JuJu Lewis solid in debut start, but CU Buffs fall at West Virginia

MORGANTOWN W Va Colorado didn t find a win Saturday but it identified a quarterback A strong start and a late touchdown sparked West Virginia to a - triumph against the Buffs at Milan Puskar Stadium The loss eliminated CU - - Big from bowl contention but true freshman JuJu Lewis was solid in his first career start giving several life to the CU offense and keeping them in the event all afternoon Lewis threw for yards and two touchdowns but it wasn t enough for the Buffs who lost their third in a row and will miss out on a bowl for the fourth time in five years West Virginia - - won its second in a row Like the previous two weeks CU got off to a slow start but it wasn t nearly as horrendous as the other two games West Virginia led - after the first quarter and CU had just yards of offense in the quarter The Mountaineers got on the board when it blocked a Damon Greaves punt through the end zone for a safety Then Curtis Jones Jr scored on a -yard touchdown run for the - lead CU s offense woke up in second quarter though racking up yards in the frame Alejandro Mata capped a -play -yard drive with a -yard field goal to pull the Buffs within - West Virginia responded with a -yard drive that culminated in a Scotty Fox Jr -to-Ryan Ward -yard touchdown pass that bumped the lead to - CU however came back with a touchdown of its own Dallan Hayden s -yard run kick-started a scoring march that was capped by Lewis hitting Joseph Williams for a -yard touchdown Mata s extra point was wide right but CU pulled within - West Virginia s Kade Hensley drilled a -yard field goal on the last play of the first half to make it - at the break Both teams traded turnovers early in the third quarter but Fox s second interception of the quarter picked by John Slaughter set up the Buffs offense at the Mountaineers -yard line Just two plays later Lewis hit Omarion Miller for a -yard touchdown pass to cut the deficit to - Both teams then hit field goals with Mata s -yarder pulling the Buffs within - with to go in the fourth quarter That outcome held until Jones scored his second touchdown of the day on a -yard run with to go that essentially sealed the contest giving West Virginia a - lead Mata hit a -yard field goal with to play to cut the deficit to - but West Virginia recovered the ensuing onsides kick and ran out the clock