After their uninspired loss to Arizona State, Colorado's bowl chances seemed to have slipped away. Their Friday night game against Houston looked the same way as the Cougars jumped out to a 20-7 lead with 2:36 left in the first half. However, the Buffaloes flipped the script with two touchdowns, taking a 21-20 lead into halftime.
Colorado's momentum carried over into the second half when they put up another 22 points, forced two turnovers, and stopped Houston on two different two-point conversions. It took all three phases, but the Buffaloes came out on top with a final score of 42-32.
Here is the report card from Colorado's second Big 12 win of the season.
Quarterback
Grade: B+
Isaac Wilson didn't do much that was overly impressive, but he did exactly what
the Buffaloes needed him to do. He kept the ball out of harm's way (the interception was bad luck, not a poor decision on Wilson's part) and was generally accurate throughout the game. Wilson threw it away when he needed to and never tried to force anything. Kanal Sweetwyne was also solid when he had to come in for Wilson after he was injured, scoring a 14-yard rushing touchdown.
Running Backs
Grade: A+
Colorado is now 4-1 when they rush for at least 180 yards, with their only loss being against Northwestern. This team runs through the running backs, and they were on in this game. The Buffaloes averaged 6.4 yards per carry, and three different backs scored at least one touchdown. Richard Young got things going with his 38-yard rushing touchdown, followed by DeKalon Taylor's 67-yard touchdown and JaQuail Smith's 32-yard touchdown. All of those scores were in the second quarter and greatly shifted the momentum. At the end of the game, Colorado demoralized Houston's defensive line by running it down their throats when the Cougars needed a stop. This was easily the running back room's best game of the season.
Receivers and Tight Ends
Grade: A
This was also probably the best game of the season for Colorado's receivers and tight ends. Perhaps best of all, they didn't have to rely solely on Joseph Williams, although he did score a 53-yard touchdown in the third quarter, which also turned out to be the Buffaloes' only receiving touchdown of the game. DeAndre Moore Jr. also had a solid game with five receptions for 53 yards, while tight end Charlie Williams had a 25-yard reception to set up Young's second touchdown of the game. This was a really good game from Colorado's skill players, and if they keep playing like this, they will be bowl-eligible.
Offensive Line
Grade: A+
The offensive line has probably been Colorado's most consistent position group this year. Their five games with at least 180 rushing yards show how well the offensive line has played. This is also their second game in the past three weeks with at least 200 rushing yards after not having a single game with over 200 rushing yards in the first seven games of the year. Also, Houston's defense finished this game without a single sack thanks to Colorado's offensive line. This really is an elite unit for the Buffaloes.
Defense
Grade: B-
Anytime you allow 32 points, there are things you could have done better on defense. Colorado allowed Houston to score 17 points in the second quarter alone. But holding the Cougars to a field goal on two of their offensive possessions proved key for the Buffaloes, as it allowed them to get back in this game before halftime. They also generated two takeaways in the second half. This was the first time in nearly a month Colorado's defense took the ball away.
Special Teams
Grade: A
For once, special teams actually helped Colorado. Moore's 34-yard punt return set up the Buffaloes for their third touchdown before halftime and gave them a 21-20 lead. Backup kicker Daniel Gerlach also made all six of his extra-point attempts, which was crucial to making this a two-point game and forcing the Cougars to go for a two-point conversion multiple times. Punter Damon Greaves also had a 75-yard punt in the second quarter, which is one of the longest punts in the FBS this season.
Coaching
Grade: B
My biggest complaint with the coaching is the fourth-down play call in the fourth quarter. It was fourth and three from Houston's 37-yard line. With a backup kicker, it is understandable that they did not go for the 54-yard field goal, and with it being fourth and short, it is clear why they did not punt. However, the play call set them up for failure and temporarily gave Houston some momentum as they scored a touchdown on the ensuing drive. Otherwise, there were no major coaching mistakes.
Overall
Grade: A
This was Colorado's best performance of the season, with their offensive explosion starting in the second half and their defense finally getting a few takeaways. The Buffaloes need to play like this in their final two games to become bowl-eligible.
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This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Colorado football report card, grades from 42-32 win over Houston
