BOULDER, Colo. » Two friends for decades — Hawaii head coach Norm Chow and Colorado defensive coordinator Ken Baer — greeted each other outside the visitors’ locker room following the Buffaloes’ 21-12 victory at Folsom Field.

"Thanks for kicking my (butt)," Chow said as they shook hands.

For the third time in four Saturdays, the Rainbow Warriors fell, by single digits, to a Pac-12 opponent.

In the process, the Warriors might have lost senior quarterback Jeremy Higgins for an extended period. Higgins, who replaced starter Ikaika Woolsey at the start of the second half, suffered what was diagnosed as a fracture in his left (throwing) hand in the fourth quarter. His status — like his hand — was put on ice.

"Things happen," Higgins said.

Except for three lapses in the second quarter, leading to three Colorado touchdowns, UH played well defensively — but not well enough.

"If the offense scores 12, we have to hold them to 11," UH defensive coordinator Kevin Clune said. "That’s our job."

That was particularly important because the Warriors advanced into the red zone three times — and once to the Colorado 21 — but managed only four Tyler Hadden field goals. He converted from 35, 25, 41 and 24 yards.

"The offense struggled to convert in the red zone," UH slotback Scott Harding said. "As an offense, it really deflates you. You get three chances to go less than 20 yards and you can’t do it, it’s deflating. That’s one thing we have to look at this week."

The Warriors have a bye before going on the road to play Rice in Houston on Oct. 4.

The Warriors will spend the time healing (six starters did not play on Saturday), synchronizing an offense that has not scored a touchdown in 16 possessions, and sorting the quarterback situation. Chow said Ikaika Woolsey, who was 10-for-24 for 64 yards, will remain as the No. 1 quarterback.

"Obviously, it was disappointing," Woolsey said. "We came up short today. I have to play better."

Steven Lakalaka, who started his second game in place of injured Joey Iosefa, rushed for 123 yards. But the Buffaloes often slipped an eighth defender into the tackle box, clogging the inside lanes and daring the Warriors to attack the perimeters or throw deep.

"That’s what people are going to do to us until we prove we can beat them with the throw," said Jordan Wynn, UH’s quarterbacks coach and play-caller. "We ran the ball decently. You can only run the ball so long when you can’t score."

Woolsey overthrew Harding on a corner route in the end zone. There were two third-down drops. After linebacker TJ Taimatuia intercepted and ran to the CU 7, the Warriors managed to gain 1 yard on the ensuing drive. The Warriors had five three-and-out drives.

"The offense needed to step up; we didn’t," UH wideout Marcus Kemp said. "I felt like we let the defense down. I felt bad every time we left the field after a three-and-out, and the defense had to go out there and make the big stop, like they do. We didn’t do enough to help them out."

The UH defense appeared to set the stage when cornerback Ne’Quan Phillips intercepted Sefo Liufau on the game’s first play from scrimmage. But the stage had a trap door, and six plays later, Woolsey fumbled after being sacked on Greg Henderson’s corner blitz.

After UH took a 3-0 lead later in the first quarter, the Buffaloes took over at their 29. Liufau lofted a long pass toward the left sideline. Cornerback Dee Maggitt maneuvered into position to defend the pass, then froze as Nelson Spruce made the catch and raced the remaining 27 yards for the 71-yard touchdown.

"It was more judging the ball," Spruce said. "I guess it kind of worked out as a juke. The ball got under-thrown, so I kind of hesitated to slow down to read it. But as I sped up, I was able to pull away with it."

Facing the early-afternoon sun, Maggitt appeared to lose track of the ball.

"That’s basically what happened," Maggitt said. "I stopped. I misjudged it. I thought it was shorter than it really was. (Spruce) had a better vision on it."

Clune backed Maggitt, saying: "Anybody who thinks being a corner is easy needs to go out and play some corner. He lost it there, and they got it."

Clune was more concerned with two miscommunications that resulted in touchdowns. On the first, wideout Shay Fields got the ball on a fly sweep and sprinted around left end for a touchdown. Later, fullback George Frazier sneaked into the right flat to catch a wide-open pass and scoot 9 yards into the end zone.

"Miscommunication, turn a guy loose, touchdown," Clune said. "That’s something the kids are going to re-dedicate to getting squared away. We’re going to coach the heck out of ’em."

With the vertical passing threat, the Buffaloes were able to force the Warriors into cushion coverage. Relying on crossing and comeback routes, Spruce finished with a school-record 13 receptions for 172 yards.

"If a guy is leaning on him, he’ll lean forward, and when he comes back, the (defender) bounces off of him, and there’s always room," Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre said of Spruce. "If you watch, he always catches the ball out here where guys can’t get it, and he puts it away. And he’s excellent at that."

Clune said: "He’s a good player, a great route-runner. We said that going in. He’s their best guy. He did a good job."

The game was played at 5,440 feet above sea level. It also started at noon, which was 8 a.m. in Hawaii.

"Whatever," UH linebacker Julian Gener said. "We can’t blame elevation. We made mistakes, and they capitalized on them."