“We just simply, truly don’t know how to win yet.” Coach Prime (post-game Arizona press conference)
Buff Nation –
Winning is an art form which is a byproduct of being competitive. While the latter doesn’t guarantee the former, it’s the former that is the ultimate measure of success in college football. This past Saturday, CU was once again competitive against a ranked opponent but failed to win, losing by three in the last seconds (34-31). The loss was the third in a row where one could argue CU should have won rather than deserved to lose.
In his fifth century BC military treatise – The Art of War – Sun Tzu calls out several aspects of a military campaign a general should consider before and during battle. One of those aspect is the ability to observe and adapt. Of all the aspects of the game which are most frustrating about these Buffs, is the ability to perform at a high-level at the end of the game. Essentially garnering everything which has been exposed and learned during the game and leverage that information to secure a victory.
Thankfully, the season is not yet over, and CU has another opportunity to impose their will. Similar to CU, their next opponent, Washington State, has been struggling of late. Both these teams will be looking to stop the hemorrhaging. Even on the road, I believe CU wins this game. Despite the consecutive heartbreaking losses, they will perform. To quote yet another philosopher, that which does not kill you makes you stronger (Nietzsche). CU is not dead yet. Tonight, we will see if they are indeed stronger or if indeed the season ends prematurely without a bowl bid.
Winning is an art form. Some programs have it. Some do not. CU had it for many years and then lost it for many years. These 2023 Buffaloes have shone a light on what winning can look like once again. It’s learning how to win, which remains elusive. It’s an art form. One learned over through hard work and commitment to the trade. For CU, may that hard work and commitment pay off tonight with a victory over the Cougars. Time to make Sun Tzu proud.
“Don’t shove me…I’m tired of being shoved.” Will Kane (High Noon)
Buff Nation –
In 1952, the Academy Award-winning movie High Noon, starring Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly, made its debut. A story about the difficulty of standing one’s ground, especially when all have abandoned you, has been claimed to be the favorite movie of multiple US Presidents, including Harry S Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Bill Clinton (who reportedly showed the movie 17 times during his tenure in the White House). In a movie that plays out in real-time (think Jack Bauer -24), the clock is literally ticking while a noon train filled with a gang of gunslingers brings trouble. In a life-and-death circumstance, the cast of characters vet through their options and ultimately make their final answer.
At (high) noon this Saturday, the almighty (especially next year) Colorado Buffaloes, kick-off their final home game of the season against the upstart Arizona Wildcats. Arizona has beaten three ranked teams consecutively in the last three weeks earning their own top-25 ranking (#21), their first since 2017. I couldn’t prove it out, but this may be the first time an unranked team has beaten three ranked teams in three consecutive weeks (fun fact(ish)).
While CU doesn’t stand alone (it’s a sell-out game), they do face their own proverbial showdown, a final shot (no pun intended) at proving their character in front of their home crowd. The 2023 Buffs have already proven they have heart and can compete. Point differential in games lost last year was 32.4 (over four touchdowns!). Point differential in games lost this year is 13. The only game CU has not been competitive is the loss at Oregon. Take out that blow out point differential and the average margin of the four other losses this season is 7.3 – basically a touchdown (one possession!). It may not feel like it, but in nearly every game they have played this season, they have been right there. Yet, more is required. Especially tomorrow, at home, in front of the Buff faithful for the last time of the season. Not only does Gary Cooper take a courageous stand in High Noon, but he also delivers in his action by being the last one standing in a Hollywood classic gunfight. This Saturday, it’s time for the Buffs to not just take a stand but be the last one standing. The clock is ticking, and the Buffs better be loaded for bear.
“Don’t be sad …cause two out of three ain’t bad.” – Meat Loaf
Buff Nation –
With two-thirds of this inaugural Coach Prime football season in the bag, our Colorado Buffaloes sport a 4-4 record. Three more wins than all of last season and two games shy of bowl eligibility with four games still to be played. These 2023 Buffaloes have exceeded the expectations of the college football pundits and most of Buff Nation.
Yet, heading into the third and final part of the season, Buff Nation is on edge. Losing three of the last four, including the inexcusable loss to Stanford, along with the perception that CU is getting worse rather than better, Buff faithful are left scratching their heads and biting fingernails unsure if bowling is in our future. The final home stretch looks daunting. CU will be the underdog in all of the games. While (a finally healthy) Travis Hunter possesses the ability to change the tenor of a game on any given play, and Shedeur continues to dazzle in his ability to with-stand constant pressure and pounding (he’s the most sacked quarterback in the nation), and even the defense seems to be finding a clue, win number five will remain elusive until the Buff string together a complete game. Something they proved incapable of doing since the victory over Nebraska in early September.
Tomorrow night under the lights of Folsom Field (8pm Kickoff / 4:30 PM tailgate), the Buffs have their next opportunity to get back in the win column when they take on the #16 Oregon State Beavers. I still believe CU is capable of putting forth their breakout game, and their best opportunity is these next two home games. Win tomorrow night, and CU will go on to beat Arizona the following week and earn Coach Prime the coach of the year award. Lose, and CU will continue to slip into wait till next year mentality.
In their 37th year of existence, the Denver Broncos were still seeking that ever elusive first Super Bowl Lombardi Trophy. The date was December 7, 1997 and the Broncos had just lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers forcing the Broncos into a Wild Card spot for the playoffs, rather than the possibility of a #1 seed. The road to the Super Bowl now ran through the Jaguars, Chiefs and Steelers, all teams the Broncos had recently lost to. Within minutes after the loss to the Steelers, all-pro linebacker Bill Romanowski was quoted as saying to then Coach Mike Shanahan, “We’re just going to have to do it (get to the super bowl) the hard way.” All Broncos fans know the rest of the story. The Broncos went on their revenge tour and won their first franchise Super Bowl a month later.
Coming into the 2023 season, the goal for the Colorado Buffaloes was to earn bowl eligibility (six wins). Early season success made the appearance of this goal a slam dunk (to mix sports metaphors). Losing three of the last four, and especially blowing a 29-point lead against Stanford, has now made this goal significantly more daunting. Rather than win one of the next five games, the Buffs need to find a way to win two of the next five. The challenge lies in the caliber of their opponents. Three of the five remaining opponents are ranked (UCLA #23, OSU #11, and Utah #13), and the remaining two were either recently ranked (WSU) or have dramatically upped their game in the last few weeks (AZ). Stealing of these games, ok. Stealing two, doubtful. Similar to the Broncos of ’97, I would like to think Sheduer and Shilo came up to their dad after the Stanford game and said, “We’re just going to have to do it the hard way”. No fear, no trepidation. Just the mentality of getting back to the business at hand.
After having a bye last week and a chance to lick its wounds and take stock of the character of the team, CU takes on the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, this Saturday evening. UCLA is favored by 18 points, boasts the nation’s #11 total defense and #17 total offense. There are no weaknesses for CU to exploit. If CU has an advantage, it lies in the fact that CU has had two weeks to prepare, their backs are against the wall, and Travis Hunter should be at full strength. A win will exercise all the lingering Stanford demons, a loss will increase the fodder of the Coach Prime haters. CU will have to play a perfect game to beat UCLA, something CU has proven they are incapable of doing thus far in the season. For all the pomp, circumstance, and crazy train excitement this team has delivered to Buff Nation this season, now is the time to deliver again. Do not go off silently into the night. Let’s get this crazy train back on track. We are ready to believe again.
“You’re absolutely right Mr. Spicoli, it is our time.” Mr. Hand – Fast Times at Ridgemont High
It’s been five years since the Buffs have been favored by double digits over a power 5 school. Buff Nation will recall it was that game, on October 27, 2018, where CU gave up a second half 28-point lead and lost to the (then) lowly Oregon State Beavers 41-34 in overtime. It was one of the biggest chokes in college football history, a black eye to a storied Colorado football program, and led to the firing of Coach Mike MacIntyre 22 days later. Ironically that loss set off a chain of events that led to the hiring of Coach Prime five years later.
Tonight, CU enters Folsom Field as an 11-point favorite to beat the Stanford Cardinal. Win, and CU is one victory away from becoming bowl eligible, which while Coach Prime says is not the goal of the CU football program, it is the goal of Buff Nation and would mark a remarkable, fantastical, nearly unimaginable successful season.
Coach Prime may be coming, but Buff Nation has always been here. For years we’ve shown up and been treated to sub-par football. We have been forced to sit through blow outs (or opt to leave early). No longer. Tonight, under the lights of Folsom Field, this is our time. This is what we have been waiting for. We are favored, we have the better team, and we have the biggest upside. It’s all in front of us, and tonight, well tonight we reap what we have dreamt about for seasons – a competitive team with a chance to return to national prominence.
While CU’s undefeated Cinderella season ended a few weeks ago, the Buffs remain the darling of the national media and the number one college football story. Coach Prime expressed disappointment that the Stanford game would have a 10 ET (8 MT) kickoff, on Friday nonetheless, but College football is ruled by the pursuit of the dollar, and recent history shows you can put the Buffs on at anytime of day or night and they will draw record eyeballs.
This is an enviable position to be in. The school makes money, the players gain followers, and Buff Nation continues to bask in the attention. In order to stay in that spot light, CU is going to have to pull a James Francis Ryan and earn it. To stay in the good favor of America, the Buffs are going to have to beat Stanford. If there is one thing we know about this country, it’s that America loves a winner. Coach Prime knows this. There is no excuse. CU must win.
“If you can’t see what’s coming with (Colorado) Football, you’ve lost your mind.” – Coach Prime
Buff Nation
On a perfect fall weather day at Folsom Field, no one was leaving because everyone was believing. With multiple chances to lay down (down 21-0 in first quarter, 34-14 at half and 41-14 deep into the third quarter), the CU Buffs stood their ground as did the 54,000 white-clad, sold-out Buff Nation crowd. When the clock struck double zeros and the Buffs were on the short end of a 48-41 shoot out against #8 USC, the sense of what was to come was stronger than what could have been. The time for watching the game sitting down, let alone leaving early is over (except for my brother who never really followed anyone’s rules). These Buffs are now standing room only, staying till the end entertainment.
For all the joy, celebration, and attention the Buffs have received this year, they are still a team without an identity. Akin to my college roommate’s band aptly named “Identity Crisis” purely because they couldn’t think of a better name, entering week six of this season the Buffs face their own identify crisis. The defense has yet to jell, and the rushing game has proved inconsistent, and in spite of the exceeding expectations, we don’t know how good this team is.
In college football, the identity of the team represents who they are, and how they proceed with taking care of their business. Respective fan bases embrace and take on that identity. One thing leads to another, and sold-out games become the norm, and “free tickets” become a thing of the past. Get it right, and it’s material for Hollywood movies and dominant football programs. Get it wrong and wallow in mediocrity like so many schools do year in and year out, CU being the biggest violator of the bunch.
This coming Saturday afternoon, CU travels to Tempe to play the Arizona State Sun Devils. The ASU game represents a defining moment in the season. Win, and we are almost assured of a bowl eligible season (win two of out three with Standford, UCLA, and AZ). Yet, it’s never easy to win on the road, especially with a team that was 1-11 last year. Tempe seems particularly elusive given the 1-6 record CU holds in Tempe.
Who do you say I am? These were the monumental words Jesus asked his disciple Peter, to determine whether he believed. On Saturday, CU will be able to answer for themselves who they are. A team that doesn’t lay down, a team that takes care of business on the road, a team that is changing the two-decade old dialogue about Colorado Football.
Who do YOU say I am? Buff Nation says you will beat ASU by double digits, earn bowl eligibility in 2023, and…in 2024…win the Big 12 championship and contend for the national championship. That’s who we say you are. We are CU!
“One thing that I can say, honestly and candidly: You better get me right now. This is the worst we’re going to be. So you better get me right now.” – Coach Prime.
Buff Nation –
The assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria on June 28, 1914, not only served as the catalyst for the start of WWI, but also indirectly served as the catalyst for the United States’s rise as a global superpower. Pre-existing political and social tensions, along with a complex web of alliances, provided as the necessary fodder for WWI, which then led to the WWII (Treaty of Versailles), which in turn led to the rebuilding of Europe (Marshall Plan), which ushered in the golden age of the United State as the world’s first modern day superpower. The USA continues to be a global leader over 100 years later, all because some low-level dignitary in a far-off land took a bullet to the head. Right?
In a similar one thing leads to another series of events, history will show that the Colorado Buffaloes defeat in Oregon this past Saturday will serve as CU’s greatest victory of the season, and will set off a series of events, that will ultimately lead to Colorado winning their second national championship soon. The sequence of events is below. Believe.
Shedeur Sanders returns to Colorado for the 2024 season. The defeat in OR dropped Shedeur’s draft capital enough to where it now makes more sense to return to Colorado for another season of college football and growth. The hot start Shedeur had in the first three weeks of the season had some projecting him as a top five draft pick. That is no longer the case. Coach Prime said that Shedeur takes a back seat to no one. Playing another year of college ball increases the probability of that happening.
Coach Prime returns to Colorado for the 2024 season. While it was highly doubtful Coach Prime would leave Travis Hunter and the rest of the transfers, after a single season, the return of Shedeur (and hopefully Shilo) leave zero doubt Coach Prime will return for his second season as Colorado’s head coach.
CU closes the talent gap. The OR blow out shined a light on the talent gap that still exists between CO and the top tier schools. Shedeur and Coach Prime’s return to Colorado in 2024 will facilitate another top transfer class and recruiting class. The 6-8 dawgs CP continues to mention will sign with CO, and in ‘24 CU will be on par with the top ten teams in the country.
Coach Prime receives a long-term market changing contract. It wasn’t raining when Noah began to build his Ark. Coach Prime returning to Colorado in ’24 provides a bit of a clear skies forecast, but the storms will be gathering, teams will be calling, and CU will want to make sure it has it’s Ark build before the first drops hit the ground. No one wants to be around the day Coach Prime leaves town for another program.
CU Goes Bowling in ’23 and Coach Prime wins Coach of the Year – while winning six games in 2023 is not a stretch, and probably not helped by a loss in OR, the repercussions of the defeat in Eugene has exposed some truths about the program that this team can grow from and increase the probability of winning the games they should win (e.g. ASU, AZ, Stanford). Getting to a bowl is the goal. That extends CU’s season and exposure to future recruits. It extends CP’s platform time. At six (or seven) wins, Coach Prime also earns Coach of the Year. That, in turn, helps with point #3 above and gives more credence to #4 above. It’s all related. There is indeed Victory in Defeat. Thank you, Oregon.
This coming Saturday CU will host #8 USC. CU will once again have its hands full but will be more competitive and prepared than they were against Oregon. USC has Caleb Williams leading their team in his final college season before he takes over the reigns for the Denver Broncos as the #1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. CU has NEVER beaten USC. This is their last chance before the two teams part ways. I’m still debating on whether to take the points or not. CU’s defense makes me queasy. CU’s offensive line is upsetting. Travis Hunter out is disappointing. So many head winds.
I wish somebody would have told me, babe That someday, these will be the good old days… ‘Cause someday soon, your whole life’s gonna change You’ll miss the magic of the good old days. – MACKLEMORE
Buff Nation –
As I stood on the CU business field waiting for ESPN College Gameday to start its live broadcast, I couldn’t help but recall doing the same thing 28 years ago when College GameDay was here to broadcast the #3 Texas A&M vs #7 CU game. I was working my first real job out of college, and Koy Detmer was the QB. College GameDay was in town twice that year, and CU was ranked the entire season. For me, those were the good old days. Almost as if to interrupt my thinking, Coach Prime took the stage, and then The Rock made a cameo, and then I noticed how the crowd had swelled behind me. It dawned on me that these too are the good old days which I will reflect upon sometime in the future. Three weeks into the 2023 season, CU continues to be the darling of the college football world, and we are living out the good old days real time. This won’t always be the case, but it is now. We got this!
Several hours later, as College GameDay morning turned into tailgate afternoon, which eventually turned into the sold-out “Black Out” game time at Folsom, this crazy train of a season almost came off the rails. With two minutes remaining, CU was down by 8 on its own two-yard line; CSU had a 99.4% win probability according to the algorithm ESPN uses for these types of things. This was the ultimate trap game, and CSU had come in with reckless abandon, starting a pre-game altercation, racking up 17 penalties (12 of them personal), delivering a lacerated kidney to Travis Hunter, and, in general, doing their best Tony Montana impersonation by bringing a gun to a knife fight. It wasn’t until well after the stroke of midnight, and two overtime periods that CU was able to safely exit the ball with a 43-35 win, just ahead of the crowd rushing the field for the second time in as many weeks.
Post-game, Coach Prime demonstrated he fully understood the profound urgency to not lose to CSU when he stated, “We can’t let this dude (CSU Coach Novell) win. His press conference would be unbearable”. Absolutely. It’s about getting the W, but when playing CSU, it often feels more like avoiding the L.
With the non-conference schedule successfully navigated, CU goes on the road this Saturday to play #10 Oregon. TCU, NE, CSU. All fine wins, all fine teams. None are the caliber of Oregon. Oregon is an institution that specializes in victories. Like USC, who CU will host at home the following week, there is little room for error. Your offensive line is a bit suspect? It will be exposed. Your defensive line is a year away from being top-caliber. It will be exposed. Your best player on both sides of the ball isn’t playing. Sorry to hear that. Don’t care.
The Oregon game is Coach Prime and his coaching staff’s biggest challenge to date. There is no hiding. The nation turns its eyes once again to Colorado, expecting the unexpected, but for how long can this last? Oregon, led by Heisman candidate QB Bo Nix, is favored by three touchdowns. Once again, I have gone with my heart and taken CU and the points. I too expect the unexpected. These are the good old days after all and I…I believe.
This past Saturday, in front of a sell-out crowd at Folsom Field, our Golden Buffaloes came through with a dominant 36-14 beatdown of Nebraska (the largest margin of victory since the 62-36 win at Folsom on 11/23/01 – The greatest CU game ever played on home turf). The victory afforded those Buff Nation faithful willing to rush the field, a chance to capture that coveted 50-yard line selfie for their Shutterfly album (always good, always memorable).
With a three-game winning streak over the Cornhuskers (the first such streak since 1956-58), The Buffs can now put that storied rivalry on a shelf, as it’s time to move on to the next for Coach Prime and his resurgent Buffaloes team.
The Colorado football program is the Cinderella story of college football, if not of all sports, and the eyes of the nation are waiting to see what the program does next. For CU, next up is Colorado State (CSU). This is yet another rivalry steeped in tradition (kudos to the CU administration for setting up such an epic non-conference schedule).
ESPN College GameDay will be on-site (the first time since 9/14/96), when our #18 ranked CU Buffs take on the Rams from Fort Collins. This is the first time their rivalry game has been hosted at Folsom since 2009. The prior 10 meetings have been hosted in Denver, as part of the Rocky Mountain Showdown rivalry series. An 8 PM kickoff bodes well for an all-day (drinking) tailgate (inside voice).
In this crazy train season, CSU represents a different kind of test of CU. Coming off big-time victories over big time programs, CU has its first opportunity to secure a convincing victory over a team that all pundits expect CU to beat. CSU doesn’t have a single player that could start for CU (fact), let alone secure a second-string position (speculation). CSU on the other hand will be looking to shock the world in the same manner CU did two weeks earlier at TCU. Sitting between an emotional “it’s personal” game against Nebraska and a “prove it to the world” road game against #13 Oregon, lowly CSU presents a perfect trap game for CU.
I doubt Coach Prime will let that happen though. Coach Prime has proven that he doesn’t allow the moment to get too big (or too small) for him. CU is favored by 23 points, and my DraftKings beat says they will cover. No disrespect to CSU, but the Rams are going to have a real tough time stopping CU’s offense (even with Fairview High School alum Henry Blackburn manning the CSU secondary (Let’s Go Henry!)). CU may score on every offensive series.
Come the stroke of midnight on Saturday, CU should be 3-0, and will continue with their magical season. Here’s to Cinderella getting home safely and well rested for the upcoming king’s ball at Oregon. Given three of my four kids are girls, I know my Cinderella references, and I’m a big fan.
“Nebraska”. Has there ever been a word that Buff Nation says with such disdain? It’s a word that is nearly spit out of one’s mouth. There is nothing better than a storied college rivalry to bring out the best in us.
It’s good to hate. It’s a healthy habit many adopt come the Fall season in support of their alma mater. To hate for no reason is for the uneducated. That is not what we are talking about here. To hate for rivalry reasons in college football is a privilege and an honor. It must be earned. It must fester into being personal. Echoing the theme of Gordon Gekko, hate, for lack of a better word, is good. It facilitates a team and their respective fanbase to focus on a common purpose – to win. Hate creates an emotion in us which is second only to Love (I have no scientific evidence to back this up).
Colorado (CO) and Nebraska (NE) are like brothers separated at birth. They were original members of the Big 8 (1960-1995) and original members of the Big 12 (1996-2010). While they hated each other, they were stronger because of it. In 2011 the brothers were separated. One shipped off to the Pac-12 and the other to the Big Ten. Neither program has been the same since. Hate is good.
In the 50 years (1960-2010) that CU and NE played each other on an annual basis, NE was in the Top 25 national ranking 72% of the time. CU was in the Top 25 national ranking 30% of the time, and 15 times during that span, they were both ranked in the Top 25. They were great together. Hate was good for both teams.
Since the split in 2011, Nebraska’s Annual (Top 25) Ranking Percentage (ARP) has dropped to 15%, and CU’s ARP has dropped down to 8%. That is a decline of 79% and 73% respectively. The lack of a true rival, a rival the team and fanbase loves to hate had a negative impact on their respective football success. For CU, the forced Pac-12 rival Utah was never able to supplant the hatred we had for Nebraska. We yearned for our lost brother who we loved to hate. One could argue, Nebraska also never found it’s true soulmate in the Big Ten. Stronger together. Even if they hated each other, that hate fueled success on the field, and brotherhood in the stands.
This Saturday, Nebraska returns to Boulder (6:30 AM Tailgate / 10 AM Kickoff). Both programs are trying to claw their way back to a level of domination they once had. This game will be a clash of titans. Nebraska won’t be able to stop CU’s offense, and CU is going to struggle to stop Nebraska’s run game. Nebraska is going to come in angry that they let a victory over Minnesota slip through their fingers, and CU will be coming into Folsom determine to prove last week’s win over TCU wasn’t a fluke. Do you believe?
Saturday will also mark the 100th anniversary of football at Folsom field, Coach Prime’s home debut, and on the heels of a glorious victory at TCU. The fact that it’s Nebraska who is our scheduled opponent is near divine intervention. This is a match made in heaven. Nothing could be more perfect.
Most of the Colorado players and coaches (Coach Hagan excluded) won’t fondly recall when CU beat NE in ’86 (QB-Hatcher) and we rushed the field. Or when CU beat NE in ’89 (QB-Hagen), and we rushed the field. Or when CU beat NE in ’01 (QB-Pesavento), and we…rushed the field. Or when CU beat NE in ’19 (QB-Montez) we rushed the field.
Come this Saturday when CU beats NE by double digits (QB-Sanders) …we will rush the field. It’s what Buff Nation does when NE goes down in Boulder. So, make sure your shoes are laced up. Let’s meet at the 50 for a selfie.
“We ain’t got tomorrow. We got now. We ain’t got next. We got now.” Coach Prime. Pre-game Speech TCU
Every Thursday, the 3-2-1 newsletter from James Clear, my favorite writer (second only to Stephen King), comes out providing words of wisdom and motivational messages. In a tribute to him, here is my 3-2-1 for the wrap-up of the Colorado Buffaloes first week of the season.
3 – Three Colorado Buffaloes are in the top ten Heisman ranking (#1 Travis Hunter, #2 Shedeur Sanders, #9 Dylan Edwards). The last time there were two top ten finalists from the same team was 2011 Wisconsin Badgers (Montee Ball and Russell Wilson (isn’t that ironic Broncos fans?)). The last time there were three in the top ten? Never.
If Buff Nation was told at the end of the dismal 2022 season that we would have a Heisman candidate on our team in 2023 we would have been ecstatic (think Laviska Shenault type talent).
If we were told we were to have two finalists, we would have written this off as nonsense. Perhaps a team like Alabama or Georgia, but not CU. Never CU.
If we were told we would have three players in the top ten, we would have walked away from the conversation not wanting to waste anymore of our time on being fooled or made fun of.
This is how far we have come. From dismal to unbelievable. The power of Coach Prime.
2 – Two years before Travis Hunter can declare for the NFL draft (to be eligible for the draft a player must be three years out of high school). Combined with the new transfer rule which limits a player from transferring a second time without losing eligibility, this essentially means Travis Hunter will be in Colorado through the 2024 season. This also means Coach Prime will be in Colorado, through the 2024 season at a minimum, as he won’t leave his protégé and possible #1 draft pick.
Coach Prime is quickly becoming a top coveted coaching candidate. The big dollars will come calling as early as the end of this season. Having him in Colorado at least two seasons (hopefully longer) is a blessing and keeps this Crazy train running in the right direction.
1 – One day to live. In one of the best pre-game speeches I’ve ever heard, Coach Prime staked Colorado’s claim on the now. Manifesting Coach Prime’s words, the Colorado Offense marched down and scored on its first possession.
As a fan, sitting in the stands, I thought of the scene from 300. This is where CU football makes its stand. I was no longer looking for hope or a glimpse of a better product. In a single drive we had leapfrogged over that level of thinking. It was about winning. It has always been about winning. It was never just about improving. All we got is now. There are no guarantees outside of now.
So, for now, we are those guys. We are the darlings of the NCAA. We are the toast of the town. It’s all in front of us. Next stop is Nebraska coming to town on Saturday. Don’t hesitate. Show up early for the tailgate. Be in your seats to see Ralphie run. All we got is this next game. More to come in a couple days on the healthy habit of hating.
Final thought: As we walked into the stadium this past Saturday, we were joined by Dylan Edwards family. I told his father Leon to check out my blog, and that I would mention his name. Leon, you are correct, all your boy does is win. Looking forward to seeing him win on Saturday and looking forward to seeing you at our Rob’s Roost tailgate (right?). We got now!
One of the most prolific bank robbers in American history is William Sutton (1860-1901). When asked why he robs banks, he is famously quoted as saying, “Because that is where the money is.” While a bank robber by trade, Sutton would have made a good NCAA Athletic Director. Sutton had a clear vision (get rich), a sound plan (rob banks), and a man of action (he is known to have robbed banks for over forty years and cleared over $2M (not adjusted for inflation in this blog)).
In 2005, after a disappointing Big 12 Championship loss to the Texas Longhorns, the University of Colorado fired its then-head coach Gary Barnett. In the proceeding 17 football seasons since, leading up to modern day, CU has had more mid-season head coaching firings (Hawkins ‘10, MacIntyre ‘18, Dorrell ’22), than bowl appearances (Alamo ’16 & ’20). You can’t make this stuff up. No vision, no plan, no action. Well, perhaps a bit of half-hearted action, on the same level as yelling for some meatloaf. Easy enough, but nothing of real substance when it comes to winning national championships.
The hiring of Coach Prime was the Miracle in Michigan pass AD Rick George needed to save his job and save the CU football program from being regulated to a lower division of play (this is not really an NCAA thing, but it would be cool if it was, just like English Soccer). The Crazy Train has arrived in Boulder, and CU has already reaped benefits beyond measure (e.g., Jump to the Big 12 (Big 16?), sold-out games, through-the-roof merchandise sales, top-of-mind program for all four and five-star high-school recruits).
Yet, Coach Prime will have to prove it on the field. To quote the great Mike Tyson “everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth” and come this Saturday, when our Buffaloes take on the 2023 runner-up national champion Texas Christian University (TCU) Horned Frogs, both teams will most assuredly take some punches, and it will be the team that responds with the greatest sense of urgency that will win this game. Vegas has TCU as a three-touch-down favorite. ESPN gives the Buffs an 8% chance of winning. Vegas wasn’t built on being wrong, and ESPN typically knows their business, so there has to be some merit to the pundits saying CU is destined to welt in the Texas heat. As for me, if CU can keep our soon-to-be star QB Shedeur Sanders clean, and CU’s defense can put pressure on TCU’s QB, CU will win in a shootout.
So, here’s to CU coming out swinging, punching TCU in the mouth, shocking the world on the road, and returning to Folsom field the following Saturday to kick off the 100th year of CU football by beating Nebraska for the third time in a row and going 2-0 on the season. Ma! Meatloaf!
This coming Saturday, April 22, at 1PM MT (ESPN), CU will hold its annual Black & Gold Spring football game. The Spring game serves as the conclusion of Spring practice and an opportunity for coaches to determine the level and depth of talent on the team before players are dismissed until August. While serving as a capstone of sorts, the Spring Game really is a glorified practice and is open to the public, and is typically free of charge. For the past decade, Buff Nation paid no attention to this game (practice). It really wasn’t worth anyone’s time.
Oh how the times have changed. We live in a different world than we did just a few months ago (Coach Prime accepted the job on 12/3/22), and a once afterthought event when tickets literally weren’t printed because there was no demand for them, is now the hottest ticket in town. For the first time in history, the CU Spring game is sold out, leaving fans scrambling to find tickets on Stubhub. The 45,000 tickets sold is more than the prior nine spring games combine (when tickets were free). CU has also sold out all its season tickets for the regular season. The first time in 27 years. It’s a different world for Buff Nation.
So, with that said, who’s ready? Who’s ready to ride this “Coach Prime” wave all the way to the end? While Vegas grapples with the odds of success Coach Prime will have in Colorado, as fans we all have the opportunity to board Crazy Train until it breaks down, or until we return to national prominence.
We Coming!
Doug
What you need to know – on the sidelines of Saturday’s game there will be a handful of highly ranked recruits considering whether they want to join the team. A sell-out crowd will speak volumes about the commitment Buff Nation has toward supporting their football team. A beautiful weather day will help the cause as well.
Food for thought – How many games will the Colorado Buffaloes win this season?
