BOULDER, COLO. » Colorado junior receiver Nelson Spruce torched Hawaii on Saturday with 13 receptions for 172 yards in the Buffaloes’ 21-12 victory. But if the Rainbow Warriors were looking for a silver lining afterward, Spruce tipped his helmet to Hawaii’s defensive backs.

"I think they were the best we faced all year," Spruce said.

No, Spruce wasn’t trying to elicit a laugh. He was serious. Colorado’s previous opponents were Hawaii’s Mountain West Conference foe Colorado State, Massachusetts and Arizona State, the Pac-12’s reigning South Division champion.

"(Ne’Quan Phillips) was playing pretty physical at the line," Spruce said. "He’s more of a bigger guy that they tried to have press at the line," Spruce said.

"(Dee Maggitt) is more of a quick guy. He was floating around back there. They were good DBs."

Colorado sophomore quarterback Sefo Liufau threw for 287 yards. But Hawaii’s defense made him work for that. Liufau, a Tacoma, Wash., native and cousin to injured UH running back Joey Iosefa, attempted 45 passes. He completed 29, and a big chunk of the yardage came on a 71-yard touchdown to Spruce in the first quarter. Maggitt appeared to be stride for stride with Spruce but bit on a cagey semi-hitch by Spruce.

Limiting a team to 21 points will win a lot of games in this explosive era of college football.

Colorado’s Liufau said Hawaii’s defense "didn’t do anything crazy" or that the Buffs hadn’t prepared for. Even so, the Rainbow Warriors held Colorado scoreless in the second half.

"We were ready for everything that they did," Liufau said. "We just didn’t execute."

Hawaii’s offense had similar problems. The Rainbow Warriors were forced to punt nine times and failed to score a touchdown.

It couldn’t have helped that Hawaii used three quarterbacks.

"Their first quarterback (Ikaika Woosley) was a little more mobile, so he was getting sprint-outs and boots," Colorado sophomore safety Chidobe Awuzie said. "The second quarterback (Jeremy Higgins) stayed in the pocket, and he was throwing it up there for us to get.

"And that third quarterback (Taylor Graham), obviously, (CU sophomore safety Tedric Thompson) got a pick off him. But they’re all good quarterbacks. We’re just trying to keep this thing going."

Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre said earlier in the week that Hawaii is much improved. He added after the game that he always has been a big fan of Rainbow Warriors coach Norm Chow.

MacIntyre coached against Hawaii when he was in the WAC while at San Jose State.

"I remember when I was early in my coaching career and Norm was offensive coordinator at BYU and watching all those BYU offenses," MacIntyre said. "I was always impressed with all the things that he did.

"He’s doing a good job at Hawaii," MacIntyre added. "He’s doing a good job with the quarterbacks, adapting to use the abilities the best he can with the people he has. They were missing their running back (Iosefa) today. Norm is a heck of a coach."