October 27th, 2018 Who: Colorado Buffaloes vs. Oregon State Beavers Where: Folsom Field - Boulder, Colorado When: 1:00 p.m. MT TV: Pac-12 Networks Radio: AM 850 KOA Weather: 68 Degrees, Mostly Sunny Oregon State Blog: Building the Dam Line: CU -24 Welcome to the Ralphie Report as the Colorado Buffaloes get ready to take on the Oregon State Beavers at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado for the fifth matchup of conference play. The Buffaloes are looking to get back in the win column for homecoming. Go Buffs! No need to go anywhere else today, The Ralphie Report has everything you need and we welcome you to weigh in with your live game analysis, critiques, observations and predictions. Check out the old game thread from the Hawaii game to see how it works. Throw all your comments about the game below and let’s get this thing rolling. If you don’t have an account, sign up here for free and enjoy all that our site has to offer. Make sure to follow us on Twitter, Google+ and Facebook. Go Buffs!<doc-sep>BOULDER — Taking your foot off the gas is one thing. But attempting to drive while half asleep is asking for trouble, something Colorado learned the hard way Saturday. The Buffaloes lost their third straight contest, and this one was the most painful of the bunch — a 41-34 home setback in overtime to Oregon State, a team that had come in winless in the Pac-12 and just 1-6 overall. CU saw a chance to keep pace with Utah in the Pac-12 South chase go up in smoke, along with the opportunity to reach six wins and bowl eligibility with a month left in the regular season. This despite the efforts of wideout K.D. Nixon, who did the heavy lifting while things were working, posting new single-game personal bests in receptions with (13), receiving yards (198) and touchdown catches (two). But those stellar numbers were lost in the one that got away — a 3rd-and-goal throw from CU quarterback Steven Montez in overtime that Nixon, open in the back of the end zone, bobbled and couldn’t corral. The Beavers stoned the Buffaloes (5-3, 2-3 Pac-12) on Montez’s next attempt, ending the game as Oregon State players and coaches swarmed the field in celebration. Montez (24-for-39, 319 passing yards) was strong in the middle of the game and less so early and late. Nor was he helped by the fact that CU’s clock management was all over the map once the game got close, although you wouldn’t be alone in wondering why the devil it got so close in the first place. Credit Oregon State coach Jonathan Smith, who swapped starting quarterback Jack Costello with Jake Luton and got the Beavers to flip a switch, putting together scoring drives on four of their first five possessions of the second half and reeling off a 25-0 run. A 31-3 CU lead three seconds into the third quarter — thanks to tailback Travon McMillian’s 75-yard touchdown run on the first play of the period — was whittled to 31-28 with 7:13 left in the contest after a 7-yard Luton touchdown pass to Isaiah Hodgins and a Hodgins grab for a 2-point conversion. A tale of two games — heck, two narratives — was on a completely different track before things got goofy, although it took CU a few healthy whacks at the dike before water burst through. A four-minute, 71-yard march midway through the second period stalled at the Beavers’ 4 on a fumbled Montez snap, forcing the hosts to settle for a 21-yard Evan Price field goal and a 10-3 lead. Costello had found the sledding even tougher — the Buffs sacked him five times in the first half and a gift pick-6 snatched by CU cornerback Dante Wigley with 8:48 to go in the half pushed the hosts’ cushion to 16-3. The Buffs’ signal-caller tightened up from there, completing his first six pass attempts of the second quarter, including a 47-yard rainbow up the left boundary to Nixon with 6:20 left in the first half that stuck a dagger in the Beavers’ collective backs. And three plays later, Montez twisted said dagger, firing a 7-yard scoring strike to Nixon that puts the hosts up 23-3 with 4:44 left in the half. Montez led CU on four straight marches into the Oregon State red zone in late in the first quarter and early in the second, putting the Beavers in a sleeper hold and putting a homecoming crowd at ease. The big Texan completed eight of his last nine pass attempts in the first half, but it was a handoff that delivered what the locals thought was the final nail, as McMillian opened the third quarter by squirting free to daylight. It was the second time this season McMillian has opened the second half with a long touchdown scamper, having done the same in a 45-14 win over New Hampshire on September 15. Only instead of being a sequel to that rout, the Beavers found a way — somehow — to flip the script. And keep the Buffaloes’ once-promising season spinning out of control.<doc-sep>Heading into homecoming, the Colorado Buffaloes are looking to bounce back after dropping back-to-back games on the road against USC and Washington. With a win, the Buffaloes (5-2, 2-2 Pac-12) would become bowl eligible for just the second time in 11 seasons. Saturday’s opponent, the Oregon State Beavers (1-6, 0-4 Pac-12) are in search of their first conference win in over two years. CU is still in the race for the Pac-12 South, but they need luck on their side, along with likely winning out, to contend for a conference title. The all-time series is even at 5-5 going back to their first meeting in 1931. Colorado has won the last three games, including a 36-33 fourth quarter comeback victory last year in Corvallis. Despite their records both teams have traditionally played each other close in recent years. Other than a 47-6 runaway by Colorado in 2016, three of the five contests have been decided by five points or less. Although, Oregon State’s last road victory came in 2014 when the Beavers came into Boulder and beat the Buffs. Many have questioned how injuries will play a factor for both teams. Most notably who’s going to start at quarterback for OSU? Jake Luton has been out with a high ankle sprain for over a month, and backup Conor Blount suffered a head injury in last week’s game against California. Blount is in the concussion protocol entering Saturday’s game, leaving third-string JUCO transfer Jack Colletto as the likely starter vs. CU. Behind Colletto is Oregon State legacy recruit and redshirt freshman Aidan Willard, who has one passing attempt this season. Colletto went 11-or-20 for 104 yards in relief of Blount last week. Colorado went into Washington without standout wide receivers Laviska Shenault Jr. (foot), Jay MacIntyre (concussion), kicker James Stefanou (hip) and defensive back Delrick Abrams (calf), who were all dealing with injuries. Shenault is the Buffs biggest playmaking threat, leading the nation in yards per game with a 130 average. It’s possible Shenault will miss another week, but has a day-to-day status at press time. Colorado’s offense has continued to struggle of late, going 10-of-36 on third down conversions over the past two weeks. Steven Montez looks to get back on track as well. After throwing for over 200 yards all but one time (pulled early vs. New Hampshire) in the first five games, he averaged 157 yards passing against Washington and USC. Colorado’s run game behind Travon McMillian has played a factor on how well they’ve been able to keep the sticks moving. McMillian should have no problems against Oregon State, who’s a lousy 128st nationally against the run by giving up an average of 274.6 yards per contest. Overall, the Beavers defense is one of the bottom ten allowing 541 yards per game. News and Notes Pac-12 Network’s “The Pregame” heads to Boulder this week for the hour-long show at noon (between gates 6 & 7 at Folsom Field). It’s homecoming weekend for Colorado with a 63-35-5 record all-time in 103 games including two straight wins over Arizona State in 2016 and Cal last year. A big happy birthday to defensive tackle Javier Edwards, who turns 22 tomorrow. From the desk of Dave Plati: “Colorado has just six turnovers in seven games this season (five interceptions, one lost fumble); that’s tied for the fifth-fewest in the nation. Georgia Southern has just three (all lost fumbles) to lead the nation; Arizona State, Army and UCF are tied for second with five turnovers, and then the Buffaloes are one of eight teams with just six turnovers. Only Mississippi State, with no lost fumbles, has fewer than CU’s 1; UCF, Notre Dame and Buffalo are the only other schools to have lost just one fumble along with the Buffs.” Obscure stat of the week: “QB Steven Montez has started 19 straight games dating back to the 2017 season opener; that is now tied for the fourth most consecutive starts by a quarterback in CU history. Gale Weidner holds the record, starting all 31 in his Colorado career that spanned the 1959, 1960 and 1961 seasons (including the ’62 Orange Bowl). Kordell Stewart started the final 25 of his career (25 regular season, three bowl) from 1992-94, and Bill Solomon started all 22 in his junior and senior seasons of 1978 and 1979. Joel Klatt also started 19 in a row at one point, the final seven of 2004 and all 12 regular season games in 2005 before a cheap shot by a Texas defender in the Big 12 Championship game ended his collegiate career prior to CU’s participating in the Champs Sports Bowl.” Colorado welcomes Oregon State into Folsom Field on Saturday, Oct. 27 with kickoff at 1 p.m. MT. A difference of 5110 feet between the elevation of Folsom Field (5,345 feet) and the city of Corvallis (235 feet). TV: Pac-12 Networks Radio: 850 KOA (Mark Johnson, Gary Barnett) Odds: -24 Colorado Weather: 72° clear<doc-sep>
When: Saturday at 1:00 pm MDT TV: Pac-12 Mountain (Play-by-Play: Roxy Bernstein, Color: Anthony Herron, Sideline Reporter: Lewis Johnson) In the Boulder-Denver area: Xfinity/Comcast 840 HD (430 & 431 SD), Pac-12 DISH channels include 406 and 413 (along with 5453 and 5454 in its auxiliary area). Streaming: Pac-12 Networks Live (Also available on Sling TV and FuboTV) Radio: KOA (850 AM - Local) Notes: The Colorado Buffaloes (5-2, 2-2 Pac-12) return home after two weeks on the Pac-12 road to host the Oregon State Beavers (1-6, 0-3 Pac-12) in a 1:10 p.m. MDT kickoff at Folsom Field ... It’s Colorado’s 104th Homecoming Game; the Buffaloes are 63-35-5 all-time on Homecoming, including two straight wins (40- 16 over Arizona State in 2016 and 44-28 over Cal last year) ... DT Javier Edwards will turn 22 on game day. The Pac-12 Network’s The Pregame show will be in town for the game; the hour-long program will air at Noon leading into the game (the set will be located just off Colorado Avenue adjacent to Gates 6 & 7); Ashley Adamson, Nigel Burton and Evan Moore are the hosts. CU fell out of the Top 25 (the Buffs were No. 25 in the USA Today/Coaches poll), but still received votes in last Sunday’s Associated Press balloting ... The Buffaloes need just one more win to become bowl-eligible for the second time under coach Mike MacIntyre (and for just the second time in the last 11 seasons). CU was the last undefeated team in the Pac-12 and the was the ninth remaining in the nation before its loss at USC ... Colorado has reeled off three straight wins over Oregon State to tie the series at 5-5; two of those games were in Corvallis (by a combined seven points); two years ago in Boulder the Buffs won by a 47-6 score, CU’s largest margin of victory in a league game since a 54-7 win over Kansas State in 1992 in the old Big 8 Conference ... Colorado opened 5- 0 for the first time since 1998; the loss to USC prevented a 6-0 start for the first time since 1994. Colorado is coming off a pair of road losses, 31-20 at Southern California two weeks ago and 27-13 last Saturday at Washington; CU led most of the first half and was down by one, 14-13, at intermission, but was held scoreless in the second half for the first time in 10 games … Oregon State also lost last weekend, falling 49-7 to California at home; the Bears scored 21 points in the game’s final 10 minutes but did hold the Beavers to just 241 total yards. The Oregon State game will be the 498th in Folsom Field’s history, counting down to No. 500 on Nov. 17.