Stillwater, still Wilson: Buffs revert to same ways against Oklahoma State
STILLWATER, Okla.— Amid a tumultuous few weeks of college football, the Colorado Buffaloes (2-5, 0-4 Big 12) hit the road to face the Oklahoma State Cowboys (5-2, 3-1 Big 12), poised to join the list of Big 12 upsets.
The Buffs fought tooth and nail for the first 30 minutes. The next thirty were a different story. CU led 24-21 at half, before floundering towards a final score of 57-24.
The same internal issues that have plagued the Buffs all season came to a head in the second half.
After a heartbreaking last-second loss against then-No. 11 Utah last week, head coach Deion ‘Coach Prime’ Sanders’ group had a positive outlook and were confident about turning the season around.
However, this game proved anything but inspiring, instead marking CU’s ninth straight conference loss and its fourth straight of the season.
What started as a fiery back-and-forth affair ended as a disheartening blowout, leaving the Buffs with more questions than answers. Still unable to put together a full game, lacking a mentally tough quarterback and riddled with errors, Sanders had no insight into his team’s shortcomings postgame.
“I’m going to try to mask it as much as possible. But this stuff hurts,” Sanders said. “We didn’t have it.”
The Pokes entered the matchup with the No. 4-ranked passing offense in FBS and quarterback Drew Mestemaker at the helm. The four-star has shown off his arm, stringing together 200-plus passing yards in 21 straight games — the longest streak in FBS. Make that 22 straight games, as Mestemaker threw for 386 against the Buffs.
With a staff composed of a majority of first-year coaches, the Pokes are putting together a remarkable rebuilding season. OSU head coach Eric Morris has proven his ability to develop a program, while offensive coordinator Sean Brophy’s group had been virtually unstoppable so far this season.
OSU has scored more than 30 points in five straight games. With CU’s stellar defensive coordinator Chris Marve, the highly anticipated meeting was bound to have fireworks.
Start Fast, Finish Strong
These were thought to be the keys for both squads, as Morris’ and Sanders’ teams have come out slow more than once. That wasn’t a concern on Saturday night, however. Missing even one play in the first half meant missing jaw-dropping action.
Just 59 seconds in, Mestemaker found the endzone. In just three plays, with consecutive 23-and 47-yard gains, the Cowboys caught CU sleeping.
Mestemaker and the Pokes exposed CU’s secondary and walked into the end zone untouched while Boone Pickens’ Sea of Orange roared.
“We gave up some things that we shouldn’t have, blew some coverages early on. I think the first series we had blown coverage and gave up a touchdown. We gotta do better,” Sanders said.
However, CU quarterback Isaac Wilson hit back, and Brennan Marion’s offense fired. Wilson drove the Buffs down the field, converting a fourth-down try and completing his first nine pass attempts. Not succumbing to the hostile road environment, CU was patient and took the looks as they came.
Wilson found JaQuail Smith for a four-yard touchdown reception tying the game. On a resilient 75-yard, 12-play drive, the Buffs had responded.
Joseph Williams had the hot hand for CU, and Wilson got it to him. Despite a collapsing pocket and a burned timeout, the Buffs found a way and went up 14-7 at the end of the first quarter. Wilson ducked, dodged, weaved, wiggled and threaded the needle to keep his team in the game.
The Buffs looked like they had put together some offensive pieces that had been lacking in past weeks. Things were clicking, and drives stayed alive even under duress.
The second quarter opened with another quick score for OSU, adding seven more in just a minute and a half. This back-and-forth trend would continue for the rest of the first half.
In three plays, with two 30-yard pickups, the Buffs were inside the one. Using every inch of the tush push’s potential, CU scored and took a 20-17 lead with six minutes left in the first half.
CU recorded its first three-and-out of the game in the second quarter, giving the ball back to the home team. Mestemaker showed his arm strength with a 52-yard bomb in the second, putting the Pokes back on top 17-14. A Buffs defensive stand kept the lead at 21-20 with four minutes remaining in the first half.
The Buffs kicked a 46-yard field goal with 2:30 to play until halftime.
After a mostly clean first half with only one penalty, CU committed two penalties on the first play of OSU’s drive and jumped offsides again on the next play with under two minutes remaining in the first half. Both teams got sloppy as halftime approached and flags littered the field, prolonging what had been an efficiently paced opening half.
Once the floodgates opened, the Buffs were too far gone. Though they had set themselves up to compete in the second half, a switch had flipped and the mistake-prone identity of the offense had returned.
CU led 24-23 and was set to receive the ball to start the third quarter. Wilson threw for 222 yards and three touchdowns, on a 14-of-16 completion clip in the first half.
In the final two quarters, Wilson went 5-11 for 58 yards and two interceptions and was outscored 34 points.
A Tale of Two Halves
Disaster struck on CU’s first possession of the new half, with much more to follow. The Pokes recovered a fumble by Wilson on the Buffs’ 17.
In less than a minute, OSU regained the lead, 30-24, with a fired-up stadium behind them.
“I don’t feel like we ever recovered,” Sanders said postgame.
From then on, Wilson faltered, and the defense alone couldn’t stop Mestemaker and Morris.
With Marion’s offense back up to bat, penalties kept hurting the Buffs. Wilson suddenly looked flustered, his miracle scrambles nowhere to be found.
The Pokes chomped at the bit, eager to jump even further ahead. Mestemaker spearheaded a 78-yard drive that chewed less than three minutes off the clock. Two 17-yard gains and a 39-yard carry saw CU down 24-37 with 8:48 remaining in the third quarter.
The Buffs needed an answer. Instead, they self-destructed.
The issues that had plagued CU all season returned in full force, the first half already a distant memory.
A lack of discipline erased any momentum CU might have had after getting the ball back. Under pressure, Wilson threw the ball right back to the Pokes.
“It’s almost like when he makes a negative play, at times he has the ability to forget and just move on, and sometimes it just puts him in a little funk,” Sanders said.
Marve’s defense kept making statement plays, limiting what could have been an even worse outcome.
As for Marion’s offense, it was a short-lived burst of competency.
Wilson seemed to borrow Pistol Pete’s revolver to shoot himself in the foot on more than one occasion. Avoidable penalties erased even positive plays.
Despite glimpses of promising pocket presence and play-extending throws, Wilson still hasn't performed consistently. His teammates have had his back up to this point, but confidence lacked on all fronts by the end of the night.
“It seems like as soon as we go on the field, we’re not disciplined. I really don’t understand it because we are disciplined in every area of this program,” Sanders said.
The Buffs finished with 11 penalties for 84 yards, with eight committed in the second half.
Following a scoreless third quarter, the Buffs’ deficit had stretched to 16. It would only grow from there.
After Ladainian Fields picked off his starter twice, Sanders pulled Wilson for backup Kanael Sweetwyne.
By the time the clock showed zeroes, the Pokes scored at will, even with backups on the field. With a final score of 57-24, CU was shut out in the second half, ending hopes of a redeeming outing.
Nowhere to go but up
For weeks, Sanders has praised his team's fight, saying the next step in the season will bring a much-needed win. After falling short at Utah, he had nothing but belief in his guys’ ability to get it done on the road.
Against the Cowboys, Sanders was lost. From top to bottom, the program seems to be at a crossroads. Unable to produce a reliable offense and keep penalties to a minimum, CU has once again beaten itself.
“We didn’t do our jobs on any level consistently enough,” said Gideon Lampron, the Buffs’ fifth-year linebacker.
Halfway through the season, teams have to make decisions. Despite being the season-long star, Marve’s defense allowed the Cowboys’ offense to walk all over them in the second half.
Many personnel missteps could be overlooked, but the glaring penalty problem accentuated each and every mistake.
“I don’t know what to do right now. We’re going to go back to the drawing board,” Williams said.
CU still hasn’t put together a complete game, despite glimpses of immense talent. Wilson has shown he is the solution until he becomes the problem. The coaching staff look to each other for answers and leave more uncertain.
The problems run deep, top to bottom, and change is long overdue. Wherever the season takes the Buffs from here, they need to make changes to avoid another devastating loss like this.
“They’ve gotta want it. For this university and for themselves,” Sanders said.
The first half was a brilliant display of the true potential Sanders knows his roster holds. Unfortunately, that will never be enough to satisfy the demands of a Big 12 victory.
It’s not a lack of promise or ability on CU’s side. Rather, it’s the opposite.
The Buffs have shown they can compete with high-level opponents. Whether it’s a top-15 team or a tough road environment, Sanders’ group is competitive. They just haven’t put it all together, and lack the vision to turn a fast-sliding season around.
This frustrates members, the team, and fans alike. With the firepower, attention to detail, and overwhelming support, where’s the disconnect?
Although the next part of CU’s schedule was thought to be increasingly manageable, significant shakeups across the conference have changed how the Buffs future matchups loom in the weeks to come.
Going forward, it’s CU’s season to save.
Colorado takes on Kansas State at Folsom Field on Saturday, Oct. 31st at 11 a.m. on TNT.
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