Takeaways from Colorado football's upset win over No. 14 Houston
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Going into this game, it was a must-win for both the Colorado Buffaloes and the Houston Cougars, but for vastly different reasons. Colorado needed the win to keep their bowl chances alive, while the Cougars needed this win to keep their playoff chances alive.
After the first quarter, it seemed like Houston would have no trouble winning. They dominated time of possession, had 143 total yards compared to Colorado's 13 yards, and had 57 rushing yards to the Buffaloes' -4 rushing yards. But things changed in the second quarter as Colorado gained momentum, took a 21-20 lead into halftime, and went on to win the game 42-32.
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Here is everything we learned from Colorado's upset win against Houston.
The Go-Go offense really can go somewhere
Most of the season, the Buffaloes' Go-Go offense was not getting them anywhere. However, they finally found something against one of college football's best teams. Colorado finished this game with 249 rushing yards, the most of any game this season. The Buffaloes are now 4-1 this season when they run the ball for at least 180 yards. However, the biggest difference between this game and Colorado's other wins was the number of explosive plays. They possessed the ball for under 10 minutes in the first half, but led because all their first-half touchdowns came from more than 30 yards out. It may have taken most of the season, but Colorado finally got their Go-Go offense going against a Power Four opponent.
Colorado can still make a bowl game
All hope of the Buffaloes making a bowl game seemed lost after their poor loss against Arizona State last week. However, they came into this game determined to get a win, and it showed once the second quarter started. They put up 21 points in the second quarter alone and held Houston to just 12 points in the second half, with two stops on the Cougars' two-point attempts. Colorado needs to win their final two games against Cincinnati and UCF, but there is still a chance for the Buffaloes.
Richard Young is Colorado's primary back
It seemed like Colorado didn't have a star running back when they mustered only 52 rushing yards against Arizona State. However, between their win against Kansas State and this win against Houston, it is clear Richard Young needs to be the Buffaloes' primary back for the rest of the season. He finished the game with 99 rushing yards and two touchdowns, including Colorado's first, which helped build momentum. He doesn't need to get all the carries, as running backs like JaQuail Smith and DeKalon Taylor can still be involved, but Young should get most of them, as he has in the past few weeks.
Deion Sanders' job is significantly safer
If Colorado had lost this game, especially after going into the fourth quarter with a 35-20 lead, Sanders' job security would be at an all-time low. However, they got the win and kept their bowl-game chances alive. There were still some decisions that could have been better from a coaching perspective, especially on their failed fourth-down attempt in the fourth quarter, but there was nothing egregious, and the win makes everything better.
Colorado's defense needs to tackle better
Houston's defense was clearly worse at tackling in this game, but the Buffaloes still had numerous missed tackles. In the first quarter, it looked like the Cougars would run away with the game, and they still finished with over 200 rushing yards and averaged six yards per carry. This was the run defense's worst performance, but they still won. Nonetheless, they need to correct this in the final two regular-season games as the Buffaloes try to become bowl-eligible.
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This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Takeaways from Colorado football's upset win over No. 14 Houston