Boulder, CU – Colorado advances to 4-0 for the first time in history since 1998. The Buffaloes key playmakers quarterback Steven Montez who went 22 of 26 with 237 passing yards and 3 touchdowns.
Receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. caught for a career-best 12 passes, one receiving and one rushing touchdown. He made the first touchdown of the night for Colorado with a 57-yard reception thrown by Montez to make the score 7-7 early in the first.
“There were a couple times that we had him down but he is just such a big strong kid that he shook us off… when you have a physical quarterback like that it is difficult and we didn’t do a good enough job tackling him today,” UCLA head coach Chip Kelly on Montez’s strength and UCLA defensive line.
Montez kept the ball for 81 rushing yards and ran for ten yards into the end zone for his first touchdown of the regular season. Buffaloes take the lead for the first time all night, 14-10.
UCLA receiver Michael Ezeike caught the first touchdown of the night from quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson on a 4th down conversion, 7-0 UCLA.
At half time, Buffaloes lead the Bruins, 14-13. Montez remained key for the Buffaloes success who ended the half with 13/15 completions, 131 yards and 1 TD.
With 9:17 left in the 3rd, Montez drops back and laterals to receiver Jay MacIntrye, a flea flicker, and throws for a 31-yard reception to receiver Shenault Jr. for the first down to take the lead over the UCLA Bruins on the following play, 21-16.
“He can really do it all,” Montez on his teammate Shenault. “They’ve got him playing the tight end position… He is a very special player for us. He makes a lot of great plays. He even plays a little quarterback back there in the wildcat. He can do it all. He’s a great player. He’s my dog.”
Colorado refused to let up the tempo with two minutes left in third as Montez dodges and spins around seven defenders for a third down conversion. Montez’s run allowed tailback Travon McMillian to run for 6 yards into the end zone on the following play.
Early in the 4th quarter, Colorado continued to stop all UCLA efforts to score since the first half. Colorado kicker James Stefanou bumps the Buffaloes up to a 31-16 lead.
Montez fakes to Evans and runs for 35-yards into the end zone to rack up another seven for the Colorado in the fourth quarter, 38-16.
“It’s in the details, it’s in the little things…,” expressed UCLA head coach Chip Kelly on the loss, “we have to continue to improve, we got knocked down but we aren’t going to stay down, we are going to get back up and get ready for our next opponent.”
Chip Kelly and the UCLA Bruins face off at home against no. 11 Washington State on Oct. 6th. The Colorado Buffaloes host the Arizona State Sun Devil’s on Oct. 6th at 2 PM MST.
