Colorado faces Northern Colorado for 1st time since 1934

Sep 15, 2017 - 6:22 PM BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Colorado faces Northern Colorado on the football field this weekend for the first time since 1934 in a game that has a nice little subplot of Lindsay vs. Lindsay. The Bears (1-0) and the Buffaloes (2-0) renew a rivalry that that's been dormant since the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration. The Saturday game at Folsom Field is also a family reunion for the Lindsay brothers. Phillip Lindsay is a senior tailback for the Buffaloes and Zachary Lindsay a junior running back for the Bears. As for any trash talk this week, well, the conversations have tended to be more along the lines of sibling revelry. "We just do what we do always, just normal big brother making sure little brother is OK," Phillip Lindsay explained. "I check on his mental game, how school is going, give him advice." Maybe not as much advice-sharing this week, though. "It's nice to bring the rivalry back," Phillip Lindsay said. "Hopefully, they bring a lot of fans so they can have a good little fan base. They can see what it's like at Folsom Field, how loud and rowdy and magical it is." The Bears of the Football Championship Subdivision had some extra time to prepare for Colorado after their game last weekend with No. 24 Florida was canceled because of Hurricane Irma. Quick history note: Northern Colorado actually beat the Buffaloes 13-7 the last time the two teams met on Oct. 12, 1934. Colorado leads 9-2 in a series that began in 1900. "Our guys are fully expecting to go to Boulder and play good football and come out with a 'W,'" Northern Colorado coach Earnest Collins Jr. said. "If you go into a game and you don't expect to win, why go play it?" Colorado hopes to ignite an offense that's yet to fire on all cylinders. Granted, the Buffaloes are averaging 387.5 yards, but they've missed quite a few big-play opportunities. "We're close," Phillip Lindsay said. "It's just little things here and there. That's why we have nonconference games — to work on things. That's why we play these." The Buffaloes have a big game looming next weekend, when they open the Pac-12 portion of their schedule against No. 6 Washington. The Huskies beat Colorado 41-10 in the conference title game last season. Any chance of overlooking the Bears? "If we do, then we don't have a team that I think we have," Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre said. "Our kids know what's at stake and what can happen. You've always got to come to play." Things to know between two schools separated by about a 65-mile drive: HIGH EXPECTATIONS The Colorado defense has allowed a combined six points. It's the first time since 1958 the Buffaloes haven't surrendered a TD in their first two games. "I expect us for all 12 games not to allow a touchdown," MacIntyre said. MAKE IT QUICK In an effort to shorten games, the Pac-12 will experiment in this game with reducing the halftime break from 20 minutes to 15. "I think it's something that would be good, as long as we don't do things to cut down on what's actually happening in the game," MacIntyre said of speeding up games. KNIPP & TUCK Northern Colorado QB Jacob Knipp went 17 of 27 for 238 yards in a win over College of Idaho during the opener. Knipp was the starter a season ago, before breaking his clavicle. That opened the door for Kyle Sloter, who had an impressive training camp with the Denver Broncos before joining the Minnesota Vikings' practice squad. "Their offense has the ability to score and the ability to throw over the top of us," MacIntyre said. "They'll take some shots on us. Their receivers have the speed to do that." HISTORY LESSON The last time the two teams met 83 years ago, Colorado was about a month away from settling on "Buffaloes" as a nickname. Northern Colorado was known as Colorado State Teachers College. CRUNCHING NUMBERS Northern Colorado will make $350,000 for playing in Boulder. ... The Buffaloes have won 15 of 16 coin flips since the start of last season. ... Since they last met 83 years ago, the Bears have captured two Division II national titles (1996, '97) and Colorado a national crown (1990). ___ More AP college football coverage: http://collegefootball.ap.org and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/@APTop25