Kory Sperry had a mixed-bag game Saturday. The Colorado State tight end from Pueblo County High School caught eight passes from Caleb Hanie, including three for touchdowns, in the final Rocky Mountain Showdown of his collegiate career.
Not a bad way to finish up playing against your in-state rival, except …
The Rams lost 31-28 in overtime and Hanie’s desperate third-down attempt to get the ball to Sperry in overtime ended up in the hands of CU defensive back Terrence Wheatley.
“That’s the brutal part,” Sperry said afterward. “You come out, you’re having fun, you’re up by 11 and the next thing you know, you’re in overtime and (lose) by three. Sometimes the football gods don’t like you and sometimes they favor you.”
Sperry’s touchdown receptions went for 4, 6 and 37 yards, and the third one helped put the Rams on top 21-17 with 12:05 left in the third quarter.
On the critical play in overtime, Sperry said, “I used the scramble drill. You’re trying to see where the DBs are going, and you’re trying to go the opposite way. I cut back inside and Johnny (Walker) happened to be coming inside and we ran into each other. Stuff like that happens.”
Sperry and Hanie had slightly different takes on whether the Rams planned to pass as much as they did.
“They didn’t tell me I was getting the ball, it just happened to work out,” Sperry said. “We saw some coverages that fit the play right and I happened to get open and Caleb made the right reads.”
Said Hanie: “We saw it on film a little. They ‘manned’ him up with a linebacker a lot (a year ago), and if we got that look, we were going to throw it to him. They did the same thing and I tried to focus on him a little bit.”
Sperry was disappointed, yet defiant.
“It upsets me that this was my last chance to play CU and beat CU, but the fact remains that, shoot, we still have 11 more games. I’ll give it to them, they beat us, they’re going to have their season and we’re going to go on and have a good season. We’re not going to have a season like last season (4-8). I can guarantee you we’re not going to have a season like last season.”
Staff writer Terry Frei can be reached at 303-954-1895 or tfrei@denverpost.com.
