BOULDER — Although getting some time off to heal 11 weeks of bumps and bruises never is a bad thing, Colorado players said Sunday they wish the game against Nebraska were this weekend rather than the day after Thanksgiving.
“In fact, I’d give anything to have a game today,” CU senior tackle Tyler Polumbus said after a 90-minute conditioning session. “I’m killing myself. We’re all killing ourselves (over the Buffaloes’ 31-28 loss Saturday at Iowa State).”
Colorado blew a 21-0 halftime lead, losing momentum early in the third quarter after a failed fourth-and-1 play gave Iowa State the ball at the Buffs’ 43-yard line. Iowa State scored in three plays and ultimately reeled off 31 consecutive points.
Hearing CU coach Dan Hawkins tell the team that he would like to “take responsibility for the loss” in Ames made the players want to get that taste out of their mouths as quickly as possible, senior guard Edwin Harrison said.
“He expressed that,” Harrison said of Hawkins wanting to accept blame. “(But) it’s all of us. It’s not Coach Hawk. It’s not any one of us. We are a team. We have to find a way to get it done.”
All the wiggle room in the schedule has disappeared, leaving Colorado (5-6, 3-4 Big 12) in a must-win situation. The Buffs need a victory over Nebraska (5-6, 2-5) on Nov. 23 at Folsom Field to become bowl eligible. The Huskers also need to win that game to have a chance at continuing their season.
“It’s going to be like a playoff for a bowl game,” CU quarterback Cody Hawkins said. “It’s a huge game. But playing Nebraska always is.”
Polumbus said he felt so badly after CU’s loss to Iowa State, he sent a cellphone text message to Dan Hawkins on Saturday night after the team returned to Boulder.
“I told him I’m going to give everything I can to make sure this isn’t my final two weeks,” Polumbus said.
Footnotes. Dan Hawkins said he was unable to reach Big 12 coordinator of football officials Walt Anderson on Sunday but would attempt to do so today. Hawkins wants an explanation of the circumstances that nullified two would-be field goals by CU’s Kevin Eberhart at the end of the Iowa State game. … Freshman wideout Kendrick Celestine did not play against the Cyclones because of a “coach’s decision,” but Hawkins said Celestine would play against Nebraska.
Tom Kensler: 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com
