Colorado Buffaloes vs Colorado State Rams Match Player Stats On Sep 19, 2015

The Sports Xchange
Sep 19, 2015

Diego Gonzalez drilled a 32-yard field goal on the second possession of overtime Saturday, lifting Colorado to 27-24 victory in the Rocky Mountain Showdown in Denver.

The Buffaloes' junior kicker made up for his missed 48-yard attempt on the final play of regulation, giving Colorado (2-1) consecutive wins for the first time since the first two games of the 2013 season.

Colorado State (1-2) had the first possession in overtime, but Wyatt Bryan's 22-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Colorado safety Tedric Thompson who crashed through the middle of the Rams' line to get a hand on the kick. It was the fifth missed field goal of the game, including two blocks and two other misses by Bryan.

It also was the second straight overtime loss for Colorado State, which fell to visiting Minnesota 23-20 a week ago. The Rams finished with a 500-345 advantage in total yardage, including 218-125 on the ground, but quarterback Nick Stevens (25-of-39 for 282 yards and a touchdown) was intercepted twice, including a fourth-quarter pick which was returned for a TD.

Quarterback Sefo Liufau finished 15-of-28 for 220 yards and two scores for the Buffaloes.

Colorado State dominated the opening quarter, scoring on a 13-yard run from tailback Dalyn Dawkins and a soaring 25-yard touchdown grab by wide receiver Rashard Higgins to take a 14-0 lead.

Colorado, though, got going in the second quarter, getting on the board with a 52-yard Gonzalez field goal. Then, on the first play after Bryan came up short on a 52-yard field-goal attempt, Liufau connected with wide receiver Shay Fields on a 65-yard fly-pattern scoring strike to pull the Buffs within 14-10 at the half.

Liufau directed Colorado on a nine-play, 75-yard march to open the second half, capping the drive with a perfectly placed 24-yard scoring toss to wide receiver Devin Ross as he was being hit in the pocket.

Stevens, though, answered by driving the Rams 68 yards in 11 plays to set up Bryan's 24-yard field goal. Bryan, though, pushed a 47-yard field-goal attempt wide right on Colorado State's next possession, and the game headed into the final quarter knotted at 17.

The Rams advanced to the Colorado 38 on their next possession but Stevens' third-down screen pass into traffic was knocked up into the air and linebacker Kenneth Olugbode was there to snare it and sprint 60 yards to the end zone to put the Buffs in front 24-17.

Colorado State, however, again answered the bell, marching 75 yards in 10 plays -including a big 13-yard fourth-and-3 completion from Stevens to wideout Joe Hansley, capped by tailback Jasen Oden Jr.'s 1-yard scoring plunge with 4:29 remaining.

After the teams swapped punts, Liufau drove the Buffs to the Colorado State 30 - aided by a third-down roughing-the-passer personal foul on Rams linebacker Cory James - but Gonzalez's 48-yard attempt - after two Colorado State timeouts - never had a chance as it sailed wide left.