Colorado State Rams vs Colorado Buffaloes Football Recap

Now, the Colorado Buffaloes and their woebegone football program might finally be able to breathe free.

It’s been a long couple of years in Boulder. The Dan Hawkins era – which began with such promise after Hawkins maintained Boise State as an elite program in college football (before Chris Petersen raised the bar even higher) – has not yet produced a bowl win for the CU program. One of the things that really set back the Buffs was Hawkins’ recent reliance on (and use of) son Cody as his starting quarterback. The appearance of nepotism hovered over the program, which needed a fresh start in 2010.

Enter Tyler Hansen.

Colorado dispatched Colorado State on Saturday, rolling to a 24-3 win at Invesco Field at Mile High. CU’s defense had a lot to do with the outcome, but a foremost key for the Buffs is that their new starting quarterback looked solid.

The Buffs rolled to a 17-0 halftime lead under Hansen and added another third-quarter touchdown (24-0) before the Rams managed a fourth-quarter field goal to avoid being shutout in the series for the first time since 1957 (20-0).

Hansen finished with 17 completions in 25 attempts – a very solid 68-percent completion rate – for 192 yards and two touchdowns. He was intercepted only one time. CU coach Dan Hawkins had to like what he saw from his new field general. During CU's first-half surge, Hansen and his favorite target, receiver Scotty McKnight, connected on a pair of passes for 42 yards in an 82-yard Buffalo scoring drive.

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Colorado linebacker Jon Major's eight tackles topped a CU defense that overwhelmed CSU and its freshman quarterback, Pete Thomas. The Buffs intercepted him three times, allowed the Rams only 49 yards on the ground, and continuously sent the Rams’ offense trotting quickly off the field on a rapid-fire sequence of three-and-outs on their first three series of the day. Major made the game's most significant stop – a fourth-and-one stuff of Colorado State's running quarterback, T.J. Borcky, that gave the Buffs possession on the Rams' 44-yard line.

Five plays later, Hansen and receiver Travon Patterson, a transfer from Southern California, teamed for an 18-yard touchdown pass to give Colorado a 7-0 lead .

In addition to his two touchdown passes, Hansen also ran eight times for 32 yards, including a 1-yard scoring sneak. True, he was sacked twice and lost 30 yards, but he stood tall in the pocket and presided over CU’s offense with considerable poise and levelheadedness. That’s not what Cody Hawkins brought to the position in seasons past.

Still, coupled with tailback Rodney Stewart's 16 carries for 68 yards, Hansen's mobility also gave the Buffaloes a running dimension they didn't have in last season's 23-17 loss to the Rams.

Colorado finished with 115 rushing yards in this tilt. It was just one more component of a complete team performance that came as a pleasant surprise for any backer of the Buffaloes, a team that might now enjoy a settled and stable quarterback. Let's see what this team can do as the young season continues.

By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer