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BOULDER — Shay Fields was so wide open next to the end zone in the first quarter that he had time to wait and wave his arms until quarterback Steven Montez finally spotted the uncovered wide receiver.

“We’re like, ‘Throw it early! What’s he doing?’ ” Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre said. “Then, ‘Oh, hey, it’s a touchdown.’ ”

And so it went for the Buffaloes, firing on all cylinders even during the rare moments they weren’t against Oregon State. The result: CU’s first Pac-12 winning streak since joining the conference in 2011.

Montez was stellar again in his second start at quarterback, Fields had a career day with one big catch after another and CU cruised to a 47-6 victory over the Beavers in front of 46,839, the largest crowd during MacIntyre’s four seasons as coach.

The Buffs (4-1, 2-0 Pac-12) already have won as many conference games as they did in the previous three seasons combined. Any questions as to how CU would handle its newfound status as a hunted team coming off a signature win at Oregon were answered early and emphatically. The Buffs’ 41-point win was their largest margin of victory in a league game since 1992.

“I think it proves we’re legitimate,” MacIntyre said. “Everybody kept asking me all week, ‘Are they going to have a letdown?’ Like I’ve said since Day One, we’re a good football team. Every week we’ve gotten better.”

Montez threw three consecutive incomplete passes on CU’s first drive, and the Buffs were forced to punt. The next six possessions in the first half: Touchdown. Touchdown. Touchdown. Touchdown. Field goal. Touchdown.

“Our tempo, it’s not something you can practice for,” Fields said.

Oregon State certainly couldn’t keep pace with the big-play receiver. On CU’s second possession, the Buffs gave running back Kyle Evans six straight carries. On the next play, Montez faked the handoff, pump-faked as Fields sold a double move, and hit the wide-open receiver for a 51-yard touchdown.

Fields burned the Oregon State secondary again on CU’s next possession, and Montez delivered an on-target throw for a 33-yard score, even if it came a few moments late. Fields capped an eye-popping first half on the Buffs’ next drive when he took a screen pass and burned 63 yards down the sideline to become the fourth receiver in CU history to record a three-touchdown game.

Phillip Lindsay’s 1-yard touchdown on Colorado’s next possession was the bookend on a string of four touchdown drives in 16 minutes, 24 seconds. The Buffs finished their first-half bludgeoning of the Beavers with a 54-yard field goal by walk-on Davis Price, the longest for a freshman in school history, and Rick Gamboa’s 20-yard interception return for a touchdown.

That play, which came 41 seconds left in the second quarter, put CU up 37-6. It also gave the Buffs a takeaway in their 18th consecutive game, the longest active streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

While Fields and the CU offense ran wild, its defense battered Oregon State (1-3, 0-1). The Beavers took a 3-0 lead with a field goal on their second possession, but that promising drive was merely a mirage. Junior quarterback Darell Garretson couldn’t find any holes in CU’s blanketing secondary and went 5-of-16 for 55 yards before being pulled in favor of walk-on freshman Conor Blount.

All told, the Beavers completed 13-of-32 passes for 100 yards and two interceptions. Better yet, Oregon State was unable to reach the end zone.

What that meant to CU: “We don’t have gassers tomorrow,” said senior pass rusher Jimmie Gilbert, relieved the defense’s performance could help them avoid some wind sprints at practice.

Montez, the redshirt freshman who had one of the best starting debuts in school history in CU’s win over Oregon last week, provided a worthy encore in place of injured senior Sefo Liufau. After the three early incompletions, Montez completed 19-of-24 passes for 293 yards and three touchdowns.

“He’s got a little magician in him,” MacIntyre said of Montez, adding he’d have to “see how this week goes” before naming a quarterback for next Saturday’s game at USC.

Fields finished with seven catches for 169 yards. He now has nine career catches of 50 yards or more, four behind the school record set by Paul Richardson.

Game balls

Shay Fields, WR, Colorado: The junior caught three long touchdown passes — all in the first half — and finished with seven catches for 169 yards.

Steven Montez, QB, Colorado: Making his second career start, the redshirt freshman completed 19-of-27 passes for 293 yards and three touchdowns.

Jimmie Gilbert, OLB, Colorado: The senior pass rusher had two sacks, a forced fumble and a team-high seven tackles while providing consistent pressure on Oregon State’s quarterbacks.