The Lonely Road, Colorado Falls At Ohio State For It's 19th Straight Loss

by Jon Woods on Sep 24, 2011 5:04 PM MDT in Buffaloes Football Season

The Colorado Buffaloes could not get out of their own way against an Ohio St. Buckeyes squad starting a freshman quarterback for his first time and missing multiple starters due to suspension. The team fell 37-17, to Ohio State for it's 19th consecutive loss on the road, a streak extending back to 2007.

Penalties, poor special teams play, and turnovers put the Buffs in a hole that they were unable to dig their way out of. After a strong four and out by the defense on the first drive of the game, the offense returned the favor with four quick incomplete passes before a twenty yard punt gave the Buckeyes the ball on the opposing 43 yard line. It was all down hill from there. Rodney Stewart fumbled on a rush on the Buffs own 28 yard line, leading to a Buckeyes field goal and later fumbled a punt return right before the half just as the Buffaloes seemed to be stealing back some momentum. Head coach Jon Embree showed his inexperience by calling a time out with under 30 seconds remaining after forcing the punt and Colorado went into the locker room down, 20-7.

The second half was more of the same with the Buckeyes finally able to get the offense rolling to increase the lead to 34-10. A steady diet of OSU running back Jordan Hall on the ground and a 17-yard Braxton Miller touchdown for one score and a 90 yard kick off return by Hall helped the team roll up the score on the Buffs. A late 91-yard Colorado drive capped by Hansen's 14-yard touchdown pass to Tyler McCulloch helped bring the game back within three touchdowns but that was all she wrote for the Buffaloes.

Quarterback Tyler Hansen finished the game with 238 yards on 22 for 39 passing, but he never looked comfortable in the pocket and too many of his passes were well out of reach. Speedy Stewart managed 59 yards on 9 carries as the Buffalo running game once again failed to get going.

Colorado finished the game with 9 penalties for 83 yards and the team once again looked undisiplined with an array of ill timed infractions. They now head back home for their first conference game as a member of the Pac-12 conference hoping to get a win over the Washington St. Cougars to get to 2-3 on the season. CU fans are going to have a rough week hoping that the mistakes that have been present since the Dan Hawkins era can be corrected by this staff as they take the field the rest of the season. With a trip at Stanford coming up in two weeks, the Buffaloes are looking at the road streak being extended even further.

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Comments

With all the negative talk already....

In reality this loss wasn’t as bad as the 52-7 road loss at Cal last year. This was a much more hostile environment against an even better team. We need to be honest with ourselves… CU isn’t going to go into the ’shoe and expect to execute our “power” running game when our leading rusher is smaller than most high school juniors (sorry speedy).

Now let’s go get Wazzu

by Boulder-96 on Sep 24, 2011 5:32 PM MDT reply actions

but how do we know that?

We didn’t try to test the middle of the field for the most part, and when we did, we were successful. We basically accepted that they were better at the point of attack and spent the entire game game working the edges. But Speedy up the middle worked, Richardson on the slant worked, Deehan deep worked. But we hardly bothered. That’s bad play calling.

Look, I've already told Utah to suck it. There's no going back now.

by Phil Fraser on Sep 24, 2011 5:45 PM MDT up reply actions

One thing is for sure...

next year we need one less D-line coach and one dedicated Special Teams coach.

by Buff-in-CA on Sep 24, 2011 6:09 PM MDT reply actions

I'm tired of hearing about Ohio State's Talent

This was suppose to be a “measuring stick” game? How can you measure talent when you gift wrap your opponent a 20 yd punt, fumbled exchange, and muffed punt? Boom, 17 points right there. We lost by 20. Ohio State didn’t do anything special-we gave them the game.

by BigXIITDOG on Sep 24, 2011 6:15 PM MDT reply actions

exactly how I saw it

our three scoring drives: 83 yards, 60 yards (FG), 90 yards. theirs: all 50 yards or less. we redefined the term “gift-wrapping” a game. that’s a game we could of won and it makes it doubly infuriating, if we just got dominated physically that would be a different matter, but we didn’t.

by nebraskasux on Sep 24, 2011 6:43 PM MDT up reply actions

Preach!!!!

You took what I was thinking and put it into words. Lets hope Embree learns quick you would think he would scrap the rugby punt after one or two mess ups, that’s a hawkins mindset to keep screwing up but returning to it. So if I see that next week I’ll be real upset. Play call was weak and timid, exactly the opposite of what the buffs want, you got to pound the ball and if that doesn’t work keep pounding it. Defense I don’t have to many complaints except for stay disciplined do your assignment and no more unnecessary penalties

by BuffOnYou on Sep 24, 2011 6:54 PM MDT up reply actions

Here is my thought

1 Punt return is ridiculous. It’s hard to believe that coaches don’t emphasize enough some basic principles, like “let it go when it’s within 5 yards” or something like that. But our guy still commit the same mistake again and again and again. I am so sick of this.

2 Hanson is not really good. I know this game is not on him but still. He missed a lot of open guys, I mean a lot of. We can’t be competitive without a decent QB. I don’t think he is decent enough to lead us.

by cnbuff410 on Sep 24, 2011 8:34 PM MDT reply actions

You're right, Hansen isn't "really good" but I honestly don't think he's the problem

maybe “a” problem but not anywhere near the top of the list. Sure, he’s been missing open guys all year and I’ve criticized him for that but I remember reading on here (I think it was a QB preview by Bob) how Tyler had more INTs than TDs for his career and how for us to be successful that needed to change big time. Well, we’re 4 games into the season and he’s thrown for almost 300 ypg and has 9 TDs and 1 INT. I think we all would of killed for that before the season started. Yet we’re still 1-3, why is that? Bad offensive game plan/no running game, too many mental mistakes, horrible special teams, complete and total suckyness away from Folsom Field, and the secondary’s tendency to give up huge plays at the worst times. Only after all those things would I put blame on Tyler’s inability to hit open receivers.

No, Hansen isn’t good enough to turn us into a great team by himself (especially now that we’re running such a pass-heavy offense which doesn’t suit him) but he is plenty good enough that if his teammates and his coaches did their job we could of won 7 games. Sadly it’s too late for that now though. Just my opinion.

by nebraskasux on Sep 24, 2011 9:41 PM MDT up reply actions

yes, this

Hansen isn’t a guy who will win us games, but he’s been a guy thus far to not lose us games with a better game plan. Hansen isn’t calling rugby punts.

Look, I've already told Utah to suck it. There's no going back now.

by Phil Fraser on Sep 24, 2011 9:51 PM MDT up reply actions

I couldn't have said it better..........

it’s not Hansen at this point. When guys start calling for Hirschman to play…..well, I just don’t get it.

by HBbuff on Sep 25, 2011 10:55 AM MDT up reply actions

Don't know about you

But my confidence poll for the week will be a 10.

I know it’s a “rebuilding year,” but I’m sick of this bs.

by The Notorious R.O.B. on Sep 24, 2011 8:47 PM MDT reply actions

Agree

I understand there is a significant gap in talent between CU and a top 10 program. But we didn’t lose today, against Cal or against Ha-va-ii because of a lack of talent.

Its the same B.S. mistakes that should have been coached out during the Spring. I understand our coaches have a learning curve but we are talking about the most basic stuff ever. Fielding punts inside the 10, calling TO at the end of a half, still kicking the ball out of bounds, averaging 10 penalties a game…..its so much more fixable then our guys just can’t stack up.

They need to be coached and unfortunately that doesn’t seem to be happening.

by NYCskibum on Sep 24, 2011 8:53 PM MDT up reply actions

Remember when

CU scored that last second TD against Nebraska and we still lost? The touchdown didn’t matter, but did you see Bo Pelini on the sidelines smacking his gum chewing out players left and right for allowing those extra points? That’s what I want to see… Just once. It might change the whole attitude of our program.
I’m so tired of saying we got our asses handed to us when people ask me how my Buffaloes did today.

by The Notorious R.O.B. on Sep 24, 2011 9:01 PM MDT reply actions

That's the attitude we need to change

and It’s the hardest thing to change. I’m still willing to give EB a fair shot. I mean I am as disappointed as you guys but our young guys still show some hope. It’s the seniors who drag us down.

by cnbuff410 on Sep 24, 2011 9:09 PM MDT up reply actions

I agree.

Not giving up on our coaching. I’d just like to see some fire and emotion when we’re losing, which is about 95% of the time. Show me you care and it goes a long way with me.

by The Notorious R.O.B. on Sep 24, 2011 9:14 PM MDT up reply actions

I can't agree with that

Since Embree was hired, he’s stressed a physical, downhill running game. He’s referenced Iowa and Wisconsin as teams to emulate. He said that this game was basically going to be a 9 on 7 drill. And we opened with three straight throws in the flat. He’s said that he wants Hansen to be a game manager, and Hansen has echoed that. You can’t be a game manager if you only attempt 5 runs in the first half. That loss is entirely on the coaches. OK maybe not entirely, but they did not put the players in a position to win the game. They put them in position to hopefully not get killed, and it didn’t work. Until we actually try to be the team Embree wants us to be and we fail, it’s tough to blame the players. When we ran between the tackles and threw over the middle, we were successful, but those opportunities were few and far between. We even did a good job on penalties until we were desperate. The simple fact is, we are better than the game plan gave us credit for.

Look, I've already told Utah to suck it. There's no going back now.

by Phil Fraser on Sep 24, 2011 9:40 PM MDT up reply actions

exactly

that is the most baffling thing about this season so far. all we heard in the offseason was how we were going to be a power running team and we’ve pretty much been the complete opposite. It would be one thing if we tried to run non-stop the first couple games and got shut down, but we haven’t even tried to establish the run! (besides that last drive against CSU). This goes exactly into what I just said above about Tyler, I have no doubt he can be an effective QB in the system Embree SAID we were going to run but if he needs to win every game with his arm we’re screwed.

by nebraskasux on Sep 24, 2011 9:49 PM MDT up reply actions

to be fair

we don’t have a downhill running back and we don’t have the o-line than can block a downhill running game.

bad personnel for the style game embree wants to play.

by NYCskibum on Sep 24, 2011 10:06 PM MDT up reply actions

again- how do you know?

We haven’t tried. Granted, Stewart doesn’t look like the traditional banger, but he’s done a good job between the tackles thus far. But those opportunities are few and far between. And Stewart did well in years past running between the tackles. He’s quicker than fast, and yet we continue to hope he can get to the edge. If we run up the middle and fail- so be it. But at least try to be what we want. Because right now we’re not playing as the team Embree claims to want, and we’re failing anyway. So what’s the point in that?

Look, I've already told Utah to suck it. There's no going back now.

by Phil Fraser on Sep 24, 2011 10:15 PM MDT up reply actions

I don't know

I’m just as frustrated as you are and am looking for answers in the bottom of a bottle of Buffalo Trace.

I just have to think/hope that the reason we aren’t running between the tackles is because the staff doesn’t think we can, not because EB thinks he is playing a game of madden.

by NYCskibum on Sep 24, 2011 10:34 PM MDT up reply actions

well, at least you've chosen a quality bourbon!

“and am looking for answers in the bottom of a bottle of Buffalo Trace.” ~sounds like a country song.

I just think that we HAVE run the ball between the tackles well, and won’t even bother to try. Even if EB doesn’t think we can- prove that shit before giving up on it.

Look, I've already told Utah to suck it. There's no going back now.

by Phil Fraser on Sep 24, 2011 10:48 PM MDT up reply actions

BevMo special

Its disappointing no matter how you want to look at it. I don’t even know, just expected so much more out of this staff.

by NYCskibum on Sep 24, 2011 10:55 PM MDT up reply actions

Not a happy Buff fan

I just got back to my hotel so I might repeat some things already posted here but this game was a huge step back for CU. What did we do right? I was really disappointed with this showing.
Hansen played very poorly, not making the right reads and then throwing bad balls.
No run game. Why? Why?
Special teams…terrible
I’m drunk but it was a painful game to watch in person….

by CleBUFFS on Sep 24, 2011 9:50 PM MDT via mobile reply actions

no worries. I'm sober and it was painful to watch on TV

Look, I've already told Utah to suck it. There's no going back now.

by Phil Fraser on Sep 24, 2011 9:52 PM MDT up reply actions

Right now i tend to agree with NYCskibum.

The offensive identity Embree described as a power downhill running attack is more of a goal/direction in the next year or two. A team doesn’t just “decide” its going to suddenly impose our will on defenses, rather they have to develop that talent over several recruiting cycles.

I’m pretty sure Davids ( i think its David that does these) Upon Second Viewing will reveal that our O-line was not able to get a push against OSU and therefore we had to have a more balanced attack. Too often we were inside our own stupid 20, so that didn’t help.

I’m betting we see that run orientation more against teams that have lesser talent up front like Wazzu. Bottom line for me is that we just don’t have the talent yet to pound teams with our running will over the couse of an entire gameand that Biememy and Embree are finding that out.

Don’t even get me started on our Special (Needs) Teams play….

by BuffnBigD on Sep 25, 2011 7:31 AM MDT reply actions

Our ST coaches (?) should watch tape of the ASU-USC game last night.

The ASU game plan for special teams was to keethe ball out of the hands of the returners at all cost. So what did they do? Squib? No. Out of bounds? Hell, no.

They kicked the ball high, as high as it could go, getting it to around the 20-25 yrd. line, where one of the players had to call fair catch. Guess what? It worked!

Play smarter, not just harder, Buffs. Show us that Pac-12 education.

by quinnsdad on Sep 25, 2011 7:49 AM MDT reply actions

Don't forget: Stewart was playing with shoulder injury.

It might be one of the reason. Tony Jones is not proved yet and you want coach to give him chance to prove himself with such mediocre OL vesus OSU in the very beginning? Really? I knew he played well in the last quarter but I’m not sure if it’s still their first string defense. If you are the coach and you know the OL is OK with pass protection while struggling with running play even when the opponent is CSU or Hawaii, and your best RB is injured, what would you do?

Again, Hanson is not the only reason of the loss, but he is one of the main reason. If you guys mind watching the replay of the whole game, you would see how many times he missed the completely open guys which results in 3 and out again and again. If he could make the throw better, we would not be in such a bad shape. Okay, ST is another story.

I do think our play calling was not that bad, no only the last game, but for all previous 4 games. I’m usually surprised how smart our fans are. Fans are generally smart than the coaches and they all think they should call the play. If the any of the pass/run leads to big gain or even TD, they would say this is smart call and it’s exactly what we should do. If any of them is failed due to bad pass of QB or poor execution of OL or whatever, they would always blame the coach and play calling.

Don’t live in your imagination, we are NOT better than our coaches. Yes, even not better than DH, as awful as he is. I’m not making excuse for our coaches, I do think ST coach need to be having a 1-1 meeting with EB soon. But, give them more time and fair chance. Something is not going to dramatically change in 4 games, admit it, especially when these mental mistakes are more about our seniors, instead of our freshmen, that’s something severely wrong in this tea,. We have to give them time to learn from mistake, we have to be with them and support them at least throughout this season. If 2-3 years later, same mistake is not disappeared with THEIR guy, then call me naysayer and I would blame them with you.

by cnbuff410 on Sep 25, 2011 10:31 AM MDT reply actions

Obviously we're all going to be critical on a saturday evening after a loss like that

but I’m also pretty sure none of us were e-mailing mike bohn our resumes for the OC job after the game! I know that JE and EB have a million times more football knowledge and experience than I do but I also know they are both doing jobs they have never done before and they ARE making a lot of mistakes. I still stand behind this staff completely but what I really want to see the rest of the season is that they improve and learn from their mistakes (like you said). Only if I don’t see that will I start to get really ticked off.

I’m not mad that we’re 1-3, any realistic CU fan knew that we would be underdogs in 3 of our first 4 games and whaddya know, we lost 3 of our first 4 games, but it’s how we lost them that upsets me. We absolutely should of beat Cal and against Hawaii and OSU I didn’t see a Buffs team that didn’t have enough talent to win, I saw a Buffs team that executed horribly, made all the same mistakes we’ve been making the last few years, and handed the win to our opponent. I haven’t seen any improvement the first 4 games (yesterday was the worst game of the year execution and coaching-wise imo), that’s all I want to see the rest of the year.

by nebraskasux on Sep 25, 2011 11:53 AM MDT up reply actions

This game was a huge step backwards.....

and very disappointing. But we can’t expect a return to being a top 25 team immediately. After reading some of this stuff, I get the impression some of you guys think we should be a Top 25 team after 4 games! Really? With a completely new coaching staff…. with Embree having never been a head coach before…..with the same talent that we’ve had in the past (a few new freshmen have helped out, but really, are they better than the seniors we’ve lost?) Come on….it’s going to take some time. Now the mental mistakes are inexcusable (at least the type we we made yesterday), but come on, we need some realistic expectations. I want to see the Buffs improving each week. We did not meet that goal yesterday. So we failed in that regard. We’ll have ups and downs.

by HBbuff on Sep 25, 2011 11:09 AM MDT reply actions

Ok, let's move on!

WSU talk:
Let’s have some guesses on the line. I’m gonna say CU by 1 or a pick ‘em. Even as sketchy as we are I have a hard time believing we’ll be underdogs at home. Isn’t WSU’s starting QB still out?

I love those transitive football analogies even though most of the time they mean nothing. Here’s a scary one. WSU 59 UNLV 7. UNLV 40 Hawaii 20. We all know what happened with us and Hawaii. What the hell happened with Hawaii in vegas anyway? UNLV lost at home yesterday 41-16 to FCS Southern Utah! CSU has now won 2 road games this year, winning at Utah State isn’t too shabby after what they almost did at Auburn. But they’re still our b@%!& for another year.

by nebraskasux on Sep 25, 2011 12:14 PM MDT reply actions

HI is similar to us, they are a different team when they're off the island.

I’ll still be taking the wife to the Wazzu game and am hoping that we will see the “home” Buffs next Saturday instead of whoever that was on the field yesterday in Columbus.

by BuffnBigD on Sep 25, 2011 1:39 PM MDT up reply actions