BOULDER, Colo.—Knifing through the worst winds at Colorado in four decades was a perfect spiral into the end zone that defied both logic and the 45 mph gales that gusted to 71 mph.
It didn’t leave quarterback Tyler Hansen’s hand but settled into his grasp instead.
The passer was tailback Rodney Stewart, a fellow senior who ran for 181 yards and three touchdowns but punctuated his farewell performance at Folsom Field with a flea-flicker TD toss to Hansen in the Buffaloes’ 48-29 win over Arizona on Saturday.
“He can throw it man,” Hansen said. “He told me, ‘Just make a play, man, just make the catch.’ ”
And how could he not?
“It was a perfect spiral,” Hansen said. “It couldn’t have been better.”
Hansen’s first career catch gave Colorado its biggest lead, 34-10. Stewart’s only other career pass attempt also went for a touchdown, a 23-yarder to Toney Clemons last season at Kansas State.
That computes to a passer rating of an off-the-charts 584.5.
“We haven’t practiced it that much,” a jubilant Colorado coach Jon Embree said after his first Pac-12 win. “I think this week was his first week. And E.B. (offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy) made a great call on it. He overruled the head coach on that play.”
Stewart declined to say which was his better throw.
“I think it was the same,” he said diplomatically. “I love both of them and I don’t want them fighting in the locker room.”
In addition to his touchdown catch, Hansen threw two TD passes as the Buffaloes (2-9) avoided their first winless season at 87-year-old Folsom Field and recorded their first Pac-12 win after six losses.
They quickly turned their attention to ending another streak: 23 straight losses outside of Colorado.
“We’re not going to lose again, I guarantee,” Hansen declared. “We’re going to the Rose Bowl and we’re going to get it.”
The Buffs play at UCLA next weekend and finish up at Utah.
The Wildcats (2-8, 1-7) came in as double-digit favorites but fell behind quickly and never recovered despite Nick Foles completing 35 of 53 passes for 352 yards.
That pushed him past Willie Tuitama’s school record for career passing yards, but he wasn’t in any mood to celebrate the new mark of 9,289 yards after throwing three interceptions and losing a fumble and yet another game.
“It doesn’t mean anything to me,” Foles said. “Records are records. The most important thing is winning the game.”
The winds especially affected the kicking game, turning every kickoff and punt into an adventure.
It “plays mind games with you,” said Colorado kicker Will Oliver, who missed an extra point.
The high winds preceded a winter storm rolling over the Rocky Mountains from the Pacific Northwest. The goal post in the north end zone whipsawed much of the day and there were constant swirls of trash tumbling across the field, along with a couple of marching band members’ black hats.
Before the game, tents were prohibited from tailgating parties and some events with bounce houses and other inflatables were scrubbed. Even the kicking tee was tipped over by the winds during warm-ups.
“In the second half we were just playing ball, it didn’t affect us,” said Hansen, who completed 16 of 26 passes for 213 yards with two TDs and one interception.
“We practice almost every day in the elements,” Hansen said. “I’m just accustomed to playing in this type of weather.”
The Buffaloes benefited from a questionable call to take control just before halftime.
Arizona punter Kyle Dugandzic fielded a low snap from Josh Elias and trapped the ball on the grass. The officials ruled that before he recovered and got the punt off, his knee also touched the turf, downing the ball at the Wildcats 38.
Although television replays showed his knee never touched, the play wasn’t overruled, and a few snaps later, Josh Ford’s 29-yard touchdown run put the Buffs up 20-10 at the half.
“I can’t say a word,” Wildcats interim coach Tim Kish said when asked about the play.
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