The Rise is Real: Buffaloes clip Ducks in Eugene

 

They did it.

The Colorado Buffaloes broke a curse that’s plagued them for almost a decade. Ever since they entered the Pac-12 the Buffs have struggled to win games. Win games at home, win games on the road—really, they’ve struggled to beat anyone noteworthy. That all changed in Eugene, Oregon on Saturday.

Four seasons ago the Buffaloes were down 50-0 at half in Eugene. Just two seasons ago the Oregon Ducks were playing for the national title. Today, the Buffaloes shocked the Ducks 41-38 in their vaunted home stadium.

After stopping Oregon on a three-and-out on their first drive, Colorado was ready to get ahead. Led by backup quarterback Steven Montez, the Buffs went 80 yards down the field to take a 7-0 lead. The big play, a 33-yard run by Phil Lindsay put CU in the red zone. From there, Montez would take the ball himself into the end zone.

After stopping Oregon deep in their own territory on another three-and-out, the Buffs took advantage of the good field-position. Driving 41 yards, Kyle Evans carried the Buffs to a short field goal for backup kicker Chris Graham to nail through.

But the Ducks wouldn’t go down easy. Lead by their run game, the home team drove 76 yards on five plays. Capped by a Dakota Prukop pass, Oregon cut the lead to 10-7.

The Buffs would strike back, this time on an 87-yard drive. The redshirt freshman Montez was terrific, he capped the drive as well with a seven-yard pass to Shay Fields. Taking five minutes on 12 plays, the young gunslinger showed his poise on the drive.

Afterward, Jim Levitt’s defense would come through again, giving the offense great field position to tack on. On four quick plays, one big one—a 61-yard pass to Ross—the Buffs added seven. Extending their lead to 23-7.

Yet the half wasn’t even over. Back came Oregon with a TD for themselves on a 25 yard Darren Carrington II catch. And then there was CU again. Nabbing a field goal to end the half, matching one from the Ducks. It’d be 26-17 at the half.

And that’s when it started to come apart for the Buffaloes. Despite a five play 75-yard drive, which was finished by a beautiful 48-yard catch from Ross, Colorado came out flat following the break.

Oregon rallied, scoring three unanswered touchdowns. Gaining 181 of their 399 yards to that point in the third quarter alone. The Ducks would be ahead 38-33 entering the fourth quarter and it started to look like the same old story for the Buffaloes.

It appeared the Buffs were about to do what they did last week, last year and the last 10 years. It looked like the Buffs would fold.

Hit in the mouth after a stellar first half and playing with a backup QB they could’ve quit. It would have been easy to quit, but they didn’t.

Montez, making just his first start, took after the usual starter and hobbled his way down the field, picking up the first down of the drive on a 32-yard scramble. Then he rushed for another eight, putting him over the century mark on the ground for the day. Following that scamper, he bullied his way for nine more on the ground, putting Colorado on the Oregon 30, down five.

That’s when Montez hit Bryce Bobo for a 30-yard strike. Like a magician displaying his classic trick, Bobo once again came down with a remarkable one-handed grab while tip-towing the sideline.

His effort was not good enough.

At least on first thought.

The play went to review and after the suspense built for minutes, CU fans praying with optimism. . . Touchdown. Colorado led Oregon 39-38. A two-point conversion gave the buffaloes a three-point lead.

The two Pac-12 programs traded positions but Oregon would end up with the ball, all three timeouts and plenty of time on the clock.

They made use of that time, driving. Picking up the sticks and moving them down the field.

Tedric Thompson almost stopped Oregon too, dropping an easy interception. The play foreshadowed what was to come.

The Ducks kept going, entering field goal range, looking to end the game in regulation by crossing the goal line.

Black & Gold hope began to dwindle as Prukop dropped back just 10 yards short of the end zone. He looked, he saw, he had his man. He was open in the end zone.

Not so fast.

Just as all the culmination of an eternity of work was teetering, Ahkello Witherspoon sealed the game, rising up and picking off Prukop.

Colorado sat on the ball, Mike MacIntyre cried and the Buffaloes did it. They won a huge road game against a Pac-12 power.

“I feel like this is a signature victory for us,” MacIntyre said, his eyes red with tears. “Four years ago the score was like 50-0 at halftime. I’d like to thank these guys, I’d like to thank all the people at home believing in us.”

“God put us here,” he added, now overcome with emotion. “When we were losing, God had us there. And when we won God had us here. . . God is there all the time. And I want everyone to understand that. Just keep believing, keep taking a step forward, and keep pushing.

The rise is real.