Utah Football: 3 takeaways from blowout win over Colorado in Week 14

3. Utah responded to pressure

The Buffaloes were playing with house money in this game. They were playing for an opportunity to go to a bowl game, but everything was on the line for the Utes. A win put Utah in the Pac-12 Championship Game against the Oregon Ducks and kept its College Football Playoff aspirations alive.

A Utah loss eliminated them from the championship game and the playoff. You always wonder how a team not used to a spot such as this will respond to the pressure. The Utes responded well to the pressure.

The Buffaloes started off well enough; they forced two three and outs to begin the game holding the Utes to four yards on their first two drives. The Buffs had to prove they could defend the Utes for four quarters and they could not.

Colorado’s game plan was to take away Utah’s star running back Zack Moss. They did a decent job against him for the most part, but when the Utes and offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig settled in, the Buffaloes had no answers for the Utah methodical ground and pound offense.