NCAA Game Summary - Colorado at Washington State
(Saturday, September 22)
Final Score: Colorado 35, Washington State 34
Pullman, WA (Sports Network) - Jordan Webb's four-yard touchdown run with nine
seconds remaining in regulation brought the Colorado Buffaloes all the way
back and into the win column with a 35-34 decision over Washington State in
Pac-12 Conference play at Martin Stadium.
Webb finished the outing 29-of-42 for 345 yards and two scores, tossed an
interception and was sacked six times yet still led the Buffaloes (1-3, 1-0
Pac-12) to their first win of the season. Nelson Spruce caught eight passes
for 103 yards and a score, while Tony Jones needed just four carries to
generate a game-high 105 yards and a TD of his own.
The Cougars (2-2, 0-1) were led by Connor Halliday who converted 32-of-60
passing for 401 yards and four scores, but he was sacked three times and had a
pair of passes picked off as the team had a two-game win streak snapped. Gabe
Marks caught seven passes for 107 yards and a score and Marquess Wilson turned
his five catches into 99 yards and another two TDs in the losing cause.
Washington State scored the first points of the afternoon less than two
minutes into the first quarter as Halliday hit Marks with a 32-yard TD strike.
A little over four minutes later, the Colorado offense responded with a
touchdown of their own a a 16-yard pass play from Webb to Spruce to
know the score at 7-7.
The Cougars assumed command of the contest in the second quarter with TD
passes from Halliday to Wilson and Isiah Myers of 23 and 15 yards,
respectively, to extend the lead to 21-7 at the break.
Washington State, buried deep in its own end of the field, managed to get the
ball out to the 15-yard line before Carl Winston fumbled and it was picked up
by Terrel Smith who was initially awarded with a touchdown on the return.
However, a video review showed that he stepped out inside the one-yard line
which is where the Buffaloes took over.
On the first play of the ensuing series, Webb bulled his way into the end zone
to make the score 21-14 with 9:53 remaining in the third quarter.
The Cougars, who dropped a couple of passes in the end zone and then missed on
a 57-yard field goal attempt, picked off a Webb pass and then proceeded to
move the ball back down the field. The squad set up a bubble screen to the
left side at midfield and watched Wilson weave his way through the Colorado
defense for a 49-yard TD to boost the lead back to two touchdowns at 28-14.
The hosts extended their lead to 31-14 in the fourth quarter when kicker
Andrew Furney knocked through a 45-yard field goal.
A breakdown in secondary coverage led to 70-yard TD pass from Webb to Nick
Kasa with just over seven minutes remaining in regulation and cutting the
deficit to just 10 points at 31-21.
On their next possession the Buffs shortened the gap even more when Jones took
a handoff at his own 16-yard line, bounced to the outside and raced down the
right side for an 84-yard TD run to make the score 31-28.
A 42-yard field goal by Furney gave WSU some breathing room at 34-28, but
there was still plenty of time left on the clock for Colorado to complete the
comeback bid.
With under a minute remaining in regulation the Buffaloes managed to move the
ball inside the 10-yard line but nearly lost possession on a fumble, however
the visitors were able to recover.
With 20 seconds to play Colorado had the ball 3rd-and-goal at the two-yard
line and handed the ball to Christian Powell who was stacked up and actually
lost almost two yards.
After a timeout, the Buffaloes spread the field with 11 seconds left and Webb
took the snap and maneuvered his way into the end zone on a draw play, the
successful PAT giving Colorado the unlikely one-point win.
Colorado, which entered the week ranked 113th in the nation in total offense
(289.7 ypg), generated a hefty 531 yards on 80 snaps.
09/22 22:41:53 ET
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