Finally. The Buffs are back! Let’s get on with life as we’ve known it, and as we want it. For some reason I feel like Sinead O’Connor whining about how long it’s been since we were last at Folsom field (21 months, 14 days).
Tonight, in a Friday Night Lights (FNL) special, our beloved (but not yet feared…still working on that) Colorado Buffaloes take on the mighty University of Northern Colorado (UNC) err…need to look this up real quick…Bears. The mighty Northern Colorado Bears. In less than seven hours, under the lights of Folsom Field, all that is wrong with the world will be made right. Who’s got it better than us? Nobody!
While the UNC Bears may not be a household name, their head coach certainly is. Ed McCaffrey of Denver Broncos fame, check out his epic block in Super Bowl XXXIII , will be coaching his first college football game (fun fact: one of his sons is the Offensive Coordinator, and one of his other sons is QB1). Not to be too cavalier (recall heartbreaking losses to OSU (the day the music stopped for Mike McIntyre and staff), Montana St, Sac State and others), I just can’t see the Bears hanging with the Buffs for any extended period of time. The Buffs are focused on winning the Pac-12 championship (not happening this season, but it’s coming) and the Bears are simply focused on playing (they didn’t play last season, so literally this is their first game in 650 days).
Look for the Buffs to quickly establish the running game and dominate from the second quarter onwards (Buffs win this one by four touchdowns). The Buffs return a ton of players, have a burgeoning rock star in Freshman QB Brendon Lewis, a solid stable of running backs, corps of receivers, stout offensive line, and a defense that is ready to prove itself and lead by Nate Landman, one of the best to wear the Black and Gold. The Buffs have the potential to surprise the Pac-12 like they did last year. The challenge is six of the Buffs 12 opponents are pre-season ranked in the top 25, and also have something to prove.
Given they only play 12 games, and they need to win six for bowl eligibility (the bar of success for this season), the Buffs have no wiggle room. They have to win all the games they are expected to win (including the UNC Bears – geez that just rolls off the tongue now), and a game or two they are not favored to win and/or on the road. To put it another way, despite the talent they return, most pundits project the Buffs to finish at or near the bottom of their conference. I predict the Buffs win their six games and go bowling by virtue of wins over (UNC, MN, AZ, @CA, OSU and @UCLA).
In 2001 Boulder resident (and cul-de-sac neighbor (is that a thing?)) Jim Collins published the best-selling book Good to Great, essentially stating good companies fail to become great companies because they become satisfied and don’t have the necessary focus to become great (my words, not the authors, so don’t quote him on it).
In 2020, the Buffs have had a good football season, yet came up short on their first attempt for a great season by losing to Utah 21-38. As warned by yours truly, Utah was/is better than their record and they would stand to be CU’s toughest challenge of the season. Once team captain Nate Landman went down (such a shame) for the season, CU lost focus and packed it in. Good was good enough.
Season Finale
CU (4-1) vs #20 Texas (6-3) – Alamo Bowl, San Antonio, TX, Tuesday 12/29 7PM MT
While the Buffs stubbed their toe against Utah, the Buffs are fortunate to be in the Alamo bowl (if USC had not opted out of playing in a bowl this year, CU would have played in a lower-tier bowl against a lower tiered opponent) and now has a golden opportunity to win on national TV in it’s most coveted and competitive recruiting state against former Big 12 rival the #20 Texas Longhorns. The Buffs are a 9.5-point underdog.
The upside of winning this game would be hard to underestimate. A win could prove to be the defining moment where CU Football returned to its winning ways and earned the respect of its peers and even its own conference.
Fast forward a decade. It is January 2030 and the Buffs have been ranked each year since the final polls of the 2020 season and have been in the mix for conference and national championships on an annual basis. Someone, in their infinite wisdom, will ask the profound and deserving question, “What was the turning point? What was the defining moment when the Buffs stopped losing, and returned to greatness? It is at that time, in that moment, when those who are in know (those on this email and the rest of loyal Buff Nation), those who suffered through the Hawkins, Embree, MacIntrye saga, and Tucker betrayal can answer that question. It is those who can finally spit the foul taste of bitterness out of their mouths and can answer that question with three of the most hallowed words in the American vernacular – “Remember the Alamo!”
Final Thought
The Buffs are playing with house money. They have proven they have the right coach and a solid core group of young players. CU should go into the Alamo feeling they have earned the right to be there and play loose. The Buffs will need to establish the running game, eat the clock and shorten the game. Without Landman the Buffs will struggle to stop Texas. Limiting the number of possessions Texas gets and winning the turnover battle will help the cause. Either way, Buff Nation has a lot to be proud of and a lot to look forward to.
As expected, the winless Wildcats came out swinging last Saturday vs the Buffs. A victory over the upstart, undefeated Buffaloes would have been the perfect cure to an otherwise ailing Arizona season. To their credit, Arizona came out with an offensive scheme CU was not expecting and held a 13-0 lead entering the second quarter before the Buffs coaching staff could make the necessary adjustments.
The Buffs, for their part, have quickly taken on the calm, cool and collected resilience of their coach. No need to panic when Coach KD is at the helm. After taking the initial body blow, the Buffs went about their methodic dismantling of Arizona scoring 24 unanswered points led by Jarek Broussard 301 yards rushing, becoming the first player in CU history to rush for 100+ yards in the first four games of the season. Your Buffs remain undefeated on the season at 4-0, and yes, are now ranked #21 in the country. Can you dig it?
Week Six Preview
CU (4-0) vs Utah (1-2) – Saturday 10:05 am, Folsom Field (Fox)
When CU joined the Pac-12 in 2011, Utah was designated as our manufactured rival (thus playing Utah last game of every season). Few liked the idea, as it seemed forced. It is also hard to be a rival if it is not equitable. Utah has outscored the Buffs 109-35 in the last three beat downs and have won 9 of 11 games. Do not let their record fool you, Utah is legit and extremely interested in another Buff beatdown.
This game will come down to physics. What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object? We will find out when the Buffs #1 rushing offense squares off against the Utah Utes #1 Rushing Defense. This game very well may come down to the last possession of the game. The Buffs have a better passing attack than Utah, Noyer is going to need to return to early season form in order for the Buffs to win. At the end of the day, the Buffs will be victorious and remain undefeated on the season. Buff Nation will then quickly turn their eyes to the UCLA vs USC game. With a Buff win over Utah and a USC loss to UCLA, the Buffs would find themselves playing in the Pac-12 championship game.
Final Thought
This season will most assuredly have an asterisk next to it. What CU does this year is less about this season (although they sure are making it fun to watch), and more about establishing a foundation for this program to be competitive over an extended period. To do that CU needs top ranked recruits to commit. Polls and Bowls are what matter to recruits. Yes, cool Nike/ Under Armour jerseys, awe-inspiring venues, and competitive schedules matter, but it is the polls and bowls a recruit will brag to their high-school teammates about when they commit to CU. It’s all in front of us, and a win against Utah raises all ships in the proverbial Buff Nation harbor. Let’s not get caught watching the paint dry.
When the University of Spoiled Children canceled their game against the Buffs due to covid, Colorado suddenly found itself preparing instead for San Diego St. With only one practice to prepare, the Buffs effectively shut down the Aztecs holding them to 155 total yards, showing once again that this Buffs coaching staff knows their stuff. Linebacker Nate Landman (#53) played (is playing) out of his mind and is getting national attention. If you get a chance, watch his play. His relentless, violent, yet fluid play continues the tradition of a long line of outstanding CU linebackers (the best of which is one a recipient of these Buff Nation emails (way to go Barry!)).
Week Five Preview –
As of right now (Friday afternoon), the game with the Arizona Wildcats (5PM MT Saturday, in Tucson) is still on. Let us all pray it stays that way. Rarely are the Buffs sitting in the proverbial catbird seat as they are right now. A) CU is favored (AZ is not that good and their offensive line is quite poor), B) A win ends several undesirable streaks (see Final thoughts below), C) CU is staring down a shot at the Pac-12 title. D) Continued success begins to become contagious. Look for Coach KD, QB1 Noyer and Landman to keep this relatively young upstart Buff team focused on fulfilling their potential, and not just satisfied with exceeding expectations (which they have already done). CU wins in a close game (Arizona will play desperate), and all will continue to be right with Buff Nation.
Final Thought – When a program like ours has underperformed for an extended period of time (i.e. one winning season in the last fourteen years), and then experiences a rise from the ashes type of season like the one we are in now, streaks are bound to end. Here three undesirables that end tomorrow with a win over AZ:
1) 788 days (10/7/18) since CU was last ranked in Top 25 – CU will be ranked with a win
2) 1,435 days since last bowl appearance (12/29/16) – CU will go bowling with a win
3) 1,482 days (11/12/16) since CU last beat Arizona – CU will beat Arizona with a win
When CU beat a 5-point favored UCLA team in week one, it was safe to consider that an anomaly. When CU beat a 9-point favored Stanford team in week 2, one is forced to consider this a possible trend. While too early to tell, perhaps Coach KD is building something he always knew he could, while most of us wait on the sidelines. Fool me once…
Week Three Preview – By The Numbers
Zero
Zero games scheduled for this week. The ASU Sundevils have not really figured out this Covid thing yet. The last time CU had a game canceled was in September 2013 due to the Boulder floods.
One
One QB to rule them all. Sam Noyer is the man and proving that Midnight Mel has as much difficulty evaluating QBs (he was forced to swap out QB’s last week at MSU as well) as he does determining whether keeping his word is worth the trouble.
Two
Two game winning streak for the Buffs. Against Pac-12 opponents nonetheless. Sko Buffs!
Three
Three top 25 votes received by the Buffs. Yup, top 25 baby!
Four
Four years since our last bowl appearance. Yup, getting ahead of ourselves.
Five
Five points by which CU will beat the Trojans next week Saturday 11/28. Yup, way over our skis now. CU has NEVER beaten USC. EVER. Why not this season? Anything goes anyway. If that happens, CU goes on to win the Pac-12 South, goes on to a bowl game and Coach KD wins Pac-12 coach of the year. In a year when almost everything else has sucked, 2020 could be the year CU Football returns to Boulder (and this time to stay). We deserve this.
