Arizona vs. Colorado: Hitting the slopes for Wildcats' three keys to victory at Buffaloes

The 2012 version of this game was a fun one for Arizona fans as Ka'Deem Carey set a school and Pac-12 record by rushing for 366 yards on just 25 carries.

It was also the first start as an Arizona Wildcat for quarterback B.J. Denker. Should be interesting to see how different it is for him when facing a team for the second time.

The Boulder/Denver area is obviously known for its ski resorts among other things, so without further ado, here's the ski-themed three keys for the Wildcats this weekend against the Colorado Buffaloes:

1. Downhill

Getting Carey the ball early and often is really the only way to go with this match up. Obviously it worked well last year, and a lot of the same cast of characters are back on the CU defense. True freshman Addison Gillam leads the Buffs in tackles by a huge margin, and maybe he's their answer to Ka'Deem. Or maybe Ka'Deem just runs right over him too.

2. Safety first

The secondary is going to have their work cut out for them with Tra'Mayne Bondurant out with a concussion and Jared Tevis questionable with a knee injury. Expect to see a lot of Will Parks and Anthony Lopez this week as Colorado freshman QB Sefo Liufau makes his second career start. Shaquille Richardson's cousin, Paul Richardson, is the Buffs leading receiver, averaging 18.2 yards per reception. Shutting him down will be key to shutting down the entire CU offense.

3. Super-G

This is not Reggie Gilbert's nickname or anything, but it can be for this week. Gilbert and the rest of the D-line seemed to gain confidence against Utah after struggling against USC. They'll need to keep this kind of play going against the Buffs to get Liufau flustered, forcing him to make bad decisions. That constant pressure will certainly help the depleted secondary, and assist the guys who may be seeing playing time for just the first or second time this year.