Colorado rolls over Colorado State

Senior quarterback Sefo Liufau threw for 318 yards and a touchdown and Colorado’s defense dominated Colorado State for much of the night Friday as the Buffaloes rolled to a 44-7 victory in the 88th version of the Rocky Mountain Showdown.

Colorado unveiled a new, fast-paced offense that it installed after hiring Darrin Chiaverini from Texas Tech last December to serve as co-offensive coordinator and help revive a dormant attack. The Buffaloes totaled 28 first downs and 578 yards in their 2016 opener, including 254 yards in the first quarter, during which they scored touchdowns on three of their first four possessions.

Liufau suffered a Lisfranc injury on Nov. 13 and missed Colorado’s final two games of 2015. But he showed good command of a no-huddle attack Friday that appeared to catch Colorado State by surprise. Liufau finished with 66 yards rushing, and he broke Cody Hawkins’ record for career passing yards at Colorado in the first quarter.

Junior tailback Phillip Lindsay ran for 95 yards and two touchdowns to lead Colorado. Junior Devin Ross caught eight passes for 97 yards and a touchdown, and junior Bryce Bobo caught five for 99.

Colorado’s biggest flaw was ball security. The Buffaloes lost two fumbles, and their first touchdown came when senior center Alex Kelley’s recovered a Liufau fumble in the end zone.

Defensively, Colorado prevented Colorado State from gaining a first down on its first six possessions, and it forced four turnovers. Colorado State scored on the first play of the fourth quarter, when quarterback Faton Bauta, a senior transfer from Georgia, hit Marcus Wilson for a 5-yard touchdown.

Bauta relieved junior starter Nick Stevens, who was mostly ineffective. Colorado State coach Mike Bobo waited until hours before the game to tell his team Stevens would start. Stevens was second-team all-Mountain West Conference in 2015.

Junior running back Dalyn Dawkins led the Rams with 88 yards on 14 carries.