Previously: Krushed By Stauskas (Illinois 2014), Introducing #ChaosTeam (Indiana 2009), Revenge is Terrifying (Colorado 1996), Four Games In September I (Boston College 1991), Four Games In September II (Boston College 1994), Four Games In September III (Boston College 1995), Four Games In September IV (Boston College 1996), Pac Ten After Dark Parts One and Two (UCLA 1989), Harbaugh's Grand Return Parts One and Two (Notre Dame 1985), Deceptive Speed Parts One and Two (Purdue 1999)

Week One: 1993 Washington Part One, Part Two, 2002 Washington Twitch stream
Week Two: 2011 Notre Dame Part One, Part Two, Twitch stream

This Game: Full game, highlights, box score
MGoBlog Coverage: Preview, punt/counterpunt, recap, game column, GIFs, UFR offense, UFR defense

Part One: Click here

While Michigan is riding high after turning a 21-7 deficit into a 24-21 halftime lead, Colorado still has plenty of fight left in them. They need it, too.

On the second play from scrimmage, quarterback Sefo Liufau comes up with a limp after a keeper, and it looks like he may need to come off the field. He doesn't appear to consider it. Instead, while Matt Millen is suggesting Michigan's defense needs to sell out against the run that's obviously coming, Liufau takes the snap and looks deep.

Damn, dude. Liufau can barely walk but evidently he can put a 70-yard touchdown on a platter. As he returns to the sideline, redshirt freshman QB Steven Montez starts warming up. It looks like Liufau put everything he had into one final, heroic throw to put the Buffs back in the lead.

Jabrill Peppers fields the kickoff and hits turbo, zipping to midfield before Chidobe Awuzie shoves him out of bounds—and directly into the area of Colorado's sideline where Liufau is receiving medical attention. One CU staffer sees the incoming projective in time. Another picks it up way too late.

Phillip Lindsay should probably yell at Awuzie but that's not how this works. I eventually break down the details extensively in that week's One Frame at a Time.

The more you look at it, the more you realize it's a pantheon GIF. Here's the full version that includes Scottie Lindsey, the RB with the Bob Ross hair, saying things to Peppers you're not supposed to say on live television:

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There's so much happening here. The strength coach who sees Peppers coming, smirks, and then bails out before Matt Millen inexplicably draws an 'X' on him. The coach in sunglasses who starts out in the line of fire and completely exits the frame by the time Peppers arrives. Poor Damn Sefo Liufau. The offensive linemen who've once again failed to protect Poor Damn Sefo Liufau.

But let's hit the "enhance" button and focus on this poor, poor trainer:

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That is a man watching his life flash before his eyes. The helicoptering hat and the "#BTNStandout" hashtag on this version of the replay both add something special to the experience, too.

RIP That Guy's Hat.

[Hit THE JUMP for an arguably more exciting Peppers return.]

Liufau's Willis Reed act gives Colorado the lead for 46 seconds. That's the point at which De'Veon Smith crosses the goal line on Michigan's second play of the half after taking a pitch and realizing Khalid Hill has once again cleared a wide open path to the pylon by blocking multiple defenders on one play. Follow the fullback.

C-C-C-COMBO BLOCKER.

Before Michigan kicks the extra point, the broadcast cuts to Liufau getting his foot taped on the sideline with a look on his face that doesn't exactly scream "I'm feeling great."

Despite still being in obvious pain, Liufau takes the field. "He could barely put pressure on [his foot], he was grimacing in pain, I thought there’s no way he’s gonna go in," says BTN's sideline reporter. "And he says, ‘tape me up, I’m going back in.'"

Michigan's defense isn't feeling merciful. After a first-down dumpoff, Liufau takes a hit on a near-interception, then his body gives out after an ordinary-looking sack by Ryan Glasgow and Mike McCray.

He's given it everything he can. While the teams trade punts, Liufau heads up the tunnel to the locker room. When Jay MacIntyre returns Kenny Allen's boot into Michigan territory, Montez comes in at quarterback.

In a bold opening playcall, CU's offensive braintrust has Montez run an inverted veer, and he takes a healthy lick from Ben Gedeon on a zero-yard carry. They're given another shot when Matt Godin gets a rather soft personal foul for illegal hands to the face ("I've seen worse," says Millen, diplomatically), and they take the opportunity to get wild, calling a reverse flea flicker. While the play is there, the intended receiver is blocking tight end George Frazier, who entered the game with zero catches.

He'd exit this game with zero catches and fail to tally one all season; he'd later moonlight at defensive end. On the next play, Peppers times his blitz perfectly, getting in unblocked.

If Montez isn't rattled yet, Rashan Gary puts on heavy pressure to force a desperate cross-body throw on third down that Montez is fortunate isn't intercepted by Dymonte Thomas.

Following a touchback, an illegal blocking penalty sets Michigan back to first-and-19 on their own 11. With one sick open-field juke, Ty Isaac gets the first down on the next snap. Every time the Buffaloes get a play in their favor, the Wolverines make a bigger one of their own. A blown assignment gets Wilton Speight sacked for a loss of eight to force third-and-14. Here's third-and-14.

Shortly thereafter, Isaac finishes the drive he kick-started with a patient run to the edge to put Michigan up 38-28. For the first time all afternoon, you can sense the home crowd feeling at ease.

Colorado quarterbacks are less at ease. Liufau comes out of the locker room with a large ice wrap around one foot and no shoulder pads; he's done for the day. Even without the foot problem, my man's legs have been through hell.

I spared you the foot shot, you're welcome(?). Michigan forces a three-and-out, capped by Gary spooking Montez into a wayward throw to an open receiver. Colorado takes a delay of game before the punt.

“I wouldn’t want to rush punting to Jabrill Peppers either,” says Kevin Kugler. In the biz, we call that foreshadowing.

Wait for it, though. This time, Peppers lets a short punt take a big bounce to the M 21. As the third quarter nears a close, Speight escapes pressure and finds Jake Butt for a 15-yard catch-and-run. The announcers are talking up his ability to extend plays with his legs. Perhaps this emboldens Speight as the game moves into the fourth quarter. For whatever reason, this happens.

The announcers slow the praise of Speight's legs. While Amara Darboh extends the drive by digging a low third-down pass out of the dirt, the drive stalls out, and Allen punts a touchback.

Colorado obliges those of us who want this to reach both its climax and conclusion in the near future. Gedeon and Matt Godin combine for a TFL. Montez throws consecutive incompletions with rushers bearing down on him, including a wideout screen that Mike McCray almost picks off. On comes the punter. He hits a line drive. To Jabrill Peppers. Roll tape.

If you're surprised the celebration is more one of relief than joy, remember that Peppers was still seeking his first return score at Michigan at the time. From the postgame presser:

“It was definitely a sense of relief. Man, you know, I felt like a couple of those punts I could have had. I definitely could have taken one back. They were a great tackling team. They were shooting the hip and wrapping up, but when you get a line drive and great blocking, man, if you don’t score then they gotta put somebody else back there. So that’s just how I felt, man. The hole was wide open. They leave it upon me to make a couple guys miss and I felt as though I did that. I started cramping about the five but I was like there’s no way I’m not getting in this time. I was tired of just being an ‘almost’ kind of guy, so it definitely felt good to finally punch one in.”

With Michigan taking a commanding 45-28 lead and the Buffs offense a shambles, the rest of the game moves fast. Harbaugh has fun with formations.

I feel obligated to note that this guy, third-string quarterback Jordan Gehrke, gets into the game for a handoff when Montez's helmet comes off, forcing him to the sideline for a play.

Here's a note from Gehrke's official bio on the year he saw the most playing time, his sophomore season in 2014.

He engineered 15 drives in total, the bulk ended by either punts (five) or downs (five).

I may have worded that differently.

After Peppers' touchdown return, the two teams combine for 44 yards on 21 plays. Kenny Allen misses a field goal in there, but most importantly, the game clock moves nearly in real time.

Colorado putting a scare into the Wolverines turned out not to be a fluke. The Buffs stole a win at Oregon the following week, kicking off a stretch of eight wins in nine games that'd secure a spot in the Pac-12 title game. They'd even reach the top ten in the polls before losing both postseason games.

Michigan was very good in 2016. We'll leave it there.