USC vs Colorado: Previewing the 2016 Buffalo Offense

Despite a quarterback dilemma, USC vs Colorado should feature an explosive Buffalo offense looking to beat the Trojans through the air.

Head coach Mike MacIntyre’s Colorado Buffaloes come into Saturday’s game against USC at the Coliseum ranked No. 21 in the country, having won four of their first five games and currently sitting alone atop the Pac-12 South Division standings.

Like so many teams in the Pac-12, Colorado likes to spread the field with multiple three and four receiver sets to open lanes for running backs Phillip Lindsay and Kyle Evans.

Lindsay, a junior, leads the Buffaloes’ ground attack with 70 carries for 338 yards and six touchdowns. Evans, the younger of the two running backs, has accounted for a similarly impressive 214 rushing yards on 52 carries, and has tallied two rushing touchdowns of his own.

Similar to USC, Colorado has had two quarterbacks, senior Sefo Liufau and redshirt freshman Steven Montez, see significant playing time over the first month of the season.

Liufau, a captain on this year’s team, got off to a hot start in 2016 throwing for nearly 800 yards and six touchdowns in the team’s first three games, before suffering an ankle injury in Colorado’s 45-28 loss at Michigan back on September 17.

With Liufau out for each of the next two games, Colorado turned to Montez, the 6-foot-5 signal caller from Del Valle, Texas.

Despite the setback, the Buffaloes rebounded as Montez’ first career start at Colorado also turned out to be the program’s first win over Oregon since joining the Pac-12 back in 2011.

Late in the fourth quarter, the freshman Montez orchestrated a 70-yard scoring drive culminating with a 31-yard touchdown pass to junior receiver Bryce Bobo, which put the Buffaloes ahead for good, 41-38, in front of a hostile Autzen Stadium crowd.

Montez helped the Buffaloes build on that momentum last week, connecting on 19 of his 27 pass attempts for 293 yards and three touchdowns as Colorado claimed a dominating 47-6 home win over the Oregon State Beavers.

MacIntrye and co-offensive Coordinators Darrin Chiaverini and Brian Lindgren may look to stick with the hot hand under center, despite reports that Liufau was back practicing with the team earlier this week.

Undoubtedly, Colorado’s early season success has come thanks in large part to the team’s deep and talented receiving corps, led by a trio of California-born wideouts in Bobo and fellow juniors Shay Fields and Devin Ross.

LISTEN: USC vs. Colorado Preview

On the year, Ross leads the team with 26 receptions, while Fields leads the team in receiving yards with 460, while each has accounted for five receiving touchdowns.

So far this season, the tight end position hasn’t seemed to factor into the Buffaloes’ passing attack very much. Freshman Chris Bounds, sophomore Dylan Keeney and senior Chris Hill split time at the position, with each player having caught only one pass a piece.

Up front, the Buffaloes are big, led by senior Alex Kelley, a 6-foot-2, 310-pound center from Oceanside. Junior guard Gerrad Kough and redshirt junior tackle Jeromy Irwin provide experience along the left side of the offensive line.

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In the first five games of the 2016 season, Colorado’s offense has shown an aptitude for moving the ball quickly, averaging 82.4 plays and 531.2 yards per game.

The team’s 43.2 points per game has the Buffaloes sitting at No. 15 in the country in scoring offense, but turnovers can be an issue at times for Colorado. The USC defense will need to force turnovers and find a way to contain and pressure the quarterback, whether it be Liufau or Montez, without leaving its secondary exposed in coverage against Colorado’s talented receivers.

This offense presents a challenge, but it will be a good test for a Trojan team looking to continue building momentum after last week’s home win against Arizona State.