BOULDER — The change had been officially announced, so University of Colorado football fans could be pardoned for doing a double take when No. 13 trotted onto Folsom Field for a field-goal attempt.
Buffaloes coach Dan Hawkins indicated Tuesday that walk-on junior Marcus Kirkwood was set to handle the kicking duties Saturday against Baylor, but there was incumbent — and embattled — senior Aric Goodman, set to try a 45-yarder in the second quarter.
He drilled it and later added a 25-yarder, once again clouding the long-term prognosis of the Buffs’ kicking game.
“We really felt like if we were going to take a long shot, Goodman would be the guy,” Hawkins explained. “I think he hit a 57-yarder in warm-ups, and sometimes you go by feel.”
And now?
“We’re going to compete,” special-teams coach Kent Riddle said. “It’s his job to make them, and he drilled them today, but we’ll still compete at practice and see what happens.”
Goodman entered the game 1-for-4 on field-goal attempts; his only successful kick was a 28-yarder in the opener against Colorado State. The Buffs were 1-for-5 overall on field-goal attempts, with freshman Justin Castor 0-for-1 after having one blocked vs. Missouri.
“I still haven’t lost confidence,” Goodman said. “I went out and made the most of the opportunities, but you never know. It’s about the next kick, and if it’s mine, I have to go out and make it.”
CU defense firsts.
When CU blanked Baylor in the first quarter, it broke a 12-quarter streak in which the high-powered Bears had scored. Then, when senior Michael Sipili picked off Bears quarterback Robert Griffin in the second quarter, it marked Griffin’s first interception in Big 12 play this season.
In addition, the interception, which occurred after sophomore defensive tackle Will Pericak tipped Griffin’s pass at the line, was the first of Sipili’s career.
“Just a lucky tip from the D-lineman,” Sipili said. “Hats off to him for getting his hands up.”
Can’t fool ’em twice.
The Buffaloes executed a two-point conversion to perfection against Georgia on a play in which backup quarterback Cody Hawkins found tight end Ryan Deehan just past the goal line. CU tried a similar play after taking a 6-0 first-quarter lead against the Bears, but Deehan was ruled to have trapped Hawkins’ low throw.
It forced CU to try another two-point conversion after its second TD, and this time, starting quarterback Tyler Hansen was stopped shy of the goal line, creating several what-if scenarios throughout the remainder of the contest.
Jefferson in the backfield.
In his first game since being converted from wide receiver to running back, sophomore Will Jefferson carried four times for 36 yards. Jefferson, though, turned it over on a fumble into the end zone after a 23-yard run in the third quarter. Baylor scored on the ensuing drive to take the lead.
Footnotes.
Baylor didn’t punt, marking the first time since 1983 (Nebraska) that a CU opponent didn’t have to punt. . . . True freshman Jered Bell started at strong safety in place of injured Anthony Perkins. Bell was competing with true freshman Terrel Smith and redshirt freshman Deji Olatoye for the spot. . . . Colorado was penalized a season-low four times (28 yards). . . . Buffs receiver Scotty McKnight extended his all-time team record by catching a pass in his 43rd consecutive game.
