BOULDER – The Buffs are officially back!

Following an 11-month absence, the Colorado Buffaloes took to the football field to take on the UCLA Bruins. The Buffs knocked off the Bruins 48-42. It was an impressive win in an empty Folsom Field, but it could have been better: Colorado held a 28-point first-half lead that narrowed as the night went on.

Here’s what you need to know about the Buffs’ season-opener:

Sam Noyer can play ball

The biggest question for Colorado was its quarterback: Sam Noyer.

Noyer is in his fifth season at CU, but he hasn’t seen the field much. He’d picked up 41 garbage time passing attempts throughout his career but had never started a game. Last year, Noyer switched positions and spent the season at safety, with the intent to transfer somewhere to play quarterback again after the season.

But the Buffs offered a chance at the starting job, and Noyer opted to stay.

Colorado fans should be thrilled that he did.

The numbers may not jump off the page–257 yards and a touchdown on 20-31 passing–but Noyer was in total control of his offense, and he made big throws at big times. He was nails on third downs, keeping the offense on the field more often than not. He did miss on one third-down throw to Brady Russell, but that was an outlier.

Noyer also ran the bell remarkably well. His 64 rushing yards and touchdown on 13 attempts added a big boost to the Colorado offense. The read-option was clicking for the Buffs on Saturday. Going forward, Noyer may want to slide more often and avoid a couple of hits, but his physicality as a runner is his strength, so he may just keep rolling with what’s working for him.

If you were worried about the quarterback situation coming into the game, you weren’t alone.

But it seems as though the Buffs have found their man.

Jarek Broussard is living up to the hype

With Sam Noyer making his first career start, the absence of starting running back Alex Fontenot seemed like it could be a crucial blow.

Sophomore Jarek Broussard put those concerns to bed quickly.

Broussard was a lightning bolt from his first touch, and by the end of the first half, he’d amassed 110 yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries.

The 5-foot-9 running back was one of the stars of fall camp, so his arrival on Saturday wasn’t a total surprise. Various coaches and players had raved about Broussard’s play during practices, with running backs coach Darian Hagan going so far as to compare the running back to Rodney Stewart, Colorado’s second-all-time leading rusher. Offensive coordinator Darrin Chiaverini said he was one of the best high school zone runners he’d ever seen.

On Saturday, Broussard lived up to all of the praise. His speed is his calling card, but his ability to use it is just as special. Broussard doesn’t keep the pedal pressed all the way down, he waits for something to develop in front of him and then slams on the gas. He hits the hole hard, but he isn’t out of control–he can shake past a defender who thinks he’s going to meet Broussard at the line of scrimmage and stuff him. It’s truly special stuff.

Broussard was unstoppable on Saturday–posting 187 yards on 31 carries with 21 receiving yards–and he figures to be a key part of the Buffs’ identity going forward.

(Oh, and the offensive line deserves loads of credit for its contributions to the Buffs big night running the ball. There were a couple of miscues, particularly early in the game, but this unit should also be seen as a massive part of Colorado’s identity.)

The defense gave up some big plays

The Colorado defense played a good game, but it was far from perfect.

The problem, like it was for most of last season, was the big plays.

More often than not, Colorado’s defense was incredibly stout on Saturday. In the first half, seven of UCLA’s nine drives were three plays or fewer. The Buffs put the clamps on the Bruins.

But there were a couple of mistakes that changed the shape of the game.

First, a screen pass to Demetric Felton that the running back carried 28 yards to the house.

Then, Dorian Thompson-Robinson hit tight end Greg Dulcich–who was wide open in the middle of the field–for a 52-yard touchdown.

And on the second play of the second half,  Thompson-Robinson carried the ball 65 yards to the end zone to pull within two scores.

Those mistakes are eerily similar to the mistakes that doomed the Buffs in a handful of games in the early parts of 2019. Colorado will need to eliminate those mistakes going forward.