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.
With over five minutes remaining in last Saturday’s CU football game, ASU failed to convert on a fourth down pass. CU took over possession and proceeded to run the ball on eight consecutive plays culminating in a touchdown and a 40-16 final score. It was a fitting end to the game. Throughout the night CU had imposed their will on ASU. They had accumulated nearly 600 yards total offense (compared to ASU’s 199). Not only did CU impose their will, they also dictated the tempo of the game the entire night. ASU was constantly out of sync on both offense and defense. This is the new era for CU football. That final touchdown with 40 seconds remaining in the game was a message to the rest of the Pac-12 that CU was back. In 2014 CU improved from being a terrible team to being a decent team. In 2015 CU improved from being a decent team to being a competitive team. In 2016 the question was can CU improve from being a competitive team to a team that knows how to win. Clearly we have our answer. CU can and does impose their will on their opponents, especially those who come into Folsom Field. It’s suddenly a tough place for visitors.
We are over half-way through the season and CU finds itself tied with Utah for the lead in the Pac-12 South. While the first seven games (CU is now 5-2) have been a joy to be a part of, it’s the remaining five games of the season which will really determine the magnitude of how special the 2016 season will be viewed. Right now, no one wants to play the Buffs. They are one of the deepest and most balanced football teams in the Pac-12. They are playing with a chip on their shoulder, and their opponents (e.g. ASU, OR) have not truly come to terms with the new normal of CU Football.
For the remainder of the season, CU will find itself in a dog-fight with USC and Utah for the Pac-12 South title. CU has the more favorable schedule (three of last four games at home), USC probably has the most talented team and hold the tie-breaker with CU, and Utah is the highest ranked of the three. CU controls its own destiny, but fans we will want to root for USC and Utah to lose a few games along the way to create some cushion. CU is ranked #26 in the nation. A win at Stanford will propel them into the top twenty. In college football it is often said “the games to remember are played in November.” That is certainly true for CU this year. The Buffs have put themselves in the enviable situation where are their remaining games are meaningful. Rankings aside, what CU wants will be won or lost on Folsom Field in November. See below for a preview.
Remaining schedule
October 22 @ Stanford. Stanford just beat Notre Dame this past weekend. This game will be a battle of two outstanding football teams. This is a Pac-12 Network dream come true. If CU can get out of this one with a win, they will run the table on the rest of the schedule finishing the season at 10-2 and looking at a new year’s day bowl game (the Holy Grail of college football).
November 3 (Thursday night) vs UCLA under the lights at Folsom Field. This game will be on national TV. The game will be a black out (fans wearing black) and it will be CU’s true national coming out party where they will soundly beat UCLA. The win will make CU bowl eligible for the first time since 2007. The fans will rush the field (similar to what transpired after the ASU game), but more importantly, the nationally televised win will be seen by high school recruits around the country (especially in CA) and it will dawn on them that CU is the place they want to play.
November 12 @ Arizona. CU should be bowl eligible by now and will be playing loose and with a reckless abandon. They will have the Pac-12 South title squarely in view and AZ will be the next team standing in its way. Expect a double digit win by CU on the road against this Pac-12 opponent. AZ has been ravaged by injuries and is the surprise bottom dweller of the conference this eyear.
November 19 vs. Washington State at Folsom Field. Both teams will be ranked in the top 25 and this is possible a preview of the Pac-12 championship match-up. The game will be sold out. CU will win in a hard fought slug-fest.
November 26 vs. Utah at Folsom Field. This one will be for the Pac-12 South Championship. Everyone will be in a thanksgiving state of mind for the wonder of the 2016 season. The game will be sold out for the second week in a row. Both teams will be ranked in the top 25 for the second game in a row at Folsom. CU will win in convincing fashion.
These coming weeks are going to be special. The Rise is real and it is happening in front of our eyes. Years from now it will be nice to say we were there. We were there when CU imposed their will on any team that stepped foot on Folsom Field grass. We were there when CU become bowl eligible for the first time in over a decade. We were there when CU won the Pac-12 South shocking the college world. These are the days. Winter is coming and ski season will soon be upon us. This special CU season will soon be a fond but distant memory. We’ll be pleased with the behavior we displayed as fans. We will be pleased that we knew that the Fall of 2016 was was special and we fully leaned into it. Let’s enjoy these days for all they are worth. Who has it better than us? No one.
We are a nearly half-way through the season, and thanks to CU’s dominate play, they sit atop the Pac-12 South Standings at 4-1 and ranked #21 nationally. This is more than anyone outside of the CU locker room expected. Yet, there are still skeptics. While ranked, CU has yet to play the main contenders of the Pac-12. CU will have that shot over the next four weeks when they play USC (today at 2PM), ASU at Folsom, on the road at Stanford and then home again vs. UCLA. As a CU fan you have to be excited for the rest of the season. Here are three scenarios as we head into USC:
1) Best case: CU destroys USC. CU is that good, and NOW everyone really does know it. CU continues to run the table and beats Washington in the Pac-12 championship. Due to strength of schedule and key losses by higher ranked teams, CU makes the NCCA playoffs. They play Alabama for the national championship and somehow, someway, CU wins and we are national champs. From basement dweller to national champions. An overnight sensation (which took tens years). One of the greatest turnaround stories of all time in any sport. Just saying.
2) Worst case: CU loses to USC. They proceed to lose to ASU, Stanford, UCLA and AZ. They split wins against Wa St and Utah and finish the season at 5-7. They fail to earn a bowl bid and Coach MacIntyre winds up getting fire.
3) Most probable case: CU plays it’s remainder of the season tough – just like they have all season. They win 6 or 7 games, make it to a bowl game and all is seemingly right with the world.
We’ll let scenario one bake for a few more weeks before going public.
We don’t want scenario 2. That would be the end of the world as we know it. CU can squash scenario 2 today by going into USC and beating the Trojans and this is where it gets interesting. Similar to CU, no one knows how good USC really is. They sit at 2-3 but all three losses come at the hands of ranked opponents (Alabama #1, Stanford #15 and Utah #24). and last week they dismantled ASU (who CU would love to beat next week). It was just a few years ago that USC barely missed winning the national championship for the third year in a row. So while USC has stumbled a bit this year, they are a storied team steeped in winning football tradition. They are also backed into a corner and desperate to salvage their season. There is no way they are interested in lowly Colorado (no matter how much the world seems to think they have improved) ending their season prematurely by handing them their fourth loss for the season.
My predication is a CU win. I love the way CU plays. They have amazing Cornerback and Recievers. They can stop the run they have speed and intelligence at linebacker and they have proven leadership at QB. On Offense opponents (including #4 Michigan) have had trouble stopping the Buffs. All the pressure for this game is on the Trojans. The Buffs are playing with House money. The pressure is going to be too much and the Buffs are too good. CU wins in a close hard fought battle.
When CU played Iowa State in 2005, my oldest brother was visiting me in Monterey, CA. It was Saturday, November 12, and we were excited to catch the CU Buffaloes vs. Iowa State game on TV. My brother was a walk-on CU football player twenty years earlier and CU had been a part of our lifeblood ever since. CU was ranked #22nd in the nation and had been a powerhouse program on and off for the past decade. Back then, it seemed like they were always playing on national TV, contending for the national title (winning in 1990) and always putting out a first-round draft pick. We loved every minute of it but took the whole thing for granted.
Against Iowa St 2005, CU was leading in the 4th quarter, but gave up two late touchdowns and eventually lost the game. My brother and I were bummed. But we had no idea that CU would not be ranked again for nearly eleven years. Not until yesterday would CU find themselves again in the national polls.
As the last seconds ticked away on CU’s total domination of OR St this past Saturday, I couldn’t help but bask in the glow of Colorado finally cracking the top 25. For many years it just seemed impossible. CU sucked too much, and other teams were so much better. Joining the PAC-12 powerhouse didn’t help. The speed of the teams (e.g. OR, Stanford, USC, ASU) was too much. It felt like watching a high school team play against a college team.
I remember watching prime time college football at home after having attended a CU blow out. Regardless who was playing, both teams looked SO MUCH better than CU. I was so jealous of those fans .It was impossible to fathom CU ever getting that good again.
And now they are. Buff Nation can once again bask in the glow of being nationally ranked and being on the other end of those beat downs. Serendipitously while CU is on the upswing, the PAC-12 South seems to be on the down swing. Teams such as UCLA, USC, ASU ,AZ and Utah suddenly seem vulnerable. Maybe, just maybe this is CU’s year.
This Saturday CU travels to LA Coliseum to play the USC Trojans. CU is a six-point underdog and has not beat USC for the past ten meetings. CU’s newly minted national ranking, while very exciting for Buff Nation, can also be a determent. We know we have a good team. Now the college nation knows it as well. This is going to make it more difficult to sneak up on teams. I give CU a 50/50 chance to win @ USC. If we win, we’ll be ranked in the Top 15. If we lose, we’ll drop out of the Top 25. Either way a strong showing against USC will be further evidence that CU is legit.
By the way, CU’s next home game is Saturday, October 15th, against Arizona State. CU has a hard time beating ASU, so this too will be a challenge. The game has been moved to 6pm, to be televised on the Pac-12 network. If CU beats USC, you will see north of 50,000 fans attending the ASU game. Assuming the Fall weather holds up, it stands to be a top ten day of the year (at least for me).
Hard to believe we are less than half-way through the season. It only gets better from here.
CU’s Coach is fond of saying, “No conflict, No story.” It’s our conflicts that make our stories. This morning the Buffs have a story. A signature program win that will mark, for years to come, when the CU Football program made it’s turn. It is a sweet moment. Last night I felt like George Bailey in “It’s a Wonderful Life.” This morning the air was crisper, runners were (even) more friendly, and the atmosphere smacked of wonder and possibility.
It’s a Wonderful Life
It’s been a long time. It’s been a series of conflicts. I distinctly remember sitting with my dad at Folsom Field in the waning seconds of the CU / OR game on October 21, 2011. Final score was 45 to 2, but it wasn’t even that close. It never was. OR played their second and third stringers the entire second half. It was embarrassing. CU’s starting secondary consisted of 3 freshman, 1 red-shirt freshman and 1 sophomore. Those guys weren’t even that good as seniors. All the fans were either gone, leaving, or didn’t even bother to show. My brother – who was an All-American football player at Navy – left at half. He can’t stand to watch poorly played football. On one play alone, the Buffs had two personal penalties. They had no clue. It was a waste of time for all there. In spite of it all, it was a significant moment. A singular moment in time to acknowledge where we were, where we are now, and where we want to go. I turned to my dad and told him we should stay. We should stay until the very end of the game, because some day, when we are awesome once again, we can say we were there… when it sucked. It took a lot longer than I thought it would (1,799 days to be exact). Today is that day. The program has turned.
But the win last night is not good enough. 1,799 days is too long to wait for an awesome win. Now that we have that win, we want more. We want to be great. Being great means winning often, over a long period of time.
Watching last week’s Michigan game on recording, I LOVED how the Michigan players came out of the tunnel, jumping to touch their “Go Blue” banner stretched across the field. I loved how 110,000 fans packed the stadium to see a victory. I love how Michigan is always a great team. That’s what we want in Boulder. We want teams to dread coming to play at altitude. We want teams to dread coming to Boulder, because they know they are going to lose. I want teams to dread coming to Boulder, because they know the stadium is going to be packed with fans who are passionate about the Buffs, but respectful of the tradition of great college football. We’ve waited so long for that signature program win, but now that we have it, we want more.
CU is good. They are really good. This season could be something special. Going into the game against OR, we had several questions that remained unanswered. This morning there is only one: How good can this team really be? I’m excited for the answer.
In football it’s about winning, and winning over an extended period of time. Starting this Saturday at Folsom Field at 12:30 PM, CU will begin to (re)establish that tradition of greatness for CU fans, and dread for their opponents. There will be a critical mass of those on this thread who will be at the game, doing our part. CU football will show and do theirs. Folsom field better be sold out. If not, there is still work for us to do to raise the awareness of “The Rise.” Come sundown Saturday, CU will be 4-1, and sitting two games away from becoming bowl eligible. It is a wonderful life.
The link below if for us. It is for next week’s game. It’s for this season. It’s for next season. It’s for the game 1,799 days from now. Welcome to the fight!
Last Saturday around 2:30 PM MT, on a beautiful Fall Boulder day at Pleasant View Soccer Fields, the tectonic plates of my life were about to snap into place. I was literally running between two soccer games of my kids while listening to the Buffs / Michigan game on the radio. Both my kids were doing well in their games (proud dad), I was living in Boulder (no place better) and the Buffs were all over Michigan (OMG). I couldn’t believe it. We were going to beat #4 Michigan. The Buffs had arrived. We were going to be nationally ranked and Boulder was going to get the collegiate football respect it deserved. Justice was going to be served. My life was complete.
Well, we all know the outcome. Special teams failed us. Our QB got hurt, and a couple other key injuries opened the door for MI to take control. We had it. It was right there. Marlon Brando was right. We could of been somebody. We could of been a contender.
Now, after a week of pondering what could of been, CU travels to OR. Ouch. CU will have either QB2 playing or damaged goods on QB1.. CU lost their kicker for the season, as well as their number one defensive end. Not the news one wants when one is looking to make a leap in the program.
OR is fast, and they will be looking to exploit CU’s defense by getting around the edge (they know Michigan did) If CU can stop that from happening they have a chance. If CU can’t stop OR from getting around the corner, it will be a long day.
Last week at MI, questions were answer. When CU is healthy, they can play with anyone in the Pac-12. They are vastly improved. Questions were also left unanswered. Does CU have the ability to win the big game? Can they win a game they are supposed to lose? And, unfortunately, new questions have been raised. How long before Sefo is 100% healthy again? What is CU going to do about a kicker as well as their special teams? Is CU still the same defense without Derek McCartney locking down one side of the line of scrimmage? Many of these questions will be answered tomorrow. Another week and another opportunity to have this program turn the corner. Maybe, just maybe, we really are somebody (and not just bums).
A few years back, I took my son and nephews to Legoland. On the way out they were talking among themselves saying the day was “as fun as you can get”, and “all the way fun.” Those profound words can also be used to describe the CU tailgating / game events this past Saturday. Great friends, great weather, great football. While I barely missed my prediction of 56-0 (final score was 56-7), CU, for the second week in a row looked precision sharp on Offense and relentlessly unforgiving on Defense.
CU stands at 2-0 on the season and essentially untested in how good they really are. Heading into week 3 CU ranks 9th nationally in Total Offense, 7th in Total Defense, 3rd in Passing Defense, and 2nd (yes, 2nd) in 3rd down conversions. That is simply crazy field productivity. Of course (of course there is an of course), the season remains young, but grows up in a hurry come 1:30 MT tomorrow. The Buffs play #4 Michigan @ the Big House in Michigan. This will be the largest crowed to ever see CU play live (110,000 fans). The last time CU beat a ranked team on the road, was (wait for it) at Michigan in 1994 Miracle in Michigan.
CU is a 20 point underdog for tomorrow’s game. If CU somehow figures out to win (Defense holds Michigan to under three scores, Offense converts on 3rd downs, doesn’t allow MI to substitute personnel on defense, and wins time of possession), Buff Nation will explode, CU will be ranked in the top 25 and we are looking at sell outs at Folsom field the rest of the season. In reality, keeping the loss to under two touchdowns will be still be a “moral” victory, and CU will still know the Rise is real. Should be an awesome, tough, hard fought game. CU is confident and good. MI is better and has home field advantage. Can’t wait.
For those planning the next CU home outing, the Buffs return to Folsom Field on October 1 against Oregon St. Kickoff is TBA.
That was awesome. That was a beat down. While it’s only one game and the season is still in it’s infancy, the suggested promise of what was put on display last night at Mile High Stadium is worthy of buying. CU looked like a different team. Bigger, tougher, faster, more disciplined. Their defense which boosts 9 returning starters was stifling. CSU did not find the endzone until the beginning of the Fourth quarter (the game was long over by then).
Yet, as good as the defense was, it was the new, high tempo no huddle offense which was the biggest surprise of the night. Several questions were answered early on. Can CU establish a running game. Check. Is Sefo healthy? Check. Is the highly touted receiving core as good as advertised? Check. Swing passes, pitch outs, and spread options were on display the whole night. CSU never figured it out. The 44-7 dismantling was the most dominate performance in this in-state rivalry in the past 15 years. Perhaps CU has indeed made the turn on its program and competitive college football has returned to Boulder.
Now, for chapter 2 of the season. Game #2 is next Saturday 9/10 at Folsom Field. Kickoff is at 3:30. Tailgate starts at 12:30 at St. Aiden’s church and will begin to wind down at 2:30. All are welcome.
CU will look to go 2-0 on the season playing Idaho State (IS). This should be an easy victory for CU (that sounds weird). Similar to CSU, IS won’t be able to keep pace with CU’s fast pace offense. Their defensive backs won’t be able to cover CU’s receivers. Look for another offensive explosion by the Buffaloes. On the defensive side of the ball, I wouldn’t be surprised if they pitch a shut-out.
More importantly for consideration, there are precious few home CU games. Of these, there are even fewer that are played during the pristine Fall weather. Add in an almost guaranteed Buff victory next Saturday, and game #2 represents a rare combination not to be missed. There is no place better than Folsom Field for a CU Football game on a Fall Saturday. This one is not to be missed. Hope to CU there.
Fellas – it is with profound joy and celebration that I announce CU football season is upon us. I ran into Sefo Liufau (QB for the buffs if you haven’t brushed up on your buff knowledge) at Pei Wei a couple nights ago. I told him he was going to do great things this year and that we would be bowling come season end (Buffs need to win 6 games to be bowl eligible). Projections below.
CU’s first game is Friday September 2 at 6PM at Mile High Stadium. Gates open at 2PM.
I will be there when they open to secure a tailgate spot in C lot (SW section of Stadium). We will have flags, balloons, beers, brats and a Christmas morning/open day/all is possible attitude. Let me know if you plan to come early. It will be one of the best “anything is possible” few hours we will have all season. We need to get out in front of this season early.
While we can’t control what happens on the field, CU is significantly better than years past. They are stacked on defense and will have one of the top half defenses in the Pac-12. They are loaded at running back and receiver. Their O-line is a bit suspect and untested (as well as their tightends) but they have several experience players returning as well as two key guys who went down early last year and missed the rest of the season. That said, everything rest on the shoulders of Sefo Liufau our three year returning starting QB. Known for holding 75 CU school records, but also only winning 10 total games as a starter, Sefo tends to throw an interception at critical points in the game. Four or five plays last year would of translated into three more victories. The Buffs are that close. I feel my pep talk to him at Pei Wei will be the deciding factor.
2016 Season Predictions:
1) CU vs. CSU – September 2. CU stubbles a bit out of the blocks vs CSU. The score is close at half. Buffs fans are panicking. Rams fans are ecstatic (and bombed). Buffs make half-time adjustments. CU shuts out Rams in second half. Buffs win by 10+ points. Buffs 1-0
2) CU vs. Idaho St. – September 10 – CU destroys Idaho St. Second year in a row where CU soundly beats a team they are supposed to soundly beat. A step in the right direction. Buffs 2-0
3) CU @ Michigan – September 17. CU travels to the big house and plays MI tough for three quarters but ultimately loses to a better team. Buffs 2-1
4) CU @ Oregon – September 24. CU travels to OR. They fall behind early (still intimidated by the OR lore), fight back, but ultimately lose. Buffs 2-2
5) CU vs. OR St. – October 1. CU returns to the soon to be hallowed grounds of Folsom Field and win a tough battle against OR St. Buffs 3-2
6) CU @ USC – October 8. Buffs go on the road and lose handily to USC. Buffs 3-3
7) CU vs. ASU – October 15. Buffs return to Folsom feeling they left a lot on the field at USC. They are done with excuses. Now is the time. Win or shut down the program. CU comes out guns ablazin’ and beats ASU the elusive signature win the Buffs have been looking for. Boulder goes crazy. Pac-12 is put on notice that they will need to find another doormat. CU is indeed on the rise. Buffs 4-3.
8) CU @ Stanford – October 22. Buffs are riding a high going into Stanford. Buffs play tough, but Stanford is simply better and they have the future Heisman Trophy winner Christian McCaffery who is impossible to stop in clutch situation. Buffs lose, but somehow, given how their season is going, the feel emboldened. They have turned the corner. They may have lost to Stanford, but they know, that Stanford knows that game was not fun. Buffs 4-4.
9) CU vs. UCLA – November 3 (Thursday) – After a well deserved bye week, the Buffs come out and secure their second signature win in three weeks by beating UCLA at Folsom field. The Bruins came in scared. They knew they escape the jaws of defeat the last two seasons against the Buffs. Word has spread that Folsom is not a fun place to play. Air is thin, environment (Flatirons, Girls) is distracting, and the Buffs seem pissed off. Demons are being exorcised left and right, and the Buffs feel entitled to this season being theirs. Buffs beat UCLA in on national tv Thursday night game, in a hard fought, fundamentally sound game from both teams. The game is won on strength. Not turnovers or trick plays. The Pac-12 points to this game showing this is what you get when you come play for the Pac-12. The Buffs point to this game for all national recruits to see from their couch at home. Because of this exposure, the Buffs pull in a top 25 recruiting 2018 class several months later. Buffs 5-4.
10) CU @ Arizona – November 12. The Buffs hit the road against AZ. They can’t handle the recent success. AZ feels CU is getting too much coverage. CU loses in Tucson. Buffs 5-5.
11 & 12) CU vs. WA St – November 19, CU vs. Utah – November 26. The remaining two game of the season are both at Folsom (the greatest place on earth). The Buffs need to win one of two to become bowl eligible. We will be there for both in full force. Competitive soccer season is over so there are no competing priorities. Boulder is in a frenzy led by a victory starved drunk student body. This is college football at its finest (outside of SEC games). The Buffs are back. They win one of these games and are invited to a bowl. They win their bowl game. They finish the season in the middle of the Pac-12. The following year (2017) they finish the season in the Top 25. The following year (2018) they finish the season in the Top 10. Pundits point to 10/15 and 11/3 as key milestone dates when CU bullied their way into football conversation consideration. Buffs 6-6.
Post Season – Buffs are invited to play in the Cactus Bowl in Tempe AZ on Tuesday. December 27, 2016. The perfect road-trip for CU fans. The bowl victory (over opponent to TBA) caps one of the most exciting CU football seasons in the last 15 years. The fan base is truly satisfied and approaches the 2017 season with cautious optimism. Top-shelf college football has returned to Boulder, Trump is going to win big (and fast) against ISIS. All is right with the world. Oh yeah, and the Broncos repeat as world champs. Who has it better than us? No one.
