Colorado fell 35-21 to TCU in another game where their own demons snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Here's what we did and didn't learn.
There's a saying that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.
The Colorado Buffaloes are seemingly attempting to put that theory to the test, playing nearly identical games over the last two weeks. The result from this week's 35-21 loss to TCU is the same as it was last week; their play still is not good enough to make the Buffaloes competitive in the Big 12 Conference. So here is what we learned from the Buffaloes' third straight loss to a Big 12 opponent.
A ship without a captain
Kaidon Salter played his worst game as a Buff, throwing two miserable interceptions on the run and making another bad decision, which turned into a backbreaking turnover. His mechanics looked out of whack, often opting for a sidearm release when none was necessary or not stepping into throws when he had the space. He looked out of whack, and it's starting to feel like Colorado doesn't have a quarterback on the roster who can effectively lead an objectively talented roster.
They are who we thought they were
Colorado mustered one touchdown on a classic Omarion Miller highlight catch on an underthrown pass; other than that, they were once again ice cold after the half. Too many drives fell apart because the Buffaloes beat themselves, more on that later, and it left the defense gassed.
There's no simple answer to the Buffaloes' second-half woes, but much of it stems from the offense's inability to make adjustments as the defense focuses on their running game. Colorado won't be going anywhere with a team that's unable to put together a complete game.
Stacking pennies
The Buffaloes' defense has been much maligned, but this is the second straight week where they put up a valiant effort that was almost enough. The pass rush led by Arden Walker continues to get better every week, and the blitzes are more creative than ever. Credit to Robert Livingson, who is working with numerous backups and transforming them into a unit that improves weekly. Currently, the defense is the team's bright spot for me moving forward.
One step forward, three steps back
From drops to penalties, the Buffaloes seemed determined to beat themselves tonight. They were holding an explosive offense to nothing early, and then it unraveled as a lack of awareness killed them all night. The more damning part was that it wasn't one phase of the game. Offensive and special teams mistakes led to turnovers that killed them, while the defense continued its streak of awful pass interference calls that kept the Horned Frogs afloat. The team isn't playing cohesively at all, and they're running out of time to figure it out.
Putting the 'W' in wideout
Let's end on a somewhat positive note. While drops were an issue for Colorado, without highlights from Omarion Miller and high-effort plays from wideouts like Hykeem Williams, this would have been a blowout. Colorado's pass catchers continue to impress when they are targeted, especially downfield. Salter didn't make their jobs easy today, but they continued to fight till the very end, a rarity in the modern college football world.
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This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Colorado football TCU loss takeaways
Category: General Sports
