal Attempt: It was all about the ground game to start the third quarter for CU. The Buffs ran six straight run plays for a total of 65 yards. Lewis Broussard, and Fontenot all had carries on the drive. But on a third down play, Lewis was unable to find a target down field and had to run out and throw the ball away. This set up Becker for a 53 yard field goal attempt that pinged off the bottom cross bar and was no good. UNC takes over from their own 35 yard line with 12:03 left in the third quarter. 
Start of second half: 

2Q: HALFTIME: CU ran the clock out and sent the game to halftime. Colorado leads Northern Colorado 14-0 after one half of play. 
2Q: UNC TURNOVER: It seemed like the Bears were finally going to erase that goose egg off the scoreboard on this drive after advancing the ball deep into Colorado territory. That was until junior cornerback Mekhi Blackmon came up with an interception in the endzone off an overthrown pass from McCaffrey. Due to a penalty on CU, the Buffs will begin their drive from their own five yard line with 1:09 left in the half. 
2Q: TOUCHDOWN COLORADO: Broussard got the offensive momentum brewing on this drive when he carried the ball 30 yards down the sideline to the UNC 20 yard line. Two plays later Lewis connected with Montana Lemonious-Craig for a 17 yard score. It was Lewis' first collegiate touchdown pass and Lemonious Craig's first touchdown grab. After a successful PAT from Becker, Colorado extended their lead to 14-0 with 7:02 remaining in the second quarter.  
2Q: UNC PUNT: On second down, CU's Jalen Sami came up with a huge tackle behind the line of scrimmage to help the Colorado defense force a three and out from the Bears. Brickhouse sent his fifth punt of the day 29 yards where it was downed at the CU 44 yard line. 1st and 10 Buffs with 9:12 remaining in the first half. 
2Q: COLORADO PUNT: Alex Fontenot could not break free on a short pass from Lewis on third down and the Buffs were forced to punt. Punt from Watts sailed into the end zone for a touchback. 1st and 10 UNC from their own 20 yard line with 10:53 left in the second. 
2Q: UNC PUNT: The Colorado defense stepped up and forced a quick three and out from the Bears. Following a 47 yard punt from UNC, Stanley helped give the Buffs great felid position once again with an excellent return to the Bears' 46 yard line. 1st and 10 CU with 12:45 left in the second. 
2Q: TOUCHDOWN COLORADO: On the first play of the quarter, Broussard found a hole and clawed his way to the UNC 3 yard line for a first and goal for the Buffs. Two plays later, Broussard spun off a Bear tackler and jolted his way into the end zone for the Buffs' first points of the young season. PAT from Becker was good. Colorado leads 7-0 with 13:51 left in the second quarter. 
Start of second quarter:

1Q: END OF QUARTER: Even with the solid field position, it was looking like the Buffs were going to have to punt for the third drive in a row. After a sack by UNC's Joe Golden and a false start penalty, the Buffs were staring at a horrendous 3rd and 20. But the momentum switched into Colorado's favor after a late hit by the Bears led to a 15 yard penalty and an automatic first down from the UNC 23. The Buffs gained eight yards from a Broussard run and a Brady Russell catch to bring up 3rd and 2 from the Bears' 15 yard line. End of first quarter. Game is scoreless 0-0. 
1Q: UNC PUNT: After a 15 yard reception by Kassidy Woods, the Bears were stopped in their tracks and could not move the ball any further. Landman came up with a crucial tackle on second down to deny UNC any more yards. Punt from Brickhouse went 38 yards and after a 19 yard Stanley return and a penalty on the Bears, the Buffs will begin their drive from the UNC 28 yard line with 2:31 left in the first. 
1Q: COLORADO PUNT: After gaining no yards on the first two plays of the drive, Lewis found a hole up the middle on third down and came two yards short of advancing the chains. Watts came on to punt for the Buffaloes and was able to pin the Bears back. 1st and 10 UNC from their own eight yard line with 5:11 left in the first quarter. 
1Q: UNC PUNT: A delay of game penalty pushed the Bears back on third down and a group of Buffaloes collapsed onto QB McCaffrey on third down where Lang was able to get the tackle and force a three and out. The punt from Brickhouse went 35 yards and Dimitri Stanley of CU was able to break away from some Bears tacklers and burst down the left sideline and out of bounds. 1st and 10 CU on their own 46 with 6:30 left in the first quarter. 
1Q: COLORADO PUNT: A false start penalty hurt the Buffs on their first drive and brought up 3rd and 11 which they were unable to convert on. Punt from CU's Josh Watts went 43 yards and was fair caught at the UNC 43 yard line. 1st and 10 Bears with 9:18 left in the first quarter. 
1Q: UNC PUNT: WR Tru Wilson was McCaffrey's favorite receiver on this first drive, connecting with him on a pair of passes for 23 yards. The Bears drive came to a hlt thanks to a third down pass breakup from CU's Landman at midfield. Punt from Caleb Brickhouse went 39 yards to the Buffs' 10 yard line. 1st and CU from their own 10 yard line with 11:39 remaining in the first quarter. 
Start of game: