BOULDER, Colo. — Washington needed one more possession to try for the win. Colorado never gave them that chance.
Steve Montez threw for a touchdown and led a long final drive from the shadow of his own end zone to run out the clock as Colorado beat Washington 20-14 Saturday night.
Alex Fontenot added 105 yards rushing and a touchdown on 24 carries, springing free for a couple of first down runs on the Buffaloes’ last drive, which ran off the final 5:09. It began at the Buffaloes 1 and ended with Montez taking a knee at the Huskies 18 to run out the final seconds. The victory for Colorado (5-6, 3-5 Pac-12) snapped a nine-game losing streak to Washington (6-5, 3-5).
“At the end of the game, we were able to close it out,” Colorado coach Mel Tucker said. “It’s a credit to our offensive line and our backs and to our overall determination to finish the game.”
Montez, a senior playing his final home game, finished 17 of 28 for 223 yards passing. He also ran for 56 yards, including a 12-yard scramble that got Colorado’s initial first down during the final possession.
“I really didn’t have a whole lot to do with that final drive,” Montez said. “Our O-line, they absolutely dominated. I’m really proud of our guys up front, how they played in the game and how they finished.”
Jacob Eason was 21 of 34 for 206 yards with a touchdown for the Huskies, whose offense was disrupted by constant pressure from a Colorado defense that produced five sacks. The Huskies were outgained 430-230 and their running game went nowhere, generating 32 yards.
“This is as frustrating a game that we’ve had since I’ve been here for sure,” Washington coach Chris Petersen said. “We had nothing going in the first half, a few things going in the second half, drive down there, turn the ball over. We were just going to get some momentum going and it doesn’t happen.”
Trailing by 13, Washington got on the scoreboard midway through the third quarter on Richard Newton’s short touchdown run, capping a 75-yard drive that was extended by an unnecessary roughness call against Colorado.
Colorado answered with a 2-yard scoring run by Fontenot but the Huskies fought back with another score. Eason converted a fourth-down play with a 9-yard completion to Aaron Fuller and threw a 15-yard touchdown Cade Otton on the next play, pulling the Huskies to within six points with 12:35 remaining.
But Colorado’s defense and then its offense shut the door to further scoring by Washington.
Two short field goals by Evan Price and Laviska Shenault’s touchdown catch put Colorado up 13-0 at halftime. Shenault managed to gather in the pass in the end zone after it skipped off the top of defensive back Trent McDuffie’s shoulder pads.
It was the 61st career touchdown pass by Montez, tops in school history. Kordell Stewart (1991-94) and Mike Moschetti (1998-99) finished their careers at Colorado with 60 scoring passes apiece. Stewart was on hand at the game to serve as an honorary team captain and was among the honorees at halftime in recognition of the 25-year anniversary of the “Miracle at Michigan” in which Stewart completed a last-second 64-yard Hail Mary to Michael Westbrook to beat the Wolverines in Ann Arbor.
THE TAKEAWAY
Washington: The Huskies struggled to move the ball against Colorado’s steady pass rush and could not offset the pressure with their sluggish rushing attack.
Colorado: The Buffaloes kept alive their hopes to become bowl eligible but face a tall order in coming up with that sixth victory. They face No. 7 Utah in a regular season finale next Saturday.
UP NEXT
Washington renews in-state rivalry with Washington State on Friday.
Colorado plays at No. 7 Utah on Saturday in a regular season finale.
