Buff Nation –
Week Three Review
CU 23, Air Force 30 (OT) (Buff 2-1)
For the first time in CU history, the Buffs found themselves playing in back to back overtime games. Unlike the sheer joy of beating NE in OT last week, Buff Nation came crashing back to reality with the OT loss to the Falcons. The fact that this was a trap game (see my email from last week), and the CU coaching staff said it wasn’t, reminds me of the famous 1897 editorial “Is There a Santa Claus”. Yes, Coach Tucker, this is a trap game, and it certainly showed for the first three quarters of play. The fact that Montez, after 35 games played as a Buff (yes, he has been here forever) and holder of 34 school records (not sure if that is a positive or negative for CU football), STILL can’t effectively demonstrate leadership qualities for four quarters reminds me of this scene from City Slickers. He doesn’t get it, and perhaps will never get it. Ugh!
Week Four Preview
CU @ Arizona State
Week four represents Buff Nation’s first opportunity to see how the Buffaloes will respond to adversity under coach Tucker. Still licking their wounds from an embarrassing Air Force loss, CU travels to Tempe, AZ (a place they have never won) to take on the #24 ASU Sun Devils (who beat #18 Michigan State last week). The Buffs are a 7+ point underdog, yet I’m feeling pretty good about CU’s chances. The Buffs have shown their resiliency in come from behind wins against NE and a near win against Air Force. ASU looks to be overrated (just like NE was) and are averaging a paltry 19.7 pts/ game (CU is averaging 36.3).
For a decade, CU has been in pursuit of that pivot game which turned the program around. In 2016, we believed it was the win at OR. While that spurred on the season, it wasn’t sustainable. If we win this Saturday at ASU, I would argue that is not the pivot game either, but perhaps the loss to Air Force was. It seems Tucker is instilling a sense of resiliency in these Buffs (coming up short against Air Force aside) which we haven’t seen in a long time. If CU is to win Saturday night (8PM kick off), they will need to play four quarters (something they haven’t done through the first three games of the season). CU is not good enough to show up for half a game and expect to win. Hopefully the loss to Air Force has proven that. A CU victory puts the season back on track. If CU loses, well, if CU loses, it will be a long two weeks (CU has a bye before playing AZ on 10/5 at Folsom), before Buff Nation has the opportunity for some redemption. Let’s hope we don’t have to wait that long.
Go Buffs!
Doug