Athens, Ga. – In a dejected Colorado locker room, no players felt worse than running back Hugh Charles and linebacker Brad Jones.
Charles blamed himself for the Buffs’ loss to Georgia, and a few minutes later, Jones found no reason why he shouldn’t do the same.
Here’s why:
With CU clinging to a 13-7 fourth-quarter lead and driving for another score, Charles was stripped of the ball after crossing midfield by Bulldogs cornerback Paul Oliver. Georgia recovered the loose ball and took over possession at the 50.
The Colorado defense held, stopping the Georgia drive on a fourth-down play on the 12-yard line, but Charles didn’t care.
“I think that fumble changed the game,” Charles said. “I put it on me.”
Charles played a solid game overall, running 18 times for 72 yards against a fast Georgia defense that had stifled previous opponents. He also caught three passes for 22 yards. But he could think only about an opportunity missed on his mistake.
“It came down to the end and we didn’t produce,” Charles said. “I put that blame on me.”
Jones was beaten by Georgia tight end Martrez Milner for the game-winning, 20-yard touchdown pass play. According to CU defensive coordinator Ron Collins, the Buffs were in strict man-to-man and tried to bring pressure on the quarterback with a blitz.
Milner sneaked behind Jones and caught the pass from quarterback Joe Cox near the back of the end zone with 46 seconds left.
“I feel like this loss is on my shoulders,” Jones said. “Coaches just keep telling me, ‘Don’t get down, it was only one play. There were a lot of things leading up to that that put us in that situation.’ But, of course, it’s hard to take in and say that it wasn’t your fault.”
Jones had Milner from the start and immediately jumped on the inside of the Georgia senior’s post route. He said he was looking for Milner’s hands to signal if and when the ball was coming.
“I thought I had it,” Jones said. “I guess not. It’s just hard to know that we could have won that game if I had made that play.”
Like Charles, Jones played well.
The sophomore had perhaps his best game in a CU uniform, leading the team with seven tackles, six solo.
