By Todd Milles
The News Tribune
Trucking off into Big Ten country, playing at Rutgers University to start the season was a nice warm-up road-trip drill for the seventh-ranked Washington Huskies.
But it’s no match for the cool mountain air of Boulder, Colorado.
And it’s no simulation for the opening of Pac-12 play.
More than nine months ago, the Huskies and Colorado met for the conference championship at sunny Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The UW won convincingly, 41-10.
The rematch Saturday should be a much different test: It is at high-elevation Folsom Field in Colorado’s home stadium. All 53,613 seats are expected to be filled with rowdy fans, mostly in silver, black and gold.
A snorting Ralphie is ready to break off a few celebratory runs from one end the other. And not only is the stadium expected to be full of electricity, but thunder as well — as in forecasted thunderstorms.
“It’s a loud crowd, and the student section is into it, the fans are into it,” Huskies co-defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski said. “They are right on top of you. I am sure it is going to be electric.”
Both UW coach Chris Petersen and Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre tried downplaying the revenge motivating factor because both teams are so much different.
Arguably the biggest change on both sides is who is throwing the football these days for the Buffaloes.
For the past four seasons, former Bellarmine Prep standout Sefo Liufau led the way, and was really the biggest foundation piece in turning Colorado from a loser into a winner.
Liufau did not particularly enjoy his games against his home-state Huskies. He lost all three games, combining to throw for just three touchdowns and six interceptions.
In the conference title game, Liufau completed just three of 13 passes for 21 yards and three interceptions, and was knocked out of the game for a stretch in the loss.
Colorado’s new starter — Steven Montez — is a newer, bigger, flashier version of Liufau.
The redshirt sophomore from El Paso, Texas is 6-foot-5, 225 pounds. He played in 10 games last season, including a relief appearance in the conference title game.
With three wins already under his belt against Colorado State, Texas State and Northern Colorado this season, Montez is 5-1 in his career as a starter.
In those three games, he has passed for 858 yards and six touchdowns, completing 68.3 percent of his passes.
“Montez played a lot of football last year, not just against us, but almost every single game he came in at one point or another because of (Liufau) going out,” UW co-defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake said. “He is used to the pressure. It will be a heck of a challenge for us.”
The one luxury Montez has is that in his first season as the starter, he is surrounded by veterans all over the offense, including running back Phillip Lindsay and wide receiver Shay Fields as two of the eight seniors.
“The one thing I don’t have … to worry (about) is if he’s ready for the stage,” MacIntrye said.
Kwiatowski thinks Montez is an even bigger threat to take off and make big plays with his feet than Liufau was.
But as a starter, Montez has not faced a secondary this good. And even though he flashes elite arm strength, he has been prone to make mistakes. In 241 career attempts, he has thrown eight interceptions.
Montez knows he has to clean up some of his recent sloppy play to get prepared for the Huskies.
“There is definitely a sense of that,” he said. “Washington is a very good team.”
If Montez and the Buffaloes get off to a hot start against a UW defense that has surrendered just two touchdowns in three games, who knows what is in store for the rematch in Boulder.
“I am pretty sure the kids that played in the game last year definitely have to be thinking about (the loss),” MacIntyre said. “If they didn’t, they’re not really competitors.”
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