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Gold Games
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In the CU meeting room, the schedule for the season is posted.
At the outset of the 2016 campaign, head coach Mike MacIntyre highlighted the games the Buffs were to play in November, labeling them “Gold Games”.
Now, it’s an old football cliche that “the games they remember are played in November”.
In 2016, however, the Buffs were coming off of ten straight losing seasons. In recent memory there had been little for Buff players (or their fans) to get excited about when the calendar turned to November.
Indeed, from 2012-15 – Mike MacIntyre’s first three years at Colorado – the Buffs were 1-13 in November games.
Not much shine to CU’s November “Gold Games”.
In 2016, however, that all changed. The Buffs entered November with a 6-2 record, and proceeded to go 4-0 in the “Gold Games”. Along the way, CU picked up its first-ever win over UCLA as a member of the Pac-12, together with the Buffs’ first wins over ranked teams since 2009, taking down No. 20 Washington State and No. 21 Utah.
While played on October 28th, last week’s 44-28 win over Cal – as one of CU’s last four games of the regular season – was labeled a “Gold Game” in the CU meeting room. The victory gave the Buffs five straight wins in “Gold Games”.
Make that 5-1.
In falling to Arizona State, 41-30, history will reflect a two-score victory for the Sun Devils. The Buffs fell to 0-5 against ASU in games played in Tempe … situation normal.
The Buff Nation, however, knows different.
We know that the Buffs were in the lead for most of the game, and had multiple opportunities not only to come out with a victory, but to do so comfortably.
The “Gold Game” against Arizona State could have had some “Golden Moments”:
— Golden Moment No. 1 – Colorado 0, Arizona State 0 – 9:47 remaining in the first quarter – CU ball, second-and-ten at the ASU 18-yard line … Phillip Lindsay takes off out of the backfield, and is wide open at the ASU five yard line, but Steven Montez misses him. Two plays later, the Buffs settle for a field goal and a 3-0 lead;
— Golden Moment No. 2 – Colorado 3, Arizona State 0 – 6:17 remaining in the first quarter – CU ball, first-and-ten at the CU 26-yard line. The Buffs run a flea flicker to perfection. Phillip Lindsay laterals the ball back to Steven Montez, who lofts the ball to a wide open Shay Fields. The senior receiver is so open that it looks like he is fielding a punt. Instead of an easy touchdown, however, Fields drops the ball. Instead of a 14-0 lead, the first two series netted only a field goal, with the Buffs punting the ball away three plays later, the score left at 3-0;
— Golden Moment No. 3 – Colorado 10, Arizona State 0 – 8:24 remaining in the first half – CU ball, fourth-and-one at the ASU 28-yard line. The Buffs had just stopped the Sun Devils on a fourth-and-one play near midfield, and were primed to go in for the kill. A yard short of a first down, Mike MacIntyre opted to go for a first down instead of a 45-yard field goal (James Stefanou kicked a 53-yarder later in the game, so he had the range). Having to take a time out as the play clock was running out, the Buffs allowed ASU to bring in their goal line defense. Phillip Lindsay was stopped for a one-yard loss, giving the ball back to Arizona State. Six plays later, it was a 10-7 game, and the Buffs’ chances for a rout were lost.
— Golden Moment No. 4 – Colorado 10, Arizona State 7 – 1:21 remaining in the first half – CU ball, first-and-goal at the ASU one-yard line. Bryce Bobo had just made a spectacular catch to put the Buffs in prime position for a touchdown. It was first-and-goal, and the Buffs still had a time out left. No reason to rush, but the Buffs did anyway, snaping the ball with 19 seconds remaining on the play clock. Steven Montez didn’t score on the play, but ASU called time out. Phillip Lindsay scored on the next play, but 1:07 remained in the half. Arizona State went on to score with seven seconds remaining to make it a 17-14 game. Had the Buffs used better clock management a minute earlier, the Sun Devils may have had to settle for a field goal … or not had enough time to score at all.
— Golden Moment No. 5 – Colorado 17, Arizona State 14 – 12:34 remaining in the third quarter – CU ball, first-and-ten at the ASU 39-yard line. The teams traded three-and-outs to begin the second half, but Alex Kinney’s 67-yard punt to the ASU one yard line gave CU the advantage. After a 33-yard punt by the Sun Devils’ punter, CU set up shop at the ASU 39 … but the Buffs couldn’t muster a first down. James Stefanou hit from 53 yards out to salvage a field goal for the Buffs, but a chance to build back a two-score lead had been wasted.
— Golden Moment No. 6 – Colorado 27, Arizona State 17 – 3:41 remaining in the third quarter – CU ball, first-and-ten, at the CU 30-yard line. After ASU answered Stefanou’s field goal with one of their own, Steven Montez hit Shay Fields for a 54-yard touchdown to give the Buffs their third ten-point lead of the game. The Buff defense forced a quick three-and-out from the Sun Devil offense, giving the Buffs the ball, with a ten-point lead, late in the third quarter. A scoring drive here would have, in all likelihood, ended the game in favor of the Buffs. On first down, Steven Montez hit Devin Ross for an apparent 15-yard gain to midfield … but Ross couldn’t hold on. Instead, it was second-and-ten, which became fourth-and-11 a few moments later.
The Buffs had other chances, of course, later in the game, but that first-and-ten play marked the zenith of CU’s chances at a victory, with the game quickly getting out of hand thereafter. Arizona State went on to out-score Colorado, 24-3, in the fourth quarter, turning a 27-17 deficit into a resounding 41-30 victory.
“Golden Moments” … Golden opportunities to make the Arizona State game a “Gold Game”, to get the Buffs to bowl eligibility and keep CU from the specter of going from worst-to-first … and then back to worst.
“We made some mistakes and Arizona State played better than we did,” head coach Mike MacIntyre said. “We hurt ourselves too many times.”
“Missed throws, dropped balls, missed assignments,” was Steven Montez’s terse assessment. “It all caught up to us.”
Sadly, all too true statements.
“The gold games are where you want to win all of them,” senior receiver Shay Fields said in the days before the Arizona State game. “Like coach Mac says, ‘The last four is what they remember.’ They don’t remember the first eight, the first seven. The last four is where you make that statement in the Pac-12.”
Unfortunately for the fans of Colorado football, the 2017 Arizona State game was a statement game. A statement that the Buffs will be hard-pressed to make a bowl game. A statement that the CU football program is not in position for sustained excellence.
It will also resonate for the next ten months.
With the unexpected rise of the Arizona schools, Buff fans can look forward to prognostications this off-season which will place CU at the bottom of the Pac-12 South in 2018 (yes, UCLA, and perhaps even Utah, could finish behind the Buffs in the standings, but those programs will be given the benefit of the doubt moving forward … CU will not).
“The last four is what they remember” … perhaps the Buffs will turn things around, and may still qualify for a bowl game this fall.
Or … the Buff Nation will be left to remember what might have been had Colorado found a way to produce some “Golden Moments” in Tempe.
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Stuart
Continue reading...
Gold Games
—
In the CU meeting room, the schedule for the season is posted.
At the outset of the 2016 campaign, head coach Mike MacIntyre highlighted the games the Buffs were to play in November, labeling them “Gold Games”.
Now, it’s an old football cliche that “the games they remember are played in November”.
In 2016, however, the Buffs were coming off of ten straight losing seasons. In recent memory there had been little for Buff players (or their fans) to get excited about when the calendar turned to November.
Indeed, from 2012-15 – Mike MacIntyre’s first three years at Colorado – the Buffs were 1-13 in November games.
Not much shine to CU’s November “Gold Games”.
In 2016, however, that all changed. The Buffs entered November with a 6-2 record, and proceeded to go 4-0 in the “Gold Games”. Along the way, CU picked up its first-ever win over UCLA as a member of the Pac-12, together with the Buffs’ first wins over ranked teams since 2009, taking down No. 20 Washington State and No. 21 Utah.
While played on October 28th, last week’s 44-28 win over Cal – as one of CU’s last four games of the regular season – was labeled a “Gold Game” in the CU meeting room. The victory gave the Buffs five straight wins in “Gold Games”.
Make that 5-1.
In falling to Arizona State, 41-30, history will reflect a two-score victory for the Sun Devils. The Buffs fell to 0-5 against ASU in games played in Tempe … situation normal.
The Buff Nation, however, knows different.
We know that the Buffs were in the lead for most of the game, and had multiple opportunities not only to come out with a victory, but to do so comfortably.
The “Gold Game” against Arizona State could have had some “Golden Moments”:
— Golden Moment No. 1 – Colorado 0, Arizona State 0 – 9:47 remaining in the first quarter – CU ball, second-and-ten at the ASU 18-yard line … Phillip Lindsay takes off out of the backfield, and is wide open at the ASU five yard line, but Steven Montez misses him. Two plays later, the Buffs settle for a field goal and a 3-0 lead;
— Golden Moment No. 2 – Colorado 3, Arizona State 0 – 6:17 remaining in the first quarter – CU ball, first-and-ten at the CU 26-yard line. The Buffs run a flea flicker to perfection. Phillip Lindsay laterals the ball back to Steven Montez, who lofts the ball to a wide open Shay Fields. The senior receiver is so open that it looks like he is fielding a punt. Instead of an easy touchdown, however, Fields drops the ball. Instead of a 14-0 lead, the first two series netted only a field goal, with the Buffs punting the ball away three plays later, the score left at 3-0;
— Golden Moment No. 3 – Colorado 10, Arizona State 0 – 8:24 remaining in the first half – CU ball, fourth-and-one at the ASU 28-yard line. The Buffs had just stopped the Sun Devils on a fourth-and-one play near midfield, and were primed to go in for the kill. A yard short of a first down, Mike MacIntyre opted to go for a first down instead of a 45-yard field goal (James Stefanou kicked a 53-yarder later in the game, so he had the range). Having to take a time out as the play clock was running out, the Buffs allowed ASU to bring in their goal line defense. Phillip Lindsay was stopped for a one-yard loss, giving the ball back to Arizona State. Six plays later, it was a 10-7 game, and the Buffs’ chances for a rout were lost.
— Golden Moment No. 4 – Colorado 10, Arizona State 7 – 1:21 remaining in the first half – CU ball, first-and-goal at the ASU one-yard line. Bryce Bobo had just made a spectacular catch to put the Buffs in prime position for a touchdown. It was first-and-goal, and the Buffs still had a time out left. No reason to rush, but the Buffs did anyway, snaping the ball with 19 seconds remaining on the play clock. Steven Montez didn’t score on the play, but ASU called time out. Phillip Lindsay scored on the next play, but 1:07 remained in the half. Arizona State went on to score with seven seconds remaining to make it a 17-14 game. Had the Buffs used better clock management a minute earlier, the Sun Devils may have had to settle for a field goal … or not had enough time to score at all.
— Golden Moment No. 5 – Colorado 17, Arizona State 14 – 12:34 remaining in the third quarter – CU ball, first-and-ten at the ASU 39-yard line. The teams traded three-and-outs to begin the second half, but Alex Kinney’s 67-yard punt to the ASU one yard line gave CU the advantage. After a 33-yard punt by the Sun Devils’ punter, CU set up shop at the ASU 39 … but the Buffs couldn’t muster a first down. James Stefanou hit from 53 yards out to salvage a field goal for the Buffs, but a chance to build back a two-score lead had been wasted.
— Golden Moment No. 6 – Colorado 27, Arizona State 17 – 3:41 remaining in the third quarter – CU ball, first-and-ten, at the CU 30-yard line. After ASU answered Stefanou’s field goal with one of their own, Steven Montez hit Shay Fields for a 54-yard touchdown to give the Buffs their third ten-point lead of the game. The Buff defense forced a quick three-and-out from the Sun Devil offense, giving the Buffs the ball, with a ten-point lead, late in the third quarter. A scoring drive here would have, in all likelihood, ended the game in favor of the Buffs. On first down, Steven Montez hit Devin Ross for an apparent 15-yard gain to midfield … but Ross couldn’t hold on. Instead, it was second-and-ten, which became fourth-and-11 a few moments later.
The Buffs had other chances, of course, later in the game, but that first-and-ten play marked the zenith of CU’s chances at a victory, with the game quickly getting out of hand thereafter. Arizona State went on to out-score Colorado, 24-3, in the fourth quarter, turning a 27-17 deficit into a resounding 41-30 victory.
“Golden Moments” … Golden opportunities to make the Arizona State game a “Gold Game”, to get the Buffs to bowl eligibility and keep CU from the specter of going from worst-to-first … and then back to worst.
“We made some mistakes and Arizona State played better than we did,” head coach Mike MacIntyre said. “We hurt ourselves too many times.”
“Missed throws, dropped balls, missed assignments,” was Steven Montez’s terse assessment. “It all caught up to us.”
Sadly, all too true statements.
“The gold games are where you want to win all of them,” senior receiver Shay Fields said in the days before the Arizona State game. “Like coach Mac says, ‘The last four is what they remember.’ They don’t remember the first eight, the first seven. The last four is where you make that statement in the Pac-12.”
Unfortunately for the fans of Colorado football, the 2017 Arizona State game was a statement game. A statement that the Buffs will be hard-pressed to make a bowl game. A statement that the CU football program is not in position for sustained excellence.
It will also resonate for the next ten months.
With the unexpected rise of the Arizona schools, Buff fans can look forward to prognostications this off-season which will place CU at the bottom of the Pac-12 South in 2018 (yes, UCLA, and perhaps even Utah, could finish behind the Buffs in the standings, but those programs will be given the benefit of the doubt moving forward … CU will not).
“The last four is what they remember” … perhaps the Buffs will turn things around, and may still qualify for a bowl game this fall.
Or … the Buff Nation will be left to remember what might have been had Colorado found a way to produce some “Golden Moments” in Tempe.
–
—–
–
—–
Stuart
Continue reading...
