Game ball goes to …

Colorado quarterback Sefo Liufau was the difference maker on Saturday, throwing for 345 yards and rushing for another 108. He also ran for three scores. Because Liufau was so dangerous, the WSU defense was unable to get consistent stops, and all those third down conversions paid off late in the game when the Cougars were tired.

Offensive player of the game …

The Cougars could never fully commit to stopping Liufau because the Buffaloes had another dangerous rusher in Phillip Lindsay. The running back carried the ball 31 times for 144 yards and two touchdowns, and added another 50 receiving yards, including a screen pass he took for 27 yards.

Defensive player of the game …

The success of CU’s rushing game was not the fault of WSU linebacker Peyton Pelluer, who led all tacklers by a mile with 16 for the game. No WSU player had so many since Mitch Peterson against Rutgers in the second game of 2014. Saturday was Pelluer’s second straight game with double-digit tackles, and third this season.