A Record Crowd Brings Out Best in the Buffaloes

Mike Moschetti had three touchdown passes and Cedric Cormier returned a punt 82 yards for another score as Colorado defeated No. 15 Colorado State, 42-14, on Saturday night.

It was the first major-college football game played at Mile High Stadium, and the largest crowd (76,036) for a college sporting event in state history.

Moschetti, a transfer from Mt. San Antonio College, helped the Buffaloes extend their win streak to eight games in the series with the Rams.

The loss ended Colorado State’s win streak at 10 games, dating to last season. The Rams were tied with UCLA for the third-longest active streak in the nation.

Colorado, trailing 14-13 early in the second half, scored four consecutive touchdowns.

Dwayne Cherrington had runs of 11 and 15 yards, and Moschetti completed four passes in a 79-yard drive capped by his 13-yard touchdown pass to Javon Green with 7:05 left in the third quarter.

Less than two minutes later, Cormier--a redshirt freshman--took a punt and raced down the right sideline 82 yards for a touchdown.

Colorado State punter Deone Horinek mishandled a high snap and was tackled for a loss, giving Colorado the ball at the Ram 18. Six plays later, Cherrington had one-yard touchdown run after taking a pitchout. He ran for the two-point conversion to make it 35-14 with 12:46 left in the game.

Moschetti’s one-yard pass to Darrin Chiaverini accounted for the final touchdown with 3:36 left.

Colorado State (1-1), which ranked 13th in the nation in rushing last season and returned 1,000-yard rushers Damon Washington and Kevin McDougal, had one yard in 17 carries in the first half.

Cherrington had 100 yards in 25 carries and Moschetti completed 21 of 32 passes for 257 yards with no interceptions.