by Doug Rutherford | Nov 3, 2017 | 2017
Buff Nation –
What a day! What a game! Every once in awhile it all comes together for those who are in attendance. This past Saturday the CU Offense, the CU Defense and the Colorado weather all combined to create the most memorable and enjoyable home game of the season. Yoda would have been proud. There was no trying. There was only doing. Man, if CU plays that way for the rest of the season, good things are in store for Buff Nation.
The Buffs have three more regular season games on its schedule. CU needs to figure out how to win one of those games (@ASU, USC, @Utah) to secure their second consecutive bowl berth. All three games will be tough to win, but all three are winnable. This year the Pac-12 has quickly become a conference of parity. Wa. St. crushed CU. CA crushed Wa. St. CU crushed CA.
CU has finally hit its stride. Tomorrow night’s contest against a good ASU team will go a long way in determining how good this team really is. Buff Nation was in despair (disgust?) after the Wa. St beat down a couple weeks ago. Hope springs eternal now. Look for the Buffs to ride QB Montez and his newly found A-game to beat the Sun Devils and have bowl eligibility wrapped up before we all roll our clocks back an hour and enjoy a little extra sleep knowing in our hearts that the rise is real.
Go Buffs!
Doug
by Doug Rutherford | Oct 27, 2017 | 2017
Buff Nation –
Clearly, this is not the season we were looking for. Coming on the heels of a not-soon–to-be-forgotten breakout (Cinderella?) season, this season has fallen far short of expectations. Unlike last year in which every game was a display of top-shelf football and a fan just kind of had the feeling CU would win, every game this season has seemed to be a grind, a struggle, a chore (duty?) to watch.
That said, to use the old cliché’, “It is what it is.” Regardless of how we got here, what the CU football team does next is the most important thing. At noon tomorrow, CU (4-4) takes on the California Bears (4-4). A win will put the Buffs one victory away from being bowl eligible with three games remaining (a team needs six wins to qualify for a postseason bowl berth). At this point in the season, earning a bowl berth is the goal. A bowl will allow CU to keep practicing after the regular season ends. This provides valuable reps for the underclassman. A second straight bowl berth will begin to instill in the player’s psyche that playing in bowls is what CU does. A bowl berth also affords CU invaluable natural exposure for potential recruits. There is still a lot on the line for this year’s Buff team. To not go to a bowl game this season will clearly be a step back for the CU program.
Regardless which QB will starts (Coach MacIntyre has not yet made his decision), the CU offense has to step up. They have six starting seniors. One of them is going to have to make a play when it is needed most tomorrow. The CU defense has yet to find it’s identity. They are getting better, but time is running out. One of the underclassmen will have to take on the leadership role. Playing at home in front of a friendly crowd and a beautiful Fall afternoon in the greatest place in the world has the recipe for victory. At the end of the day, CU will be with be one win away from starting a streak of consecutive bowl seasons for the first time in twelve years. As a famous warrior once said. “Do. Or Do Not. There is No Try.“
Go Buffs!
Doug
by Doug Rutherford | Oct 21, 2017 | 2017
Buff Nation,
On a cold, rainy, windy night in Pullman, Washington, the CU Buffs salvaged their season, found their identity and reestablished themselves as contenders in the Pac-12. At least, that is one possible outcome for tonight’s 8:45 PM ESPN game when the CU Buffs take on the #15 Washington State Cougars. The forecast calls for foul weather. That will match the Cougars’ mood as they chomp at the bit to redeem themselves after an embarrassing loss to Cal last week. That will also match the mood the Buffs have regarding their entire season. Eight weeks in and CU has yet to find its identity.
Tonight CU will find out who they are. They are Phillip Lindsey, CU’ all-time leader in career all-purpose yards. The three-year captain, out of Denver South High School is Colorado’s native son. He represents all that is good in football – on and off the field. CU rides Lindsey when nothing is working and when everything is working. Over the course of the last couple seasons, my kids have crossed paths with Lindsey at least a handful of times. Every time he has slowed down to see them, to take pictures and to smile. I’m not even sure he knows he’s doing it. Tonight in Pullman, CU will go where Lindsay takes them. He is the best CU has to offer.
The Pac-12 is a tough well-balanced league. Anyone can beat anyone on any given Saturday. Tonight CU goes in as a heavy 10-point underdog. Look for CU to go to Lindsay early and often. Lindsay will do his part. If rest of the CU offense continues to hum like they have over last two weeks (finally) and the defense figures out how to stop the run (please), this match-up has the making of an excellent Pac-12 football at night ball game. Come Sunday am Buff Nation will see how far Lindsay has taken them.
Go Buffs!
Doug
by Doug Rutherford | Oct 12, 2017 | 2017
Buff Nation –
What a mess. On a perfect Fall evening at Folsom field, Buff Nation turned out in force (family weekend), the Buffs offense (finally) found their groove back, yet it was all for not as the CU defense didn’t have a clue how to stop Arizona’s back-up (yup, back-up) QB. It was hard to watch and even harder to stomach. It was almost like the CU Defense missed the bus and a local high school stepped in to do their best in Pac-12 play. It didn’t look fair.
In my kid’s school, there is a concept of retaking a test for “meaningful corrections.” Basically, if the student didn’t do well the first time, they can retake the test to improve their grade. I guess the point is to make sure the student understands the concepts and not to blown up the kids grade due to a single moment of bad performance. CU needs to make some “meaningful corrections” or this season is going to blow up in our face. Not only is the Pac-12 championship now a pipe dream, even becoming bowl eligible is now in question. Bottom line is CU is too talented a team to be sitting on the sidelines come bowl season. We’ve wallowed in that waiting room before and we are not going back.
Winston Churchill once said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts”. Yeah, 2017 is not turning out the way we had hope. Yeah, the season isn’t over yet and the Buffs can still make a miraculous comeback (an eternal optimist), but “the Rise” is not about the 2017 (or 2016) season. It’s about having the courage to do what it takes to get to the next level. This coming Saturday at Oregon State, the Buffs have a chance to put into action the courage it takes to be a championship football team. Let’s see if they have the courage to put the past behind them and start of new chapter in Buff Nation lore.
Go Buffs!
Doug
by Doug Rutherford | Oct 6, 2017 | 2017
Buff Nation,
On Saturday night, under the lights of Folsom (no rain this time), CU has one more chance to get it right before being forced to throttle down expectations on this season. In years past, a bowl game would have been ideal. CU will be bowling this year for sure, but the ultimate objective is to win the Pac-12. In order to do that, CU needs to win the Pac-12 South. Beating AZ tomorrow will put CU right back in the driver seat. A loss will put them in a hole which will be hard to climb out of with half only six games remaining on the season.
That said, it won’t be easy. Arizona took Utah deep into the game two weeks ago. AZ is coming off a bye week (more time to rest and plan), and they have won on their last two trips to Folsom.
CU, on the other hand, is also not a team you want to underestimate. While they haven’t shown it yet this season, they are primed to break open a game with their offense. They are only averaging 26 points per game, but look for them to score a lot more than that on Saturday. CU will need to put four quarters of football together (they aren’t good enough to take a quarter off against any Pac-12 team). If they play a complete game, stay away from the turnovers and find a way to contain AZ QB Brandon Dawkins, this is a game CU should win going away.
The forecast calls for upper 60’s at kickoff (6 PM). As of yesterday, 91% of all tickets had been sold. It’s parents weekend and there is still every reason to believe that this season, like last season, will be a special one and will take CU one step closer to becoming a perennial football powerhouse. It is going to be epic. It’s time to get it right.
Go Buffs!
Doug
