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Buffs come up short against OSU 30-17

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

Published November 15, 2008 at 9:33 p.m.

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Colorado wide receiver Cody Crawford, left, is taken to the ground by Oklahoma State defensive back Jacob Lacey as the ball falls to the ground during the teams' game Saturday night in Boulder.

David Zalubowski © AP

Colorado wide receiver Cody Crawford, left, is taken to the ground by Oklahoma State defensive back Jacob Lacey as the ball falls to the ground during the teams' game Saturday night in Boulder.

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BOULDER — No. 11 Oklahoma State overpowered Colorado 30-17 Saturday night at Folsom Field, leaving the Buffaloes one win shy of bowl eligibility with one regular-season game remaining.

The scenario is hauntingly familiar for CU.

The Buffs, dropping to 5-6 overall and 2-5 in the Big 12 Conference, must win at Nebraska on Nov. 28 to gain their sixth victory and qualify for postseason play a second time under third-year coach Dan Hawkins.

Needing a sixth victory under the same circumstances last season, CU outlasted Nebraska 65-51. But that game was won in Boulder; winning in Lincoln is never easy for CU, which has just eight victories in 32 trips there – most recently in 2004 and 2002.

Nebraska also needed a sixth win in the last game to become bowl eligible in 2007, but the Cornhuskers aren’t in that predicament this season. They routed Kansas State 56-28 Saturday and already are bowl eligible (7-4, 4-3) for first-year coach Bo Pelini.

"We always talk about finishing," Hawkins said. "We have a big game coming up for a lot of reasons, if not for any other reason, just to finish. We need to continue to work and finish."

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy commended CU’s defense, but said his team rebounded well overall from its resounding loss to No. 2 Texas Tech (56-20).

"Our team handled themselves well after last week," he said. "Again, it goes back to leadership."

The Cowboys rolled up 443 yards in total offense (226 rushing, 217 passing) while the Buffs managed 304 (133, 171). Oklahoma State quarterback Zac Robinson completed 15-of-23 passes for 217 yards and a touchdown (one interception), while CU’s Cody Hawkins finished 19-of-37 for 171 yards and a score.

Cowboys tight end Brandon Pettigrew made a game-high seven catches (75 yards), but teammate Dez Bryant’s four catches totaled a game-best 82 yards and included one acrobatic reception that he transformed into a 29-yard score.

Trailing the Cowboys (9-2, 5-2) at halftime 13-3, the Buffs battled most of the same offensive issues that have sabotaged them since early October.

They lost a fumble on their first possession when fullback Jake Behrens dropped a Cody Hawkins pass and Oklahoma State safety Ricky Price recovered at the CU 44-yard line.

Nine plays later, Dan Bailey kicked the first of two first-half field goals and the Cowboys led 3-0.

Two other first-half CU drives were doomed when a 20-yard Hawkins-to-Patrick Williams pass was wiped out by a holding call, and a loss of 12 yards on a fumble quashed another foray and forced the Buffs’ only punt of the opening half.

Defensively, though, the Buffs mostly stood tall early against a Cowboys offense that entered the game averaging 42.8 points a game.

CU held Oklahoma State to Bailey field goals of 18 and 25 yards in the first quarter, then finally yielded an early second-quarter touchdown when receiver Dez Bryant made a one-handed stab of a Zac Robinson pass across the middle and turned it into a 29-yard score.

Bailey’s extra point kick sent Oklahoma State ahead 13-0 before CU could respond with a 31-yard field goal by the luckless Aric Goodman, who on the previous Buffs possession had a 50-yard attempt veer into the left upright and bounce away.

That errant kick made Goodman 0-for-8 since making the game-winning kick in overtime on Sept. 18 against West Virginia. Prior to Goodman’s successful kick Saturday night, CU kickers had gone 1-for-11 since the West Virginia game, with Jameson Davis hitting one of his three attempts as Goodman’s temporary replacement.

Hawkins started at quarterback for CU and played the entire first half, completing nine of 17 passes for 86 yards and running eight times for 46 yards (26 after a minus-20 in sack yardage).

Hawkins contributed a career-long 19-yard run in the 70-yard, second-quarter march to Goodman’s successful field goal.

CU coach Dan Hawkins said his team ``played fairly well’’ in the first half. ``That turnover (on the Buffs’ first possession, leading to the Cowboys’ first field goal) hurt us a little bit . . . .

``They’re a good team and obviously very explosive. But we’re hanging.’’

Oklahoma State, which had won the opening coin toss and deferred until the second half, made that decision look good by marching 80 yards in five plays and taking a 20-3 lead to open the last half.

Two big plays highlighted the drive, the first a 30-yard pass from Robinson to receiver Damian Davis, and the second a 43-yard scoring run by tailback Kendall Hunter, the Big 12’s leading rusher.

Bailey’s point after touchdown kick pushed the Cowboys in front by three scores (20-3), and given the Buffs’ offensive ills, that lead appeared safe. Oklahoma State fans, though, weren’t so sure after CU’s next possession.

The Buffs marched to the Cowboys’ 29-yard line, where on fourth-and-10, Cody Hawkins threw across the middle to Cody Crawford. The pass ricocheted off Crawford and caromed toward Scotty McKnight, who caught the ball in stride for a 29-yard score.

Goodman’s extra point pulled CU to within 10 points (20-10), but Oklahoma State quickly answered with an 80-yard touchdown drive. Robinson, a Chatfield High School graduate, capped the march with a 12-yard run, and Bailey’s point after put the Cowboys back into their comfort zone with a 17-point (27-10) lead only 54 seconds before the end of the third quarter.

Still, CU showed signs of life to start the fourth quarter when linebacker Shaun Mohler intercepted Robinson and set up the Buffs at the Cowboys’ 16-yard line. Sophomore Demetrius Sumler scored on a 3-yard run five plays later, and Goodman’s extra point kick cut Oklahoma State’s lead to 27-17 with 12:30 left to play.

CU then got the worst of an exchange of punts, going on offense at its own 6-yard line and punting from the end zone. Oklahoma State took over at the CU 39-yard line and in seven plays had positioned Bailey for his third field goal of the game – a 21-yarder that restored the Cowboys’ two-touchdown lead (30-17) with 4:37 remaining.

The Buffs got the ball back twice more but had nothing left.

SAFETIES STRICKEN: Starting safety D.J. Dykes did not dress for his final home game due to an undisclosed illness, and fellow starter Ryan Walters was helped from the field with an injured knee and ankle on the first defensive play of his last game at Folsom.

It proved to be a bittersweet night for Walters, the recipient of the 11th annual Buffalo Heart Award in a postgame ceremony. The award is presented to a senior by fans in section 119 immediately behind CU’s bench.

Walters, the last player introduced during a pregame recognition of CU’s 15 seniors, dropped to all fours and kissed the buffalo logo at midfield before returning to the sideline.

Subbing for Dykes, who did not play against West Virginia (Sept. 18) because of illness, and Walters were true freshman Patrick Mahnke and redshirt freshman Anthony Perkins.

SCOTT SIDELINED: Freshman tailback Darrell Scott, plagued by injuries (strained knee, groin, ankle) for most of the season, dressed out but was said to be available only in an emergency situation.

Scott suffered an ankle sprain two games ago at Texas A&M, then aggravated the injury last week while carrying 19 times for 87 yards against Iowa State. His practice time for Oklahoma State was limited.

In Scott’s absence, Sumler started and was the only tailback used.

ETC.: For good luck Saturday night, associate head coach/linebackers coach Brian Cabral wore his lava lava – an outfit that customarily had brought the Buffs good luck. They were 3-0 in previous games when Cabral broke out the Hawaiian garb . . . . New Nuggets guard, Denver native, and former CU hoopster Chauncey Billups was introduced during the second quarter . . . . Saturday night’s attendance was 46,092.

Comments

  • November 16, 2008

    5:27 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    perryrm writes:

    I,m sorry but Hawkins has taken this team in the wrong direction. Look at Pelini, he has surpassed Hawkins 3 years of work in less than a year. What a joke. They should have brought in Dave Logan to run this team. So hey, lets go ahead and get that done this off season.

  • November 16, 2008

    5:20 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    mustanglax21 writes:

    you're an idiot perry. Dave Logan is not the answer. Hawkins will produce, the buffs have experienced a ridiculous amount of injuries this year. That has led to the loss of offensive power, which in turn puts the defense on the field more often, allowing other teams to score. The play calling has not helped either, but they have needed to simplify things with all the injuries.

    The only part of the buffs that has been awful all year is the kicking game. We need to find another recruit like Crosby.. or at least someone who can consistently make a field goal. Next year will be a very telling year for the Buffs. They have an "easier" schedule, but they need to stay healthy in order to win. The younger, 2nd or 3rd string guys are getting valuable game experience that will help them in the long run. Go Buffs! Beat Nebraska so that we can get to a bowl game. That would be huge for the program to finish this rough year at 6-6 and then go to a bowl (albeit a lower tier game).