Buffs aim for first Pac-12 win

BOULDER» Seemingly every time Phillip Lindsay steps onto the football field, he’s breaking more records.

The Colorado running back became the program’s all-time leader in all-purpose yards last week. He’s climbing up several other charts, as well.

Right now, however, there’s only one number that matters to Lindsay: 0.

CU (3-3, 0-3 Pac-12) is halfway through its season and has yet to come away with a conference victory. Lindsay and the Buffs will look to change that on Saturday when they visit Oregon State (1-5, 0-3).

“I haven’t really taken that much time to think about (the personal accomplishments),” Lindsay said. “I’m thinking about trying to get this win and get back on track. We have a good opportunity to go somewhere and get back on track. That’s where my mind is right now.”

With six games remaining on the schedule, the Buffs might be a longshot shot to repeat as South division champions, but they are determined to make the second half of the season better than the first half.

“You just have to keep moving forward,” outside linebacker Derek McCartney said. “We’re going to come together as a team and do great things.”

CU has coughed up chances for victories the past two weeks.

During a 27-23 loss to UCLA on Sept. 30, the Buffs dropped two passes in the end zone. Just get one of them and they come away from that game with a win.

Last week, they lost at home, 4542, to an Arizona team picked to finish last in the South. The offense had its best game of the year, while the defense had its worst.

This week, the Buffs were focused on the opportunities in front of them, rather than dwelling on the past.

“Get back to work,” receiver Shay Fields said of the team mentality. “We’re taking the mind-set of 0-0 now halfway through the season and we have to finish this last half strong.”

Quarterback Steven Montez said the team was still “fired up” despite the 0-3 start to conference play, and several players echoed that sentiment.

CU has often used the mantra of “one snap and clear,” designed to help them move on from good plays and bad plays and focus on the next. That’s the message this week, but Fields said the Buffs have to improve on doing that in games.

“(Against Arizona), you could tell some guys were lingering on the drives before where they missed a block, dropped the ball, fumbled or didn’t complete a pass,” Fields said. “You can see it, but we have to have that mind-set even when we’re losing — down 14, down three, down seven — to just one snap and clear, forget about the last play and let’s go ahead and get this touchdown and win the game.”