SPORTS
Saturday, October 1, 2016
East Oregonian
Page 3B
College Football
Colorado aims to stay hot at home against Oregon State
By PAT GRAHAM
Associated Press
BOULDER, Colo. — The
Colorado Buffaloes were greeted
by a swarm of fans upon their early
morning return last weekend.
That sort of welcoming brigade
hasn’t happened often in recent
memory. Neither have wins of this
magnitude.
The new and improved Buffa-
loes (3-1, 1-0 Pac-12) stunned
Oregon 41-38 in Eugene behind
the performance of freshman
quarterback Steven Montez. They
try to follow it up Saturday as an 18
1/2-point favorite against Oregon
State (1-2).
As for a possible hangover
effect, well, Colorado insisted the
page has been turned. This is a team
on the cusp of appearing in the AP
Top 25 poll and trying to make a
bowl appearance for the irst time
since 2007.
“Our goal every week is to go
1-0 and our ultimate goal is to be
Pac-12 champions,” cornerback
Chidobe Awuzie said. “In the grand
scheme of things, it deinitely helps
that and we were happy after the
win. But now we’re just trying to
focus in on Oregon State and keep
this train rolling.”
Everyone
around
campus
appears on board, because the looks
are way friendlier these days. The
conversations, too.
Oregon State
Colorado
Beavers
Buffaloes
(1-2)
(3-1, 1-0)
• Today, 11:30 a.m.
• at Folsom Field
• TV: PAC 12 Network
AP Photo/Timothy J. Gonzalez
Oregon State’s Victor Bolden Jr. (6) makes his way past Boise
State defenders on a kick return in the irst half of an NCAA college
football game in Corvallis, Ore., on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2016.
“We sense a lot more trust among
people and they trust us to come
out with wins this time around,”
receiver Bryce Bobo said.
The schedule certainly doesn’t
get any easier with the remaining
teams after Saturday a combined
17-9. There’s also this: Colorado
hasn’t exactly followed up big wins
with a string of more big wins.
The Buffaloes knocked off a
ranked West Virginia squad in
2008, only to go 2-7 the rest of the
way. They beat Georgia in 2010, but
followed it up by going 2-6 during
a season in which then-coach Dan
Hawkins lost his job.
“Being in all those close games
has deinitely helped us build to
where we are now,” Awuzie said.
“We’ve gone through so much
adversity that I feel as though,
whatever comes at us, we’ll be
ready.”
Beavers coach Gary Andersen
appreciates what the Buffaloes have
accomplished under coach Mike
MacIntyre, who’s in his fourth
season at Colorado. Andersen is
trying to revitalize the program in
Corvallis.
“They’ve continued to recruit
and battle like crazy and ight in
games and get better and better,”
Andersen said. “And now they’re
starting to see those W’s come their
way.”
Things to know as Oregon State
and Colorado meet for a ninth time
(the Beavers lead 5-3):
DECISIONS, DECISIONS:
MacIntyre has quite a QB quan-
dary — go with senior captain
Sefo Liufau on a hurt ankle or the
freshman Montez who has the hot
hand. Montez accounted for 468
yards of total offense in the win
over the Ducks. Liufau has broken
virtually every school passing mark
during his time at Colorado. “We
need both of them, because some-
body’s going to get dinged up,”
MacIntyre said. “We need both of
those guys ready to play.”
FAST START: The Buffaloes
have scored on their opening
possession in every game this
season. For good measure, they’ve
also gotten points in three of their
four opening drives in the second
half. “They’ve built themselves a
very good football team,” Andersen
said. “They’ve ground through the
process without question. They’re
playing well.”
BOLDEN
ADVENTURE:
Oregon State’s Victor Bolden Jr.
leads the nation with a 40.2-yard
average on kickoff returns. What’s
more, he has two plays covering 90
or more yards — one on a 92-yard
sweep against Idaho State and
another on a 99-yard kickoff return
last weekend against Boise State .
Bolden hurt Colorado last season
with four returns for 110 yards.
“He’s a huge difference-maker,”
Andersen said. “Victor is having a
nice year for us at this point.”
MORE OFFENSIVE: The
Beavers are averaging 28 points
in three games, which is up from
a season ago. They’re allowing 25
points — also an improvement.
“They are a much-improved
football team from last year when
we played them,” said MacIntyre,
whose team beat the Beavers 17-13
last season in Corvallis to end a
14-game conference skid.
College Football
Ducks take on Cougars in match of underperformers
By NICHOLAS K.
GERANIOS
Associated Press
Washington
State
defeated Oregon in double
overtime last year, a game
that ignited the Cougars’ run
to a 9-4 record and a bowl
game victory over Miami.
“That was a turning point
for us,” said Washington
State quarterback Luke Falk,
who threw for 505 yards and
ive touchdowns in the game
in Eugene.
On Saturday, Washington
State (1-2) will host Oregon
in another game the Cougars
hope can light a ire under a
team that has mostly under-
performed so far this season.
Safety Colton Teglovic
said last year’s game proved
to the Cougars that they
could win a close contest in
a tough environment.
“We used that as a spring-
board,” Teglovic said.
But Washington State
coach Mike Leach isn’t
much for looking backward,
and doesn’t want his team
Oregon
Wash. State
Ducks
Cougars
(2-2, 0-1)
(1-2)
• Today, 6:30 p.m.
• at Martin Stadium
• TV: PAC 12 Network
thinking about last year.
“This is 2016,” Leach
said. “If they go in a time
machine, or Captain Kirk,
they’ll miss the whole thing
by a year and the Klingons
are gonna kill them all. They
better focus on this year or
it won’t be a productive,
happy experience.”
One thing the Cougars
need to improve on is their
slow starts.
“We’ve just got to stop
coming out lat,” said corner-
back Marcellus Pippins.
“We’ve been coming out
lat the last couple of games.
We’ve got to start fast and
have a rhythm coming out.”
Oregon (2-2, 0-1 Pac-12)
is coming off a 41-38 loss
to Colorado, the Buffaloes’
AP Photo/Chris Pietsch
In this Sept. 10, 2016, ile photo, Oregon running back
Royce Freeman runs against Virginia during the sec-
ond half of an NCAA college football game in Eugene.
irst win over Oregon since
joining the Pac-12 in 2011.
Quarterback Dakota Prukop
was intercepted in the end
zone on Oregon’s inal drive
to kill a comeback attempt.
Two days after the loss,
Oregon held a players-only
meeting after practice.
“We just want guys to
play harder, to give it all they
got, particularly on special
teams,” receiver Dwayne
Stanford said. “We want
everyone who touches the
ield to give it all they got.”
Oregon has been slowed
by injuries, with defensive
end Jalen Jelks and defen-
sive tackle Drayton Carlberg
doubtful to play against
the Cougars. The status of
star running back Royce
Freeman is unclear.
Inexperience is also an
issue, with 11 freshmen
included on Oregon’s offen-
sive and defensive two-deep
depth chart prior to Satur-
day’s loss to Colorado.
Coach Mark Helfrich
said it’s too early to panic.
“We were left for dead
last year and bounced back,”
he said. “We were left for
dead the year before and that
turned out OK.”
“I told the team, and
I believe it 100 percent,
this team can be special,”
Helfrich said.
Some things to watch
when Oregon plays at Wash-
ington State:
RAH, RAH: Falk said
he needs to take a greater
leadership role. “This year
I’ve got to be more of an
energy guy,” said Falk, who
isn’t the type for speeches.
“I’m kind of a calm, even-
keeled guy, it’s deinitely not
within my personality, but I
deinitely can do it.”
WILL
ROYCE
ROLL?: Freeman, who
ran for 246 yards and three
touchdowns against the
Cougars last year, may not
play. The Ducks do not talk
about injuries, but Freeman
suffered a leg injury two
weeks ago against Nebraska
and did not play in Oregon’s
loss to Colorado. The
Cougars say his injury status
is of no concern to them
because Oregon has other
weapons. “The other backs
are good too,” Leach said.
“It really doesn’t change
anything.”
MORROW RETURNS:
Washington State junior
running back Jamal Morrow
was ejected in the second
half of the Idaho game
after oficials ruled that he
appeared to punch an Idaho
defender at the end of a
special teams play, an act
that could have required
Morrow to miss the irst half
of the Oregon game. But
Washington State oficials
say because Morrow was
tossed for unsportsmanlike
conduct, not targeting, the
penalty does not carry over
to the next game.
College Football
College Roundup
Timberwolves claw Washington stuns Stanford in Top-10 clash
back to .500 in East
By TIM BOOTH
Associated Press
East Oregonian
PENDLETON — The
Blue Mountain Timber-
wolves clawed their way
back to the .500 mark in
the NWAC East on Friday
night, beating Columbia
Basin 3-1.
The
Timberwolves
(14-13, 3-3) jumped on
Columbia Basin quickly in
the irst two sets, winning
23-11 and 25-16 before
CBC was able to win the
third set 25-21. However,
the Timberwolves were
able to inish off the win in
the fourth sets with a 25-19
victory.
Jordan Mix led the Blue
Mountain offense with 13
kills and Shelby Schreier
had 11. Other team leaders
included Karly Cantu with
25 assists and 14 digs,
and three aces, and Bailey
Buckner with nine blocks.
Blue Mountain next
heads to Big Bend on
Wednesday for a 6 p.m.
match.
EASTERN OREGON
3,
OREGON
TECH
0 — At Klamath Falls, the
Mountaineers notched their
16th straight victory on
the season as they swept
Oregon Tech 25-21, 25-17,
25-22 on Friday.
Junior Amanda Miller
led the Mountaineers (16-1,
9-0 CCC) with 17 kills, and
junior Madisen Garlie had
10 and Kasaundra Tuma
had seven. Rachelle Cham-
berlain led the team with
41 assists and Holli Mullins
added a career-high 22 digs.
Next up for EOU (16-1,
9-0 CCC) is a trip to Ashland
to take on No. 18 Southern
Oregon today at 5 p.m.
MEN’S SOCCER
OREGON TECH 1,
EASTERN OREGON 0
— At La Grande, the Moun-
taineers were stonewalled
twice in the 77th minute and
didn’t get off another shot as
Oregon Tech closed out the
Cascade Collegiate Confer-
ence shutout win on Friday.
Austin
Schoenmann
scored off a pass from
Michael Page in the 41st
minute for Oregon Tech
(8-1-1, 5-0 CCC).
Next up for EOU (6-3-1,
1-3-1) is a home game
against Southern Oregon
today at 1 p.m.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
EASTERN OREGON
4, OREGON TECH 0 —
At La Grande, Tegan Davis-
court scored with 36 second
left in the irst half to extend
Eastern Oregon’s lead to
3-0, and the Mountaineers
cruised to a Cascade Colle-
giate Conference win on
Friday.
The goal came in tran-
sition after EOU’s Jessica
Parker made her only save
of the game. Cydni Cottrell
checked in with 15 minutes
left in the game to inish
out the shutout, but didn’t
have to make a save as EOU
out-shot OIT 21-7.
Eastern (7-2-2, 4-0-1
CCC) will host Southern
Oregon today at 3:30 p.m.
SEATTLE — Jake Browning
threw for 210 yards and three touch-
downs, Myles Gaskin added 100
yards and two scores, and No. 10
Washington was dominant on both
sides, overwhelming No. 7 Stanford
44-6 on Friday night.
After months of hype that Wash-
ington (5-0, 2-0 Pac-12) was on the
verge of a breakout, the Huskies
showed they were ready for their
return to the national stage.
And they did it emphatically,
handing Stanford (3-1, 2-1) its worst
loss since a 41-3 setback against
Arizona State in
2007.
The
Huskies
AP Photo/Ted S. Warren
raced
to
a
23-0
half-
No. 7 Stanford
Washington
wide
receiver
John
Ross
(1)
celebrates
after
Washington
time lead, scored ning back Myles Gaskin scored a touchdown against Stanford in the run-
irst
early in the second half of an NCAA college football game, Friday, Sept. 30, 2016, in Seattle.
half to go up 30-0
and coasted to their
TAKEAWAYS
biggest
victory Trophy aspirations hit a major speed
bump.
McCaffrey
was
held
to
49
over
an
AP
Top
10
Stanford: The Cardinal were unex-
No. 10 Wash.
team since beating yards rushing on 12 carries, ive pectedly sloppy. Stanford committed
No. 5 Southern catches for 30 yards and continued his 11 penalties after entering the week as
California 31-0 in streak of never scoring an offensive the least penalized team in the Pac-12.
1990. That game 26 touchdown in a road game.
There were communication issues in
It was McCaffrey’s fewest yards part due to the roaring Washington
years ago announced Washington as a
national contender and the Huskies rushing since 2014 at California when crowd, but also a lack of sharpness
went on to share the national title a he had 19 yards on three carries.
not normally seen from David Shaw’s
Stanford’s only TD came late in the team.
year later with Miami — taking the
coaches’ version while Miami topped third quarter on a 19-yard pass from
Washington: The defense was up
Ryan Burns to J.J. Arcega-Whiteside.
the AP media poll.
to
the task of keeping McCaffrey
Burns was 15 of 22 for 151 yards,
Browning was the leader of an
under
control and forcing Burns to
eficient offense that scored on six of but Washington controlled the line of
beat
them
through the air. McCaffrey
its eight drives. He threw touchdowns scrimmage on both sides. Stanford
had
34
yards
on 10 carries in the irst
of 3 yards to Dante Pettis, 19 yards to quarterbacks were sacked eight times,
John Ross and capped the night with six in the irst half. Stanford had half and forced the Cardinal into
a 3-yarder to Aaron Fuller with 5:30 allowed only four total sacks in the numerous long third-down situations.
That allowed Washington to bring
remaining. Browning was 15 of 21 irst three games combined.
Stanford was playing short- extra pass rushers to get to Burns.
and did not commit a turnover.
UP NEXT
Equally important was Washing- handed without starting cornerbacks
Stanford: The Cardinal head home
ton’s ability to establish a running Quenton Meeks and Alijah Holder,
game. The Huskies rushed for 214 starting wide receiver Francis Owusu after two straight weeks on the road to
yards and averaged 5.2 yards per and starting fullback Daniel Marx. host Washington State.
Washington: The Huskies travel
Starting right tackle Casey Tucker
carry.
Meanwhile, Stanford star Chris- limped off with an apparent leg injury to Oregon looking to snap a 12-game
losing streak to the Ducks.
tian McCaffrey saw his Heisman late in the fourth quarter.
6
44