@UNCBearsFB Shows Plenty of Heart In Loss to Colorado

Saturday, September 16

Boulder, Colo.

12:00 p.m.

University of Northern Colorado

1-1

University of Colorado

3-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Northern Colorado

Colorado

Photo by: Rob Trubia

9/16/2017 6:15:00 PM | Football

Box Score

Northern Colorado football didn't back down to the challenge of facing FBS Colorado Saturday afternoon.

By: By Ryan Pfeifer, UNCBears.com

BOULDER, Colo. – The Northern Colorado football team came into Folsom Field Saturday afternoon and didn't back down to the challenge of facing the defending Pac-12 South Division Champions Colorado. UNC battled well but ultimately fell to CU 41-21.

The loss moves Northern Colorado's record to 1-1, as they head into Big Sky Conference play next weekend.

(9/16/2017) Football at Colorado

The Bears defense came out and set the mentality of the game for the team by forcing Colorado's offense to a three and out. Safety Stone Kane made a key tackle on third down stopping the Buffs' quarterback Steven Montez just shy of the line to gain.

Northern Colorado's offense responded to its defense's strong start by moving down the field against a stingy Colorado defense that had not allowed a touchdown in its first two games of the year. That streak ended as Jacob Knipp found an open Alex Wesley down the left side of the field for a 33-yard strike and early 7-0 lead.

After being held to a three and out to start the game, Colorado's offense responded quickly to the Bears score. Their second drive began with a big 37 yard pass. CU rode the legs of running back Phillip Lindsay down to the UNC 4-yard line. Montez ended up finding wide receiver Devin Ross on third and goal to even the game at 7.

A Northern Colorado fumble on the next possession from a bad snap set up CU in prime territory to take its first lead of the game. The very first play following the fumble P. Lindsay scored from five yards out to make it a 14-7 game.

Northern Colorado earned a prime chance of its own to even the game at 14 after a punt hit off of the leg of Colorado's Daniel Talley and UNC recovered at their own 48. On the first play after retaining possession, the Bears took a shot deep but just missed as Knipp's pass went through the hands of a streaking Hakeem Deggs down the middle of the field for a would-be touchdown.

Follow that drive that ended up stalling for UNC, CU came out and marched right down the field to make it a 21-7 ballgame. Key plays to the Buffs scoring drive included a 13 and 38 yard pass by Montez to move them inside the UNC 30. The Bears looked to of held Colorado to a field goal, but Montez escaped the pass rush and found a wide open Shay Fields for a 28 yard touchdown.

Colorado looked to of seized all of the momenta in the game when they took a 28-7 lead on a 29 yard pass with 4:23 on the clock before the half.

UNC never stopped competing though, having it's next to last possession of the half extended by a targeting call on 3rd and 7. They did not waste the opportunity, as Knipp connected with Wesley for the second time of the day for a touchdown. This time, it was a 52-yard bomb that put Northern Colorado back in the end zone.

CU looked to score before the half ended, with an efficient two-minute drill, putting them all the way down to the Northern Colorado 28-yard line. Stone Kane, came up with another big play for the Bears defense, as he intercepted his first pass as a Bear at the four and returned it 44 yards.

Unable to take advantage of the pick, and move into scoring territory before the half, UNC went into the locker room down 28-14.

Northern Colorado received the opening kickoff and marched right down the field against the Colorado defense. A roughing the passer penalty set up the Bears scoring play by putting them on the 27-yard line of CU. Knipp found tight end Mike McCauley down the left sideline to make it a one-score game at 28-21, Colorado.

The Buffaloes looked to be marching down the field on a scoring drive until Sherand Boyd Jr. forced a fumble at the Colorado 20-yard line, recovered by Willie Fairman. With momentum in their favor, the Bears were unable to capitalize on the opportunity.

Following that missed chance, UNC was unable to close the gap on Colorado the rest of the way, as CU scored 13-unanswered points.

Northern Colorado will now take its experience from this game and look to rebound next Saturday when they host Idaho State at Nottingham Field at 1 pm in the Big Sky opener for both teams.

Game notes
- For the second straight game, Alex Wesley led the Bears in receiving with 105 yards on five catches and a pair of touchdowns.
- Quarterback Jacob Knipp started the game, by connecting on his first six pass attempts in the game. He finished it going 19-34 for 202 yards and three touchdowns.
- After going without a turnover in the season opener, UNC had its first turnover of the year on Saturday when a botched snapped was recovered by Colorado.
- Running back Trae Riek finished the game with 59 yards rushing, moving him into the UNC Top 10 all-time for rushing yards. He now has 1,619 yards in his career, passing Mike Woolford (1965-67).
- Kicker Collin Root did not give CU any chances to return a kick-off, as he recorded four touchbacks in the game.
- The Bears struggled on third down, converting just one of its 14 opportunities.
- Kiefer Glau led the Bears with 10 tackles, nine solo and one for a loss.
- Northern Colordo had on sack in the game from Kiefer Morris, brining his season total to 1.5.

What they said
Head Coach Earnest Collins

General thoughts on game
"When you come play a Pac-12 team and you start three freshmen on the offensive line, and you can throw for what should have been four touchdowns you cannot be disappointed. They grew up today. I really wanted to see how those dudes were going to perform against this competition. I told them that I wanted to see the heart, I want to see the muscle that you can't condition. They came out and showed it today. We learned a lot about ourselves this week. Now we'll get back and watch some field and see where we have to tweak some things defensively, offensively and on special teams."

On being one play away in the second half
"We talked about it at halftime, I told these guys, 'we get the ball first, we're going to go out and score a touchdown, we're going to get a turnover and give the ball back to our offense to go tie it up'. Come of that came true, but we didn't go out there and get that second touchdown It's not about moral victories, it's about what you are learning about yourself. I know that we've got a team with guys full of heart and they will fight their tails off to go get W's."

Colorado Head Coach Mike MacIntyre

General thoughts on the game and playing Northern Colorado
"Our guys played hard. Coach Collins and the University of Northern Colorado made some big plays on us. I knew their quarterback could throw it and I knew No. 81 (Alex Wesley) can run. We didn't do a good enough of staying on top of them and they made some plays there. We had some uncustomary penalties. I did a poor job coaching our D-line knowing that they were going to do grid-routes. They did play-action, then got really deep with their quarterback. You come off your blocks and you're farther away from the quarterback than you are in the usual pocket. Our kids are trying to run and make him hurry and had a couple late hits. It's a situation where we've got to do a better job at coaching them on that. That hurt us a couple drives for sure. Our offense got after it and did some things. We got called for penalties here and there, but we were moving the ball. The turnovers in the red zone hurt us. We should have had 14 more points there easily and didn't. Overall, I think we played hard and I think UNC played hard."

Quarterback Jacob Knipp

On his three touchdowns
"It was just straight, man-to-man coverage and we were able to get Alex Wesley on those first two down the middle. He was able to put a move on the safety and get over the top so I just threw it and let him get under it."

On any takeaways from today
"You take the good and the bad so we are going to watch film tomorrow. We will take the good and learn from the bad so that we can carry it over to conference play."

Wide Receiver Alex Wesley

On how he scored his touchdowns
"We saw what they were going to do against those routes and came out and executed. I was able to beat #26 (Isaiah Oliver on a couple of routes and (Jacob) Knipp put the ball there."

Safety Stone Kane

About how this game will affect the team going into conference play
"We don't prepare any differently for a Pac-12 game than we do for a conference game. It's just opponent number two and opponent number three. We're going to take the same approach that we took this week, into conference play next week. We've felt like all year that we're going to be a good team. I'm excited."

What's ahead
Northern Colorado opens Big Sky Conference play next weekend when they host Idaho State at Nottingham Field at 1 pm. The Bengals take on Nevada later tonight.

Tickets are available for the game by visiting UNCBears.com, the Nottingham Field box office Monday through Friday from 10 am – 6 pm or by calling 970-351-4849.

To stay up to date on all things UNC football, visit UNCBears.com and follow the team on Twitter at @UNCBearsFB.