Sunday morning stream of consciousness reaction

I predicted a shoutout but I had no idea. While I wrote that CU would be able to match Cal punch for punch and come out on top, a few hours after posting I told a neighbor I didn't think the Buffs could keep up. And I continued to waffle throughout the game as the team made so many excellent plays and a seemingly equal amount of horrible costly mistakes and I am running out of ways to discuss this concept.

The Sefo-led offense starring Nelson spruce was especially dominant for much of the game but was still plagued by imopportune errors-penalties, dropped passes, plus Sefo's one interception was at the worst time-and amazingly left a lot of points on the field. Even will Oliver (0fer3 on FGs) and darragh oneill (2 untimely shanks) joined in the fun.

The sandwich around halftime was once again awful, and when they could have put the game away, they graciously opened the door for cal to come roaring right back into it.

The turning point was actually early in the second quarter. Tedric Thompson picked up what appeared to be a fumble and ran it in for a TD, which would have made it 28-7, only to have it ruled merely an incomplete pass. Shortly there after Thompson bruised his sternum, never returning and the defense was never the same. Although the offense scored another George Frazier TD before the half, they missed two field goals while the defense gave up a 92-yard TD on a short pass on which I lost count of the missed tackles. Even up 28-14 at the half, everyone in buff nation was nervous, and with good reason.

The third quarter openly terribly with crawley giving up a long TD, a couple of dropped passes on offense the. coach MacIntyre getting flagged for going ballistic on ref for non-call PI before darragh shanked one of his worst punts ever, suddenly tie game.

The buffs did not give up though and traded blows to the end, but it was hard believing that they would win.  The teams inability to pick up short yardage has killed them, especially near the goal line, and that was basically how they ended the game. The defense can make a play here and there, but cannot put together the string they need to keep their offense in control of the game.

There will a lot of positives to take from this game but still too many head shaking mistakes to feel much confidence moving forward. It is going to be hard to find a win the rest of the way making the magnitude of mistakes they find a way to make.