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CU report: On the bounce

By B.G. Brooks, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published November 9, 2008 at 9:05 p.m.

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Numbers Game

48 years ago today, Hawkins was born in Fall River Mills, Calif.

He Said It

"Cody Crawford looks like me and he's making plays. Actually, I'm a little taller."

Mark Helfrich, CU offensive coordinator, on Crawford, a 5-11 senior receiver who made eight catches for 79 yards and a touchdown against Iowa State.

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BOULDER — Book this: Oklahoma State's Cowboys, kicked into a collective foul mood by No. 2 Texas Tech, will be looking to rebound in a large way when they visit Folsom Field on Saturday.

"We got dominated," Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy told reporters after his defense surrendered 629 yards and 38 first downs to the prolific Red Raiders in the 56-20 rout. OSU allowed Texas Tech 718 yards last season, pushing the two-game total to 1,347, but the Cowboys won the 2007 meeting 49-45.

The 36-point loss Saturday night was Oklahoma State's worst since losing by 39 (62-23) at Texas A&M in Gundy's first season as head coach (2005). The visiting Buffaloes blanked the Cowboys 34-0 that season, dealing a Gundy-coached OSU team its only shutout to date.

Gundy said his team, which suffered its second Big 12 Conference loss and dropped from contention in the South Division, now must focus on pushing forward.

"The good news is, it only counts as one loss. This team is mature, they're experienced and they have good chemistry. We got outplayed by a good football team.

"It's very important we go back to work (today). When you play a 12-game season, and play in the league we play in, you can't get too high after a win and you can't get too down after a loss. I'm sure these guys will be down, but it's very important they keep a good attitude and keep good body language."

Take a number

The Buffs take their final regular-season swing at a ranked opponent Saturday; the Cowboys are ranked No. 11 (AP), falling from No. 9 in the poll last week.

CU is 1-3 this season against opponents ranked at the time of their meetings, having beaten then-No. 21 West Virginia, then losing to Texas (No. 5), at Kansas (No. 16) and at Missouri (No. 16). Florida State, unranked before its 39-21 win against the Buffs, has since climbed to No. 20.

Third-year CU coach Dan Hawkins is 4-15 overall against ranked opponents (2-5 in five seasons at Boise State, 2-10 at CU).

Large silver lining

Oklahoma State packs as much weaponry as any offense CU has faced this season. But with the exception of Cowboys senior tight end Brandon Pettigrew, Texas Tech wasn't bothered.

Sophomore Dez Bryant entered the game Saturday night as the league's leading receiver in yards per catch (17.6), yards per game (117.1), touchdowns scored (17) and was sixth in catches per game (6.7). Tech limited him to four receptions for 86 yards and no scores.

Sophomore Kendall Hunter, the league's leading rusher (135.6 yards a game), was held below his average (112 yards on 17 carries, two touchdowns). But Pettigrew, a 6-foot-6, 260-pounder who likely is a first-round NFL draft choice, made seven catches for 72 yards.

That total was 4 fewer yards on five more receptions than Iowa State's Collin Franklin had on two timely catches, including one on a tight end delay, in CU's 28-24 victory against the Cyclones. CU safety D.J. Dykes said Iowa State "caught us in a blitz on both of them . . . give them credit for that."

Etc.

* Senior receiver Patrick Williams' four catches for 85 yards (one TD) gives him 102 career receptions for 1,047 career yards. He's the 10th player in school history to catch 100 passes and the 19th player to hit 1,000 yards receiving.

* Kicking specialist Jameson Davis' left knee problems, scheduled for arthroscopic surgery at season's end, likely will push Aric Goodman back into the placekicking role this week and possibly the rest of the season.

* The Buffs have been forced to come back in three of their five wins this season - Eastern Washington, Kansas State, Iowa State.

Comments

  • November 10, 2008

    11:37 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    No_ax_to_grind writes:

    They'll get spanked. Any/every time they play a real team the Buffs get spanked and this weekend will be no different.

  • November 11, 2008

    9:41 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Rocks2009 writes:

    Oh I suppose Oklahoma and West Virginia are not real teams, both of those games were at home which is exactly where this one is. On the road with a banged up offensive line, I agree we have no shot but I get the feeling this oline is starting to figure things out and this game is in folsom which means there is always a shot. The fact that most of the oline went down in non-contact drills tells how much of a freak bad luck season this has been.

    Mark it down, there will be a gigantic upswing next season. Healthy line, stud receivers that will make their debut. Next season is a break out season and the building block for the program. I'm drinking the Kool-Aid entirely until I see what this group of freshmen and sophmores do next season when they hopefully don't have so much bad luck.