Font ResizeThe tough-as-nails tailback fumbled twice in a loss at Iowa State after losing just two fumbles in the eight previous games and 150 carries this fall.
"I don`t know," Stewart said. "Stuff just happened. I really can`t tell you what happened."
Stewart looked like he could have been down by contact on his first fumble early in the third quarter, and officials initially ruled he was, but replay officials reviewed the play and awarded the ball to the Cyclones at the CU 27-yard line.
Iowa State turned the good fortune into a touchdown on a 20-yard pass from quarterback Austen Arnaud to running back
Trailing 17-3 early in the fourth quarter, Stewart took a handoff at the Iowa State 15-yard line and sprinted off tackle to the 8-yard line where he was blindsided by Cyclones strong safety David Sims. Stewart fumbled and free safety James Smith receovered.
"It was a good hit," Stewart said. "I didn`t see him. That was probably the biggest part about it."
Stewart carried the ball 19 times for 85 yards, giving him 673 yards this season, besting his 622 yards as a true freshman in 2008.
Short-handed
The Colorado defense played well enough to win once again Saturday but didn`t get much help from the offense. Buffs defenders also played without two regular starters who missed the game because of injuries.
Outside linebacker B.J. Beatty didn`t play because of a concussion. Tyler Ahles made his first career start in place of Beatty. Free safety Ray Polk, who played last week with a broken bone near his pinky toe, was held out. Anthony Perkins started in his place. Perkins led the Buffs with 14 tackles.
Line shakeup
Coaches made changes to the offensive line Saturday, presumably in response to giving up 16 sacks in the previous two games.
Sophomore Ethan Adkins had started every game this season but was replaced in the starting lineup by Blake Behrens. Adkins played in the game according to the official statistics.
The line experienced more turmoil in the second half after one play in which quarterback Tyler Hansen scrambled from the Iowa State 9-yard line to the 1, but right tackle Bryce Givens was flagged for a personal foul and unsportsmanlike conduct for his reaction to the initial call.
Givens was replaced in the lineup by redshirt freshman Ryan Dannewitz.
"Obviously Bryce kind of freaked out on us there a little bit," Hansen said after the game. "That kills us. ... He`s pretty bad right now. He`s in the locker room right now. He`s bumming."
Repeat effort
Wide receiver Markques Simas produced his second consecutive 100-yard receiving day with seven catches for 128 yards. He had 135 yards in a win over Texas A&M last week.
Simas became the first CU receiver to have back-to-back 100-yard games since Javon Green did so against Oklahoma and Kansas State in the 1999 season.
Notable
Wide receiver Scotty McKnight extended his receptions streak to 35 games, catching eight passes for 107 yards. It was his fourth career 100-yard game and the third this season. McKnight now has 62 receptions this season, joining D.J. Hackett, Michael Westbrook and Derek McCoy as the only other CU players in history to catch at least 60 passes in a season. ... Running back Corey Nabors and running back/wide receiver Kevin Moyd started for the first time in their careers.
