Top 10 Reasons To Catch Buffs Saturday At Folsom

BOULDER — After two wins against two big rivals, the Colorado Buffaloes are flying high.

But they have yet to step foot on their home turf this season. Saturday, the 2-0 Buffs will finally get that chance when they play host to New Hampshire in a 3 p.m. matchup at Folsom Field (Pac-12 Mountain).

There are plenty of reasons to attend. A 2-0 team that is receiving votes in both national polls, fresh off of a win at Nebraska and playing at home for the first time this year, should be enticement enough.

But, just in case you need a quick primer on why Saturday's game is worth your time:

1. A chance to see one of the best sophomore offensive players in the nation. Unless you have been living in a cave (without internet service), you have heard about Colorado sophomore wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr.

After two games, he is the nation's leader in receptions (10.5 per game) and receiving yards (194 per game), and this week was named the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week. He has already earned a permanent spot in CU's pantheon of great plays — his 40-yard winning touchdown catch against Nebraska — and has grabbed the attention of virtually every national writer/broadcaster who covers college football.

He's worth seeing in person.

2. A chance to see one of the best sophomore defensive players in the nation. That thing about living in a cave? Ditto for Colorado inside linebacker Nate Landman, who was the Pac-12's Defensive Player of the Week after his starting debut against Colorado State and then earned Nagurski Award national player of the week honors for his performance against Nebraska.

Landman's teammates call him "The Hammer." CU head coach Mike MacIntyre likes to say, "He gets to the ball in a hurry and he arrives in a bad mood."

Landman leads the Buffs in tackles with 28, including three for loss. He also has a pair of interceptions, five third-down stops, a pair of fourth-down stops, one forced fumble and a pass breakup.

Someday, you'll want to say you saw him in person. Saturday would be a good opportunity.

3. Dynamic quarterback running an up-tempo, exciting offense. Junior quarterback Steven Montez is eighth in the nation in passing yards per game (344.5), is among the nation's top 20 quarterbacks in passing efficiency, and this week was the national Maxwell Award Player of the Week. Montez is a guy you might see playing on Sundays in the future; now would be a good time to catch him on Saturdays.

The CU quarterback also has an array of weapons at his disposal. Along with Shenault, Montez has regularly found senior Jay MacIntyre and sophomore K.D. Nixon, with MacIntyre collecting two TD passes against Nebraska and Nixon recording his first 100-yard receiving game against CSU.

But maybe the most entertaining part of the offense is the Buffs' pace of play. When they get the offense up and running, "Folsom Fast" is more than just a motto.

Speaking of which …    

4. Folsom Field at its best. There may be no more picturesque stadium in the country, and Saturday's weather forecast calls for warm temperatures and sunny skies. A sun-drenched Folsom nestled under the Flatirons is a wonderful place on Saturday afternoon.

5. A 3 p.m. start time. Need to get some errands done in the morning? Want to catch your kid's soccer game? Have the urge for a bike ride or hike? You'll have plenty of time — and still have the opportunity to get to the stadium early, catch a tailgate hotdog and then find your seat well before kickoff.

That 3 p.m. start, by the way, also means you will be headed home in plenty of time for dinner (or to your favorite local establishment for a bite to eat).

6. Cold beverages. Remember that part about warm temperatures and a sun-drenched Folsom Field? CU this year will re-introduce limited sales of beer and wine in the concourse areas, giving fans a wider array of choices to quench their thirst.

7. Defensive lineman Mustafa Johnson. While his fellow sophomore Landman is getting lots of publicity, Johnson is quietly off to a terrific start of his own. The junior college transfer has 16 tackles, 2.5 sacks, two other tackles for loss, four third-down stops and a pair of quarterback pressures. He's also had a hand in two turnovers — he tipped a pass that led to a Landman interception against CSU and he recovered a fumble against Nebraska. Both led to CU touchdowns.

You will like him when you see him.

8. Overall improved defense. Anyone who watched the Nebraska game won't forget the big step forward Colorado's defense took in the second half. After finding their backs to the wall at halftime, the Buffs gave up just one second-half touchdown while virtually shutting down NU's run game.

It is a defense full of playmakers from the back end to the front line. Junior Delrick Abrams Jr. (17 tackles) is showing signs of being CU's next top-flight cornerback, safety Evan Worthington is showing why NFL scouts are interested, linebacker Drew Lewis is making plays rushing the passer and dropping into coverage, and freshmen defensive linemen Israel Antwine and Terrance Lang are showing why Colorado's future looks bright in the trenches.

Those are just a few who will make some noise as the season rolls along.

9. Give the Buffs a boost. This is a team that will be fun to watch — and CU's players would love to know their home fans have their backs. While there are plenty of big home games on the schedule after Saturday, the Buffs would like nothing more than to look up into the stands, see a big crowd and know that they will have some support through the entire season. (There's also always the chance that recruits will be in town. A big, enthusiastic crowd is always an enticing lure to future Buffs.)

10. Ralphie. Seriously, the best mascot in college football is worth a ticket all on her own. When Ralphie runs, it's always a good day.

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu