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Boulder, Colo. • Nelson Spruce and Greg Henderson square off in practice during the week and share the spotlight on Saturday.
Spruce caught a school record 13 passes for a career-best 172 yards and Henderson led a swarming defense that kept Hawaii out of the end zone in Colorado's 21-12 win Saturday over the scrappy Rainbow Warriors.
Henderson, a senior cornerback and four-year starter, joked that Spruce, whose big day included a 71-yard TD catch, can't get open against him during the week.
"Maybe once in a while I let him get open to help his confidence," Henderson said.
"He said that?" Spruce said with a chuckle. "I've always said I think 'Hendo' is one of the best corners in the Pac-12. Going against him day after day I think that kind of sharpens both of us. We get after it in practice.
"I can't believe he said that, I'll have to get after him in practice this week."
So, who really gets the better of the other?
"I'd say it's about 50-50," said Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre. "They really compete well."
It paid off Saturday for both of them.
Behind the hard-hitting and tone-setting Henderson, the Buffs (2-2) didn't allow a touchdown for the first time in 51 games, going back to a 24-3 win over Colorado State in the 2010 opener.
They held the Rainbow Warriors (1-3) to field goals on four trips inside the 20-yard line.
"I consider that 100 percent stops in today's football, I really do," MacIntyre said.
Hawaii's drives stalled on Colorado's 16, 1, 20 and 5.
"It was very frustrating," said Hawaii running back Steven Lakalaka, who rumbled 123 yards on 19 carries. "We've got to finish in the red zone. That's all that matters. In the red zone, we have to score."
Spruce's 13 catches broke the mark of 11 accomplished nine times, including four times by Paul Richardson. Spruce also set a school record by catching a TD pass in his sixth straight game, breaking the mark of five set by Rae Carruth in 1996.
"I look forward to him breaking every record there ever was at Colorado over the next two years," MacIntyre said.
Spruce's day didn't start off well, however. He was the intended target when Sefo Liufau threw into triple coverage on the game's first snap and Ne'Quan Phillips picked off the deep pass.
The Rainbow Warriors reached the Colorado 21 but Henderson, a senior cornerback, got the trifecta: a sack, strip and fumble recovery.
Then, it was Spruce's turn.
He lined up on the left side the next time he went deep and hauled in a 71-yard touchdown pass when defensive back Dee Maggitt tumbled to the turf at the 30 after flailing at the throw. That made it 7-3.
The Buffs took a 21-6 lead into the locker room, but the defense had to make it stand up as Colorado's offense sputtered despite eight more catches for 74 yards by Spruce in the second half.
Colorado's seven second-half drives ended in six punts and an interception before the Buffs lined up in victory formation.
"Our defense played lights out in the second half," Spruce said. "We got the win. Obviously, the win's the important thing. But we would have liked to finish out the game strong offensively."
Hawaii switched quarterbacks at halftime with senior lefty Jeremy Higgins replacing an ineffective Ikaika Woolsey, but Higgins went to the locker room late in the fourth quarter with an ice wrap on his left hand. Senior Taylor Graham came in and threw the game-sealing interception to Tedric Thompson at midfield.
Washington 45, Georgia State 14 • In Seattle, the Huskies needed a second half surge to overcome a 14-point halftime deficit to earn a victory over Georgia State.
Georgia State (1-3) outgained Washington (4-0) 231-73 and held possession for over 21 minutes in the first half as the Panthers built a 14-0 lead.
The Huskies finally woke up after the break and settled in on both sides of the ball.
Cyler Miles completed 19 of 27 passes for 154 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Washington rally.
Pac-12
Conference All games
W L PF PA W L PF PANorth
Washington 0 0 0 0 4 0 165 22
Oregon 0 0 0 0 3 0 156 54
California 0 0 0 0 2 0 86 38
Oregon St. 0 0 0 0 2 0 67 44
Stanford 0 1 10 13 2 1 90 13
Wash. St. 0 0 0 0 1 2 110 84
South Arizona St. 1 0 38 24 3 0 141 61
Southern Cal 1 0 13 10 2 1 96 60
Utah 0 0 0 0 3 0 141 51
Arizona 0 0 0 0 3 0 119 64
UCLA 0 0 0 0 3 0 90 72
Colorado 0 1 24 38 2 2 103 119
Saturday's
Colorado 21, Hawaii 12
Utah 26, Michigan 10
Washington 45, Georgia St. 14
California at Arizona, late
San Diego St. at Oregon St., late
Oregon at Washington St., late