Pac-12 roundup: Sam Noyer helps Colorado improve to 3-0 with 20-10 win over SDSU

Associated Press

Sam Noyer ran for a score and threw for another to help Colorado hold off San Diego State 20-10 on Saturday night in Boulder, Colorado, as the Buffaloes remained undefeated under new coach Karl Dorrell.

Jarek Broussard rushed for 124 yards to top the 100-yard mark for a third straight game, while a Colorado defense led by linebacker Nate Landman kept relentless pressure on a banged-up Aztecs offense.

A stingy San Diego State defense kept things close, though, even providing a big first-half spark when Darren Hall picked off a Noyer pass and returned it for a 57-yard score. That was after Colorado grabbed a 14-0 lead behind a 1-yard TD run by Noyer and a 3-yard flip pass to Jaylon Jackson.

The Buffaloes and Aztecs didn’t find out they were meeting on the field until Thanksgiving Day. Colorado (3-0, 2-0 Pac-12) was originally scheduled to travel to No. 19 USC for a Pac-12 South showdown, but it was canceled due to COVID-19 issues within the Trojans’ program.

San Diego State (3-3, 3-2 Mountain West) was available for a trip to Boulder when its contest at Fresno State was called off due to contact tracing concerns with the Bulldogs.

Hired last February, Dorrell hasn’t taken long to get the Buffaloes to buy in. He became the first Colorado coach to start his tenure 3-0 since Rick Neuheisel in 1995, which just so happened to boast a staff that included Dorrell as the offensive coordinator.

The Aztecs were missing a big chunk of their offense with running back Greg Bell out due to a sore ankle. They also were missing injured quarterback Lucas Johnson, so they started Carson Baker before turning to Jordon Brookshire.

UCLA 27, Arizona 10: Demetric Felton rushed for a career-high 206 yards and a touchdown, Brittain Brown added two scores and the Bruins (2-2) defeated the Wildcats (0-3) in Pasadena, California.

Felton is the 15th player in UCLA history to post a 200-yard game and the first since Joshua Kelley did it against USC in 2018. The senior, who finished with 230 scrimmage yards, had 134 rushing yards in the first half, including a 1-yard touchdown midway through the second quarter to extend the Bruins lead to 17-7. Felton also had a career high in carries with 32.

Brown, a graduate transfer from Duke, added 72 yards on 16 carries, including a 2-yard TD late in the fourth quarter to put the Bruins up by 17.

Bruins redshirt freshman Chase Griffin completed 12 of 20 passes for 129 yards and a TD.

Griffin got the start due with Dorian Thompson-Robinson being held out due to COVID-19 contract tracing.

Arizona starter Grant Gunnell suffered a shoulder injury on the first play when he was tackled by UCLA linebacker Bo Calvert, who came in unblocked on a blitz. Freshman Will Plummer came in for his first collegiate action and had 164 scrimmage yards. He went 17 of 35 for 151 yards passing and two interceptions along with 12 carries for 113 yards.