COLUMBUS, OH – For the eighteenth straight time, the Buffs lose away from home, falling to Ohio State 37-17.
CU’s four opening drives ended after three plays.
Quarterback Tyler Hansen threw for 237 yards with two touchdowns going to Toney Clemons and Tyler McCulloch. The passing game continues to be the only way the Buffs can move the ball, as Rodney Stewart never got ryhthm behind his offensive line.
The Buffs ran for only 78 yards, while allowing the Buckeyes to run 44 times for 226. Stewart gained 56 of those yards on 11 carries, but fumbled twice, including once on a punt return. That muff set up the Buckeyes at their own 11-yard line before halftime and they capatilized with a field goal.
(CU Independent illustration/Josh Shettler)
Special teams seemed problematic all day for the Buffs. CU had a kickoff go out of bounds, allowed a 90-yard return, and rarely advanced the ball beyond the 20.
On average, CU began posession at their own 17-yard line. Their poor position and two turnovers proved to slow the offense from establishing any pace.
Ohio State’s freshman quarterback Braxton Miller earned his first career start, piling up a symmetric 83 yards passing and 83 yards rushing. His quickness caused major problems for CU’s front-seven, making them second guess each time he dropped back in the pocket.
Missed tackles and slow-moving coverage doomed the Buffs, who open Pac-12 play next week against Washington State at Folsom Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 pm.
Contact CU Independent Sports Editor Michael Krumholtz at Michael.krumholtz@colorado.edu
