Colorado Buffaloes vs Arizona Wildcats Match Player Stats On Nov 08, 2014

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 8, 2014

No. 21 Arizona 38, Colorado 20: Freshman Anu Solomon threw four touchdown passes - two to Samajie Grant in the fourth quarter - and the host Wildcats overcame a sluggish performance to pull away from the mistake-prone Buffaloes.

Freshman Nick Wilson rushed for 153 yards and Tra'Mayne Bondurant returned a fumble for a touchdown for Arizona (7-2, 4-2 Pac-12), which scored 28 points off Colorado turnovers. David Richards and Tyrell Johnson also recorded TD receptions while Solomon passed for 211 yards and added 105 on the ground.

Sefo Liufau was 24-of-33 for 252 yards and a touchdown, but was intercepted twice and lost two fumbles as the Buffaloes (2-8, 0-7) lost their sixth consecutive game and 18th straight to a ranked opponent. Nelson Spruce, who leads the nation with 99 catches, recorded nine receptions for 89 yards and also threw a TD pass to Liufau while freshman Phillip Lindsay rushed for a career-high 114 yards for Colorado, which was also hurt by 10 penalties for 103 yards.

Liufau connected with Shay Fields for a 75-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage before Anthony Lopez sacked Liufau and forced a fumble, which was scooped up Bondurant and returned 22 yards for a score. After the Wildcats converted Liufau's second fumble into Solomon's 8-yard TD pass to Johnson, the Buffaloes reached into their bag of tricks as Spruce threw a 7-yard TD pass to Liufau off a reverse to make it 14-14 with 10:19 left in the second quarter.

Arizona took the lead for good 21-17 with 11 seconds remaining in the first half when Richards caught a 1-yard touchdown pass in the front-left corner of the end zone after Jourdon Grandon intercepted Liufau at the Arizona 45. Solomon found Grant over the middle for a 27-yard touchdown to make it 31-20 with 9:50 left - three plays after Devin Holiday picked off Liufau, and connected with Grant for a 20-yard score to extend the lead to 38-20 with 5:49 to go.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Liufau left the game after taking a hard hit while releasing his second interception and was replaced by sophomore Jordan Gehrke (0-for-5). ... Solomon has thrown 13 touchdown passes against one interception in the second half this season ... Colorado RB Michael Atkins II, who entered the game with two straight 100-yard rushing performances, sprained his knee in the first half and did not return after recording one carry for one yard.