BOULDER — Rodney Stewart’s eyes lit up when he learned following Saturday night’s 14-13 victory over Kansas State that he needs only one more 100-yard rushing game to have a Colorado freshman record to himself.
“I’m going to get it,” Stewart said.
Stewart, lightly recruited out of Columbus, Ohio, because of his size (5-feet-6 and 175 pounds) and a past knee injury, netted 141 yards on 29 carries against the Wildcats. That marked his third game over the century mark. Lamont Warren had three 100-yard games his freshman year in 1991.
Stewart said the running threat of freshman quarterback Tyler Hansen opened up some holes. “I think we could run that option offense the whole way on a drive,” Stewart said.
Learning experience.
Hansen did have some missteps. He telegraphed a pass near the end of the second quarter that was easily intercepted when cornerback Joshua Moore, who had been burned earlier on a touchdown to Scotty McKnight, darted in front of McKnight for the pick.
Fortunately for Colorado, the turnover did not lead to any points. After hitting two field goals in the first quarter, Wildcats place-kicker Brooks Rossman missed his second- straight attempt.
CU coach Dan Hawkins had the confidence to put Hansen back in for the next series.
“People always think that the quarterback has got to have my last name,” Hawkins said, referring to starter Cody Hawkins. “I said, ‘Hey, the kid (Hansen) is playing pretty good.’
“I didn’t hold (that interception) against Tyler. It is hard to tell a quarterback to never throw an interception.”
Footnotes.
The most serious injury reported by CU was a sprained ankle to reserve linebacker Josh Hartigan, who is listed as day-to-day. . . . CU had season highs in rushing attempts (57) and yards (247). . . . Redshirt freshman guard Eugene Goree saw his first action on offense. He is still listed as both an offensive and defensive lineman. . . . Colorado now has the nation’s third-longest active scoring streak, at 242 straight games without being shut out. Washington State was at second with a streak of 280 but was drubbed 69-0 by Southern Cal Saturday. Michigan (295) and Florida (250) lead.
