Sometimes there are no words to accurately describe a feeling or event. What the Colorado Buffaloes have accomplished this season falls into that category. From worst to first in the conference. Arguably, one of the greatest turnaround in college football history.
The seven-win increase from last year (4 wins last year, 11 wins this year) is the single largest improvement in Pac-12 history, surpassing the Stanford Cardinal record in 1939. We are in uncharted waters. History is being made in Boulder. The records that are being broken are decades old, and we have had the uncommonly good fortune to witness all of it. Perhaps at some point over Christmas break I will try to tabulate all the records and streaks that were broken this year. There are so many of them. I feel I need something tangible to help me get my mind around what has transpired. I’m going to need closure.
The Buffs put on a football clinic against a very good Utah team this past Saturday. Prevailing 27-22 CU had long TD passes and short TD power runs. They had ten pass breakups (seemed like more), eight tackles for loss, four takeaways, three sacks, a two-point conversion stop, two fourth down stops, zero penalties (ZERO!), and a partridge in a pear tree. Unimaginable just a year ago, Saturday night under the lights couldn’t get any better.
It also couldn’t get any louder, and at least where I was sitting, you couldn’t get another body in there. Saturday was the first sell-out of Folsom since 2008, when Texas came into town. North of 53,000 fans packed the stadium to cheer on the Buffs. It was jammed. Perhaps it was the late kick-off time to give the fans ample time to get their game face on; but, either way, it was SO LOUD. The crowd was raucous. It was beautiful. Folsom field is one of the best college football venues in the country. The seating is so close to the field that the fans really do have an impact on the game.
It was the first time in 22 years that CU went undefeated at home. Going forward that should be the norm. We have some tough games slated for next year, but no longer is anything a sure thing when you travel to Boulder.
As predicted, there was a THIRD storming of the field. The PA announcer almost pleaded with the crowd to wait “One Golden Minute” before rushing the field. Yeah, good luck with that. After years of frustration, no way is a public announcement going to hold back thousands of newly empowered fans from getting close to the product they have come back in droves to support and love. Even the players were taking selfies on the field. It was perfect. CU may get fined $100,000 per Pac-12 policy for rushing the field, but the ROI on that $100,000 is enormous. I’m sure AD Rick George ran the numbers on it. On live national television, and then on ESPN sport center throughout the night, the fans storming Folsom were seen by college football recruits across the county. Looking as cool as a team could possibly look in their Gold helmets, black jerseys and black pants, the Buffs JUST WON THE PAC-12 SOUTH! How do you like me now? CU is the place to be. It’s a chicken and egg thing. Players commit to winning programs, but programs can’t win if players don’t commit. It’s a major hurdle that has blocked CU for years. That hurdle has now been demolished. CU will have a top 15 recruiting class for 2017, just ahead of Auburn, and probably a top ten recruiting class in 2018. For context, CU’s recruiting class for 2016 was ranked 66 in the nation, just ahead of Marshall (yup Marshall).
Yet, somehow the season gets bigger and better. CU plays the University of Washington Huskies on Friday in the Pac-12 Championship game in Santa Clara, CA. The day before CU played Utah, I watched The Huskies take apart the Washington State Cougars. I’m thankful I watched the game as I think I discredited The Huskies. No longer. When CU plays WA, it is going to be an epic battle. The Huskies are as balanced as CU is on both sides of the ball. They have a Heisman candidate in QB Jake Browning, who seems to do everything right, and they have playmakers all over the field. CU will need to have a strong pass rush to disrupt Browning’s; otherwise, it’s going to be a long game for CU. On Offense, CU has to do a better job of protecting the ball and establishing the running game in order to open up the passing game. The game will also pit the top two Pac-12 defenses against each other. If CU wins, it’s road trip time to Pasadena to go to the Rose Bowl. If CU loses, it’s a less glorified, yet hard earned (and exceeding expectations) road trip to San Antonio for the Alamo bowl, or San Diego for the Holiday bowl. For the time being, let’s think Roses.
This magical mystery tour continues, and we are almost out of November. No one saw this coming, but we all saw it happen, in front of our own eyes. We were the fortunate ones. Who’s Got It Better Than Us? Nobody!
Were you there? Man, I hope you were there. That was AWESOME!
For the first time in twenty (TWENTY) years, CU was ranked in the top ten heading into a November game. This is nuts. CU is back and dominating.
For those at the game, this was one of the best college football games in America. Of the 57 Division I football games played this past Saturday, three featured top 25 ranked teams playing against each other (#10 vs. #22 WSU, #13 WVU vs. #9 Oklahoma, and #16 LSU vs #23 Florida). Of these games, only one home team was victorious. Yup, Colorado. If you were a football fan, and you wanted to witness your team win against a ranked team in your own backyard, the ONLY place to be on Saturday was Boulder.
That was AWESOME!
For the first three quarters of play, it was a legit battle between two excellent football teams. CU benefited from a few dropped balls by WSU, and WSU benefited from a few non-calls by the refs. Half-time score had WSU up 17-14. At the end of the 3rd quarter, CU held a slight lead 28-24. It wasn’t until the 4th quarter when CU showed, like they have so many times before, that they know how to finish a game. Over the past 7 games, CU has outscored their opponents 105 to 36 in the second half. CU clamps down on defense and opens the throttle on offense. Three 4th quarter plays against WSU typify CU’s season.
1) Play #1: Just inside the 4th quarter with CU clinging to a 28-24 lead, WSU had the momentum and driving deep into CU territory. From CU’s 18-yard line, WSU faced a 4th and 4. Rather than kick a field goal, Mike Leech decided to go for it on 4th down. Earlier in the game, CU lost it’s starting safety to a targeting penalty, and soon thereafter they lost another safety to a concussion. Down two safeties, little known and sparingly used Nick Fisher took the field. On this particular play WSU called the perfect play to put Fisher in a seemingly impossible position of covering two guys at once. I’ve watched the play multiple times since the game, and I still can’t believe how a Fisher who would have never been on the field otherwise, made the perfect read, pursuit and tackle to stop WSU one yard short of the first down. It was the play of the game. It shifted the momentum into CU’s favor, and CU never looked back. CU has consistently played with the mentality of next man up. This play was living proof.
2) Play #2: CU is leading 31-24 with 6 minutes remaining in the game. CU pulls off probably it’s prettiest play of the year: A reverse, double reverse, pitch back to QB, screen pass for a 24-yard gain. The ease and precision in which CU pulled off the play was a thing of beauty. CU’s re-invented spread offense has been seemingly unstoppable ever since the first series against CSU back in August. When you play CU, you have better done your homework; otherwise you stand a good chance of getting schooled.
3) Play #3: For the final play epitomizing CU’s season, we go from beauty to beast. Scarcely two minutes after CU runs their triple trick play, Philip Lindsay powers his way into the end zone from 13 yards out (running over and through three defenders) for a game over, beast-mode statement. These plays happen all the time, but on this play in particular the level of violence in which Lindsay ran the ball was outstanding. He wasn’t going to be denied. The Buffs had WSU against the rope, and without hesitation and without pomp and circumstance, CU delivered the knockout blow. It was my favorite play of the game.
This Saturday, #9 CU plays #22 Utah under the lights of Folsom Field. Somehow, someway CU will need to find a way to play even better. The stakes get higher. The expectations get higher. Folsom will be sold out. The nation will be watching. CU will be wearing their Gold helmets, black jerseys and black pants. An awesome combination, especially under the lights. By the way, these are the same uniforms CU wore in arguably the greatest CU win at Folsom Field when #15 CU beat #1 Nebraska in 2009 in another Thanksgiving Day weekend game. A win puts CU in the Pac-12 championship game. and hundreds of fans rushing the field for the third time this season. The key to the game will be how well CU can stop Utah’s rushing attack led by RB Joe Williams and how well CU’s offense can exploit Utah’s secondary.
On Saturday, CU has a great opportunity to prove they belong in the conversation with the best teams in the nation. Incredibly, we have an opportunity to be there and witness it all first hand.
Tailgate starts at 1PM, don’t be late. This day and this season will be over before we know it. Who has it better than us? Nobody!
For the first time in 14 years the Buffs are ranked in the Top Ten Nationally. That’s probably worth repeating. For the first time in 14 years the Buffs are ranked in the Top Ten Nationally. No one, and I mean no one, saw this coming before this season started. Yet it is here, and it is ours.
On Saturday, CU will put it all on the line against the #22 Washington State Cougars (WSU). WSU boasts a high power offense ranked 10th in the country (CU is #30), yet WSU’s defense is a relatively pedestrian 51st (CU’s is #13). CU will either have to figure out a way to slow down WSU or get in a shoot-out with them to win. Either way, I like our chances. There is a lot riding on the outcome of this game.
CU’s magic number is three. The Buffs are three wins away from either playing in the Rose Bowl or playing in the playoffs. A win on Saturday, a win the following week against Utah at Folsom, and then a win in the Pac-12 Championship will guarantee one of those scenarios. Right now everything is right with the world. We are riding a wave, yet we don’t want to get caught looking.
Heading into Saturday’s game I feel like the pre-game speech Gene Hackman gives to his team in the 1986 movie Hoosiers is appropriate. Swap out “State Finals” for “Pac-12 Championship/Rose Bowl/Playoffs” and I think you have the perfect pre-game speech for Buff Nation. Win or lose on Saturday, nothing can be taken from these Buffs and the season we are witnessing; yet, no way do we want to pull up short. By the way, you have to love the slow clap at the end of this scene. Cheesy, but best in cinematic history.
In the spirit of living out this season for all it’s worth, here is a quick recap of how we got here.
Pre-Season – CU projected to finish last in the Pac-12 by virtually every major sports pundit in America. CU is 5-49 against Pac-12 teams since joining the league in 2011. CU is an embarrassment to the State of Colorado and the Pac-12. CU is 35-78 in past ten years. They are 14-38 overall since joining the Pac-12 and 5-40 in league play during that time. While they should be improved, no one sees them getting to 6 wins and a bowl game.
September 2 – CU destroys in-state rival CSU 44-7. CSU is young and rebuilding, but still, 44-7? Hope is in the air. There is also a sense of relief. Playing CSU at Invesco Field sucks. It’s a no-win situation for the Buffs. A win is expected. A loss is disaster. I hate going to the CU v CSU game at Mile High. It’s a can’t win situation for CU. Yet, I go anyway. I can’t help myself. On this night though it’s a lot of fun. A good group of friends and kids sitting together. We are going to ride this season for all its worth. CU actually receives a single vote for the Top 25. I’m in disbelief. Our Buffs? Consideration? How thoughtful. CU 1-0. CU receives 1 vote for top 25 consideration in AP and Coaches Poll.
September 10 – CU beats Idaho State at Folsom in convincing fashion 56-7. That was cool. CU is 2-0 and neither game was even close. How good is this team? The weather was perfect. Fall is underway. Life is good. CU 2-0. CU receives 2 votes for top 25 consideration.
September 17 – CU loses a heartbreaking game to MI 45-28. Yet, ironically, this loss does more to boost the hopes and dreams of Buff Nation than either of the prior two wins. Hope blooms in Boulder. CU looks good. Unfortunately, that may have been their chance to shock the world. Now, their QB is hurt and we have to travel to Oregon next week and will probably have to start our #2 QB. What’s his name? Such a bummer. CU 2-1. CU receives 0 votes.
September 24 – Bam! The worm turns. CU beats OR, and all of a sudden we have something. We just beat OR! Are you kidding me? OR used to CRUSH us, and we just beat them on the road with our back-up QB? What’s his name again? Oh yeah, it’s Steven Montez. Steven freakin Montez. We are no longer the laughing stock of the Pac-12. We are contenders. Let’s do this thing. Life, right now, could not get any better. This is it. We are going to blow this thing out of the water. CU 3-1. CU receives 33 votes.
October 1 – CU’s Pac-12 home opener pairs us against the Oregon State Beavers. The perfect match-up for CU to maintain its momentum. CU is better than OSU and they prove it quickly. Start Fast. Attack. No Mercy. Steven Montez plays lights out. CU destroys the OSU 47-6. Fans leave early. Is this the new normal? Are we that good that we don’t have to stay to the end. I stay, but I love the fact that at least now I have that option. CU 4-1. CU receives 276 votes. Ranked #21 in AP Poll. First time ranked in eleven years.
October 8 – We got this. We are good. USC is on the downswing. We are ending streaks left and right. This is our year. We are going to take down the Trojans. We very well could be the best team in the nation. CU travels to California and gets their butt kicked in the LA Coliseum by a better Trojans team. The 21-17 score is deceiving. We never had a chance. Steven Montez looks like the back-up QB he is. Back to reality. What were we thinking? Is Sefo healthy yet? The Buffs are good, but not good enough just to show up and expect to win. In the Pac-12 you have to earn it any given Saturday. CU 4-2. CU receives 22 votes and drops out of the AP Rankings.
October 15 – Arizona State is in town. They are 5-1 and sit atop the Pac-12 South. I hate those guys. Similar to OR they have pounded on the Buffs for years. Sefo is back in the saddle and quickly establishes his leadership presence. His teammates love him. They fight hard for him because they know he fights for them. His leadership presence is undeniable. CU comes out strong and rushes the ball down ASU’s throat ALL DAY LONG. What? Did that just happen? That wasn’t even that good of a game? Is CU that good, or is ASU really that bad? Maybe a little bit of both? Either way, CU casts out yet another Pac-12 demon. The Pac-12 is taking notice. These aren’t your father’s Buffaloes. CU 5-2. CU receives 110 votes. Just missed being ranked by a mere 13 votes. Bummer.
October 22 – CU travels to Stanford. It’s beginning to sound like a broken record, but Stanford has dominated CU for many years. Somehow though, it just feels like this is CU’s year. Stanford’s crown jewel is the State of Colorado’s own Christian McCaffrey out of Valor Christian HS. Well, CU seems to have their own Colorado jewel in RB Phillip Lindsay out of Denver South HS. Two Colorado State products go head to head making us all proud. CU wins 10-5. A hard game to watch, but a win is a win is a win. There are no ugly wins. Not if you are CU and you just became Bowl Eligible. What? Yup, we are going bowling. CU 6-2. CU receives 207 votes, and back in the top 25 at #23.
November 3 – The games they remember are played in November. Well, at least we would like to think so. It’s been a decade since CU has had a meaningful game in November. Our season is usually well overcome this time. NOT THIS YEAR. THIS YEAR IS DIFFERENT. CU plays UCLA under the lights of Folsom on a Thursday night. The atmosphere is electric. Most of the fans are in Black. Looking good for the national tv audience. For the second week in a row the game is ugly. UCLA gets under CU’s skin and CU loses its composure. Turnovers and penalties plague CU all night, but CU STILL wins the game thanks in large part to a stingy defense and a 68-yard TD punt return by Isaiah Oliver. Final score CU 20, UCLA 10. The Rise is Real. CU 7-2.CU receives 550 votes and ranked #16 in AP and #12 in Playoff Rankings. Highest ranking in 14 years.
November 12 – CU goes on the road to play the Arizona Wildcats. CU is focused. It is all in front of them. They just need to take care of business on the road against a team that is not as good as they are. CU does exactly that, winning 49-24. Another day at the office. CU seems bound and determined to take each game one at a time, and not get too far ahead of themselves. CU 8-2. CU receives 797 votes and ranked #12 in AP and #10 in Playoff Rankings.
So there you have it. The next chapter to be written is this Saturday at 1:30pm. There is no place you would rather be than at Folsom Field. Win or lose, Buff games are now the best show in town. Be there. Do your part. Be a part of history. Tailgate starts at 10AM. Usual spot. All are welcome. Ping me if you plan to attend and need directions.
Back in August we speculated how good CU could be. Tomorrow night we take another step toward that answer. CU is now ranked #15 in the nation. That alone has to be one of the seasons top football stories. Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes of the PAC-12, CU is primed to become THE story of the 2016 NCAA Football season.
November ushers in the season of Polls and Bowls. This is where it gets fun. What CU does in their four games this month will go a long way in determining where they will be ranked and what bowl they will be playing in for the post season.
Tomorrow night CU takes on UCLA in a nationally televised game under the lights of Folsom. The student body and majority of fan base will be wearing black. CU will be in their traditional Gold helmets, black jersey and gold pants. What is old is new again. It will be a sight to be seen.
Kick off is 7pm. Tailgate starts at 4pm. St. Aidan’s church (2425 Colorado Ave). All are welcome.
These are the days we longed for season after miserable season. These are the days we wanted when CU tickets were a dime a dozen and going to a CU game was a waste of time. We lived in a world of “what ifs.” No longer. It’s all in front of us now. Football is back in Boulder and the nation is taking notice. We are now those guys.
CU is primed to dismantle UCLA. CU’s offensive line will move UCLA against their will. Lindsey, who’s been playing out of his mind, will rush for over 100 yards. UCLA will not be able to keep up with CU’s four receiver spread. On defense, CU will shut down the run game and force UCLA to pass and will have at least one pick. CU will be victorious and the magical season will continue.
For the 2016 Colorado Buffaloes there is no such thing as an “Ugly Win.” While CU may not have looked impressive against a down trodden Stanford Cardinal team last Saturday, at the end of the day the scoreboard had CU at 10 and Stanford at 5, giving CU its first win over Stanford since 1990. And making the Buffs bowl eligible for the first time since 2007.
Bowl eligibility is not just about playing in a bowl. It’s about exposure and recruiting. Players want to play for winners. After the regular season ends, those teams playing in the bowl game get noticed by highly recruited high school athletes. Top recruits are going to now want to come to CU. And as coach Mac is fond of saying “Player make plays and players win games.” There are eight bowls in which CU will wind up playing. The most prestigious is the Rose Bowl on January 2nd.
In order to get there, CU will have to either win the Pac-12 or come in 2nd in the Pac-12 to a playoff bound University of Washington. For this reason, Buff Nation will want to root for the Washington Huskies as they take on Utah tomorrow. Not only does CU want to win the rest of their games this season, they also want WA to win the rest of their games and be ranked in the top 4 in the nation when they face Colorado in the Pac-12 Championship. In this perfect scenario, CU would be assured a Rose Bowl invitation with a win or loss against WA. A win by WA over Utah tomorrow also provides a bit of cushion for CU in the event they stumble against UCLA, AZ or WA St before playing Utah in the final game of the regular season.
CU Bowl prospects:
CU’s bye week comes at the perfect time. An opportunity to get healed up and begin to focus on the November games. This has been a magical season for CU. CU controls their own destiny to win the Pac-12 and play in the Rose Bowl. CU is the only team in the Pac-12 South to be ranked in the top four in Total Offense and Total Defense, and they are one of the most balanced teams in the nation. And they are also playing with a chip on their shoulder. Ever since joining the Pac-12 in 2011 they have been the laughing stock of the league, because they couldn’t win. No one is laughing anymore. No one wants to play these guys. CU is disciplined, hungry, and dangerous. They are also peaking at the optimal time. Buckle your seats belts. This is going to be a heck of a finish.
