It doesn't matter how Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota starts a game. The Ducks' sensational redshirt sophomore showed that once again, shaking off another slow opening to shred Colorado, 56-17, on Saturday.
Mariota missed three of his first four pass attempts, including one that should have been picked off by Buffaloes linebacker Derrick Webb, but responded by completing 15 of his last 23 throws. Mariota finished with 355 passing yards and five touchdowns and 43 rushing yards and two touchdowns, his seventh straight game with a score on the ground and through the air.
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Bralon Addison and Josh Huff each caught five passes from Mariota with two touchdowns apiece. Addison finished with a career-high 158 receiving yards, while Huff had 103, his third game this season topping the century mark.
While CU played well in the first half, the talent gap between the two programs was obvious. However, CU redshirt junior Paul Richardson again showed his credentials as one of the best wide receivers in college football by besting UO corners Ifo Ekpre-Olomu and Terrance Mitchell for five receptions and 134 yards.
Richardson ran right past Mitchell for a 55-yard gain on CU's first play from scrimmage and later made a gorgeous diving catch to negate excellent coverage coverage by Ekpre-Olomu.
Richardson also threw a 75-yard touchdown pass to D.D. Goodson off a reverse.
Follow Dan Greenspan on Twitter @DanGreenspan.
