Colorado football vs Colorado State: Live highlights, top performers
![DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 2: Running back Kyle Evans #21 of the Colorado Buffaloes leaps over the pile for a goal line rushing touchdown against the Colorado State Rams at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on September 2, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 2: Running back Kyle Evans #21 of the Colorado Buffaloes leaps over the pile for a goal line rushing touchdown against the Colorado State Rams at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on September 2, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/aa3635ee2daeb2a9bee4fe86e68b84b540167dd81685bd9563590501a013c8fe.jpg)
Colorado football opens their 2017 slate against the 1-0 Colorado State Rams. Catch the highlights here and stay tuned for three stars of the game.
More: 2017 Colorado football season preview, game predictions
My, my how quickly things change. The Colorado Buffaloes are the reigning PAC-12 South champions but you sure wouldn’t know it given how the national media has moved on to teams like USC and UCLA. That’s partly because Colorado might as well be a completely different team this year.
Quarterback Sefo Liufau has graduated leaving Steven Montez in charge of the Colorado offense. After that the offense is relatively intact. The defense is not. Chidobe Awuzie , Ahkello Witherspoon, and Tedrick Thompson were all starters in the secondary last season. All three of them were NFL Draft picks in the spring. That leaves a lot of holes.
Colorado State might be poised to take advantage of some inexperience Colorado defenders. Rams quarterback Nick Stevens had an impressive beginning to his season in Week 0 throwing for 334 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in a rout of Oregon State.
ESPN FPI favors the PAC-12 team this week, but not by a wide margin. By that metric, Colorado has a 61.4 percent chance of victory. Time will tell. Stay tuned here for in game updates, highlights and the three stars of the game.
Three Stars
- Phillip Lindsay’s 45 yard scamper would be more than Colorado State could muster all evening. He tallied 140 yards rushing on 19 carries and that one touchdown.
- Shay Fields was quarterback Steven Montez’s favorite target, connecting for six receptions, 78 yards and one score.
- CSU passer Nick Stevens was very good for the second game in a row. He racked up 309 yards passing and two interceptions. He had two touchdowns called back on penalties.
Highlights
GO TIME. pic.twitter.com/I8WM7LFvVu
— Colorado State Football (@CSUFootball) September 2, 2017
CU goes 3-and-out on its first drive. Kinney's punt is downed at the CSU 47 yard line. 12:12 left in the 1st quarter. 0-0 at the #RMShowdown
— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) September 2, 2017
Buffs force a 3-and-out. After a CSU punt, CU will take over at its own 10 yard line. 14:05 left in the 1st quarter #RMShowdown
— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) September 2, 2017
CU goes 3-and-out on its first drive. Kinney's punt is downed at the CSU 47 yard line. 12:12 left in the 1st quarter. 0-0 at the #RMShowdown
— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) September 2, 2017
After a CSU punt, the Buffs will take over at their own 6 yard line. 8:41 left in the 1st Q. 0-0 score at the #RMShowdown
— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) September 2, 2017
TOUCHDOWN! TOUCHDOWN COLORADO! PHILLIP LINDSAY FROM 45 YARDS OUT! #GoBuffs #NeverStopRising pic.twitter.com/vWGwuA7rbr
— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) September 2, 2017
James Stefano with his first college points! Buffs are up 10-0. Way to go, aussie! #GoBuffs #NeverStopRising pic.twitter.com/RbpqPhRWHS
— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) September 2, 2017
First Quarter Stats! All Buffs! #NeverStopRising pic.twitter.com/E06qSxjNoR
— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) September 2, 2017
Watch this touchdown pass to WR Shay Fields. Watch on Pac-12 Networks https://t.co/A1QCTCs5FB
— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) September 2, 2017
CU holds CSU to a field goal after the Rams get in the red zone. Buffs lead 17-3 with 9:56 left in the 2nd quarter #RMShowdown
— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) September 2, 2017
INTERCEPTION KEVIN NUTT!
— Colorado State Football (@CSUFootball) September 2, 2017
RAISE THAT BELT! pic.twitter.com/CQLbqxqARU
Isaiah Oliver says NOT THIS TIME! pic.twitter.com/qMgeYKrh05
— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) September 2, 2017
CU stops CSU on 4th down and will take over at its own 39 yard line with 6:37 left in the 2nd quarter #RMShowdown
— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) September 2, 2017
Halftime Stats: CSU up on time of possession, CU up on the scoreboard. #GoBuffs #RMShowdown #NeverStopRising pic.twitter.com/tm8kzh4D7b
— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) September 2, 2017
Woah. That was a strike by CSU quarterback Nick Stevens, but it's called back via penalty.
— Saturday Blitz (@SaturdayBlitz) September 2, 2017
Oh my god Colorado State had a touchdown taken off the board twice in three plays because of penalties and then threw an interception
— Yahoo Sports College Football (@YahooSportsCFB) September 2, 2017
EVAN WORTHINGTON WITH THE INTERCEPTION! CU's ball at the 17 yard line #RMShowdown pic.twitter.com/0JHfVpMU0P
— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) September 2, 2017
CU has now forced a CSU turnover in 19 consecutive meetings with 5 interceptions in the past 3 games #RMShowdown
— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) September 2, 2017
What a catch by J-Mac on 3rd down to keep the drive alive. pic.twitter.com/BxZcHwH8pz
— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) September 2, 2017
There's still time.#TearEmAsunder pic.twitter.com/zFRcambcZ5
— Colorado State Football (@CSUFootball) September 2, 2017
Forced fumble ✅
— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) September 2, 2017
Fumble recovery ✅
Sick return ✅@FizzyFo1 does it all #CSUvsCU
Watch: https://t.co/YfMNDWtSGW https://t.co/3WUHSDlIGU
It's not always pretty. But #BUFFSWIN pic.twitter.com/EuFHeydSD2
— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) September 2, 2017
Next: 2017 Top 50 players in college football
What’s Next
The Colorado Buffaloes don’t leave the state until a Sep. 30 trip to play UCLA in California. Next up after this contest is a home game against the Texas State Bobcats on Sep. 9. Also on that date, Colorado State hosts Abilene Christian. It will be the Rams third game of the season after they beat Oregon State to open their new stadium last weekend.