Colorado Fails To Protect Late Ten Point Lead, Falls To Washington State
by Jon Woods on Oct 1, 2011 9:16 PM MDT
in Buffaloes Football Season
Email
Print
A patchwork Colorado Buffaloes secondary, that included two players who were on the offensive side of the ball until recently, couldn't hold onto a 10 point lead with less than three minutes to play as the Washington St. Cougars completed the comeback with a 63 yard touchdown from Marshall Lobbestael to Marquess Wilson. Former running back Brian Lockridge and former wide receiver Jason Espinoza, who have been practicing with the defense for 2 days and 2 weeks respectively, played significant minutes against one of the better passing attacks in the Pac-12. The 31-27 loss leaves the Buffaloes with a 1-4 overall and 0-1 in the conference.
Bob is out tonight and I'm still too bummed to write a full recap, so consider this your late night venting thread. Stay tuned for more tomorrow. This one stings.
You can also check out the recap from SB Nation Denver.
It all looked good for the Colorado Buffaloes midway through the fourth quarter. The Buffs led the Washington St. Cougars, 27-17, after a strong drive. Rodney Stewart had a 52-yard run on 2nd-and-18 and eventually punched the ball in from the one-yard line.
However Cougars, quarterback Marshall Lobbestael hit Isiah Barton for a 19-yard gain on the following drive to make it just a three-point game, 27-24. The Buffs just needed to manage the clock to maintain the lead, but Tyler Hansen threw under pressure to Paul Richardson on 3rd-and-6. It went for an incompletion.
The Cougars took advantage of that when Marshall Lobbestael threw a 63-yard strike to Marquess Wilson for the go-ahead touchdown. The extra point made it 31-27 in favor of the Cougars. The Buffs had 70 seconds to take back the lead, but Paul Richardson fumbled the ball on his 24-yard reception. The Cougars took over and put a knee to the ground to end the game.
43 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I'm too frustrated, and this bottle is too close to empty to comment properly, but I will say this
I’m more encouraged now than I was at the end of the game. Embree was pissed. Hansen was pissed. Polk was pissed. These guys want to win, just like we want them to win. They haven’t quit, and we shouldn’t quit on them.
Look, I've already told Utah to suck it. There's no going back now.
Agreed
It is what it is. Only way to deal with this season is to just take it one game at a time. If we lose one, get the hell back up and move onto the next one. We stated again and again before the season started that we would be in trouble if we had even a few key injuries. Well, an insane number of injuries have hit in our least deep position unit. It happened.
I guarantee you one thing. This team WILL pull off an upset this season, and they will get their road win (although that could be at the same time). There, I said it.
The Ralphie Report - University of Colorado Athletics
SB Nation Denver
I desperately need some encouragement next weekend
I’ve suffered too many road beat downs. That said, there were some encouraging signs, to be discussed in the days ahead.
Look, I've already told Utah to suck it. There's no going back now.
You really think so?
I guess every future game would be defined as “possible upset” so maybe if we beat UA or UCLA.
Yes
It’s not going to be pretty, but they’ll get one. Although it doesn’t look like it, there’s too much talent on this team not too
The Ralphie Report - University of Colorado Athletics
SB Nation Denver
Film study tomorrow should be watching the Wisconsin game
If that is the direction Embree wants to take the program the players need to see what the end game is.
film study tomorrow should be the Stanford game
these guys are not unbeatable, and the stands are friggin empty. I’m gonna find me a nerd to bang!
Look, I've already told Utah to suck it. There's no going back now.
by Phil Fraser on Oct 1, 2011 9:56 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
we got a groupon offer yesterday out here in San Francisco....
and it was buy one ticket, get one ticket free to the CU v. Stanford game. Apparently we aren’t a solid draw on the road yet….
I’m taking my 3 year old for her first in person CU game. I CAN’T WAIT.
actually, it probably says more about Stanford fans as a whole
The stadium last night vs. Ucla was surprisingly sparse.
Look, I've already told Utah to suck it. There's no going back now.
This is nothing to do with Colorado
Stanford fans (if they exist) don’t show up to games. They don’t show up for USC, UCLA, or Cal either. Though you will often find a good number of the opposing California teams buying up the tickets.
Science is the belief in the ignorance of experts. - R. Feynman
exactly
I remember watching a game last year late in the season when I’m sure they were ranked in the top 5 and the stadium looked no more than 2/3rds full
it looked like that last night, although Wilner said it was a sell out.
that’s not what I saw on TV, to be sure. One would think that getting to watch Andrew Luck on a weekly basis would be a big enough draw on its own. Hell, I have no rooting interest, and I love to watch that guy play.
Look, I've already told Utah to suck it. There's no going back now.
Gut wrenching.
Carlos Gonzalez has an extraordinary tendency to amplify light through stimulated emission of radiation in frequent bursts.
Shoulder-to-Shoulder for life!
Hollidayrain Music
damn 2 of 3 hit on my parlay
and Northwestern was up 28-10 only to lose by 3. What a crap day
Look, I've already told Utah to suck it. There's no going back now.
this game hurt
We were handed this game by WSU and still found a way to spit the bit. These guys need to find a way to close. Right now the only guy who gets coffee is will Oliver ;-).
Walter Sobchak: "Also, let's not forget - let's *not* forget, Dude - that keeping wildlife, an amphibious rodent, for uh, domestic, you know, within the city - that aint legal either. "
by lakebuff on Oct 2, 2011 8:13 AM MDT via mobile reply actions
Hello, Seniors?
Our team was supposed to rely on the large senior class for leadership this year – where has that been? Every year didn’t we tell ourselves that we have a young team and things will improve. Hmm. And Perkins, what were you doing there on the double move? You’re not Ed Reed looking for the pick 6, back up your true Freshman teammate. You think these guys would want to close games out after that sickening Kansas debacle last year. I agree with what Embree was saying, some of these guys just don’t get it. Yeah Embree is responsible as the coach for keeping these guys in line but he doesn’t have eligibility left – these guys have to make the plays out there with the game on the line.
Truth be told I’m looking forward to when more of the Hawkins players begin to graduate. We have a large (20+) senior class so it starts real soon. Addition through attrition I say!
had the same question yesterday too...
i though we were stacked with experience but apparently these guys have not been coached the last 4-5years. its pretty hard to change players who have been set in their ways for the last 5years. addition through attrition sounds good to me.
by hisnamewas on Oct 2, 2011 10:38 AM MDT via mobile up reply actions
next week's game is on Versus
look for my Ralphie Report shirt in the stands
Look, I've already told Utah to suck it. There's no going back now.
Don't think we'll be able to see the player's numbers
let alone fan’s t-shirts with that awful Versus telecast. Thinking shirtless will more likely get you on TV.
by BuffulanceMan on Oct 3, 2011 8:53 AM MDT up reply actions
versus is in 1080i, better than espn!
their broadcasts have improved a lot over the last couple years imo
Ok, that's it
Raze the stadium, disband the team, burn the nat’l champ banner, this team doesn’t deserve to exist anymore. This season is worse that I possibly imagined. I was so excited to talk smack with my HS buddies who went to pac-10 schools, now I just want this team to disappear.
whoa there
Carlos Gonzalez has an extraordinary tendency to amplify light through stimulated emission of radiation in frequent bursts.
Shoulder-to-Shoulder for life!
Hollidayrain Music
by Hollidayrain on Oct 2, 2011 10:10 AM MDT up reply actions
First off; good game Colorado!
Second off; keep the faith.
You guys are in a crappy situation, believe you me, we Cougs know what you are going through. It’s a long, long, long road ahead. It is full of bumps and bruises, turns and reversals. Embree has the right idea, right now it doesn’t look like it. But he does. Alums are the best for recruiting to a team that is rebuilding. It is going to be a long road Colorado, but (when done right) it has most excellent results.
GO COUGS!
GO BUFFS!
Attractive, Intelligent, Smart A**
by Neil Vincent Roberts on Oct 2, 2011 10:37 AM MDT reply actions
thanks and good luck the rest of the season
I agree with the post below, other Pac-12 fans have been great so far…
not to be mean here, but when Washington State fans are trying to cheer you up you KNOW you’re in a deep, DEEP hole!
You aren't at all being mean
You guys have some impressive speed guys (Richardson and Stewart) which is a way better situation than Wulff could have inherited. Embree has a little bit more to work with, and I believe he has the keys to get you guys back to where you belong.
Good luck the rest of the season
Attractive, Intelligent, Smart A**
by Neil Vincent Roberts on Oct 2, 2011 1:38 PM MDT up reply actions
Fabulous! Pity from WSU
We must be at a new low….. Ugh. Thanks for the encouragement, think I’ll never forget this weekend…..
and on a side note...
i’ve been pleasantly suprised by the quality of fans in pac12. so far interactions with cal fans a few weeks ago and wazzu fans yesterday at the sink have been great. everyone has given us more props than we deserve and been happy to have us in the conference. great vibe in general so kudos pac12 fans. i hope we are giving off the same impression. big turnaround from nubs (self proclaimed best fans in the world) and baylor fans. i was given a warning about oregon fans yesterday though but ill wait and see.
by hisnamewas on Oct 2, 2011 10:51 AM MDT via mobile reply actions
USC fans are pretty shitty
But I’m not sure if the bad segment is one that would travel. They (and I would assume Oregon as well) tend to be the nouveau riche type fans who are enjoying their first real taste of success and jumping on a bandwagon, not the die hard long timers
Look, I've already told Utah to suck it. There's no going back now.
Oh, and ASU fans can be pretty douchey
but more in a “popped collar on a polo shirt” style, not necessarily in a “we are the best at everything forever” style.
Look, I've already told Utah to suck it. There's no going back now.
Arizona fans like to throw things
be careful if you ever are winning in Tucson.
Science is the belief in the ignorance of experts. - R. Feynman
thanks for the advice!
although that’s looking unlikely to be an issue in the immediate future. /cries
Look, I've already told Utah to suck it. There's no going back now.
I'm more than willing to give Embree time...
…..I’ve never seen such a depleted mess of a team and he needs time and his people in the system to right this all….
Still Pretty Numb
I keep having flashbacks of last year’s Kansas game, when we were AHEAD. So far ahead, you would have had to throw the game by taking meaningless pass after meaningless pass attempt in order to break some passing record — and really, what were the chances of THAT happening? — that was the ONLY way the game could be lost and yet it was. If Cody had walked off the field with a case of food poisoning and we had just taken a knee for the 4th quarter, we would have won. But we didn’t.
And this year against pitiful WSU, we are up 10 points. TEN POINTS, people. Two scores in order to catch up.
And we let ’em catch up and then go ahead like nothing.
I do not understand why there was no way we could hold on to the lead. It was like time stood still, and while the lingering PTSD from last year’s Kansas debacle hit me, I also saw the rest of this season flash before my eyes.
It was not a pretty fantasy.
But hey, I could be wrong.Only Stanford, Washington, UCLA, Oregon, USC and AZ and ASU to go. Just need to win the next seven to make a bowl. Gulp.
Is there some hope that this loss will be big enough and bad enough to shake something loose so we can compete again? Devastating to be so close but so far away.
I think so
at the end of the Hawk era, it was obvious that he had no answers and that the players were resigned to losing. I don’t see that here. There was plenty of good to take away from yesterday’s game. Although they performed admirably, would we have a different result if we were lining up Jared Bell and Parker Orms instead of Jason Espinoza and Brian Lockridge? I think so. With our injuries, we just happened to match up horribly with WSU. That’s not an excuse, it’s just a thing that exists. Such is football, such is life.
But after the game, the players and coaches were ANGRY, not resigned. That’s a positive sign. And although I’m not calling it a win by any means, I think we actually match up better from a personnel standpoint with Stanford than WSU. They run the ball up the middle and their passing game goes through the tight ends more than the WRs. So our CB injuries shouldn’t be so glaring. I no longer harbor illusions of a bowl game, but we can be competitive with anyone in the conference (maybe not Oregon from a speed standpoint). I echo Woods’s sentiments above. We WILL upset someone along the way (not least because we won’t likely be favored from here on out).
Look, I've already told Utah to suck it. There's no going back now.
Good logic about the match up this coming Saturday, but
Its still Andrew Luck who will exploit pur weaknesses…
Way to many WSU shirts here in the Denver airport…. At least they won’t be on my flight to Dallas.
Speaking of Dallas, another prime example of epic collapses for my football teams this week.
oh, don't get me wrong
Luck will most likely pick us apart, but at least this week it will be more about Greg Brown trying to scheme against him and not just finding healthy bodies to throw out there at DB. He’s an absolutely transcendent QB, but I like Jon Major matched up on Coby Fleener a lot more than I like Brian Lockridge matched up on Marquess Wilson.
Look, I've already told Utah to suck it. There's no going back now.
on a happier note...
It was enjoyable to see Nebraska embarrassed In front of a national audience. Polini was extremely well behaved (maybe he’s been taking his medicine again :-)
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Welcome to The Ralphie Report, an unofficial blog for fans of the Colorado Buffaloes. Established April 24th, 2008.
Winner - Best Sports Blog In Colorado - 2011 Westword Web Awards
Related FanPosts on The Ralphie Report
Related FanShots on The Ralphie Report
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
SBNation.com Recent Stories
SHOP THE RALPHIE REPORT STORE
Facebook and Google+
The Ralphie Report Google+ Page
