Big Dogs Beware: Colorado Poised to Turn Corner Against Pac-12 Foes

In every conference, they have what are commonly referred to as the "Big Dogs" which dominate conference play. When you play in the Pac-12, those big dogs are a pack of six schools which do fairly well on an almost annual basis during the football season.

The Big Dogs of Pac-12 football these days are (alphabetically):

• Arizona State
• Oregon
• Stanford
• UCLA
• USC
• Washington

Those six teams combined to win 61 games last year. Before this season, the Colorado Buffaloes had played these titans a total of 17 times in conference play. Their record? 0-17. The average score for those 17 games was 49.5 - 12.5. That's right, Colorado had averaged losing to these teams by 37 points per game.

In fact, in only one of those 17 games did one of those Big Dogs fail to score at least 42 points. Washington won in 2012 by 38-3. The three points scored by the Buffs in that game were not the worst they had done. The Oregon Ducks beat CU 45-2 in 2011, and Stanford shut out the Buffs 48-0 in 2012.

What's the point? In all 17 of those games, Colorado was completely manhandled in every phase of the game. In most cases, the Buffs were going up against 2nd and 3rd stringers after halftime. The stat sheets after those games showed Colorado giving up massive amounts of yards as well as points.

That all changed this past Saturday night against the Arizona State Sun Devils. Colorado was not only "in" the game until the very end, but had completely dominated the stat sheets following the first quarter. The Buffs put an astounding 523 yards on the Sun Devils in the final three quarters, while holding ASU to 204 yards in that time. The ASU starters (not counting injuries) were on the field the entire game.

Unfortunately, the Buffs committed three turnovers which led directly to 14 points for the Sun Devils. Take those away, and you have a tie game. More importantly, one of the interceptions should have gone for a touchdown for Colorado. Nelson Spruce was WIDE open deep down the field, but the moonball toss to him was so high that the ASU safety was able to come from all the way across the defensive backfield to intercept the ball. What should have been a Colorado touchdown instead led to an Arizona State touchdown.

Later, right after Colorado had cut a 17-0 deficit into a 17-14 nail-biter, the Buffs fumbled the ball deep in their own end and gave the Sun Devils a 7-point gift to put them down by 10 again at the half. The Sun Devils took the opening kickoff and scored another touchdown and were once again up by 17. Although Colorado dominated both sides of the ball for the rest of the game, the 17 points were too many to overcome. Colorado lost 38-24.

While some fair-weather fans bemoaned yet another loss, the more astute Colorado fans noted that the Buffs had played one of the conference "Big Dogs" tough for the very first time since joining the Pac-12. They noted that Colorado was equal or superior  in most of the statistical categories against the Sun Devils. The two parts that ASU won, however, determined the outcome. The Sun Devils won the turnover battle and the final score.

The Buffs almost doubled their average score against the "Big Dogs" and also held the Sun Devils to a tie for the least amount of points scored against them by the big six. The 14 point loss was far and away the closest game against any of those teams. Remember, the Buffs average loss to the Big Dogs was by 37 points.

Head Coach Mike MacIntyre  and his players have said time and again that they are not looking for moral victories. That is good. They are pursuing real wins against conference opponents. In three years in the Pac-12, the Buffs have defeated 4 conference teams one time apiece. They have beaten Arizona, California, Utah and Washington State.

The way the Buffs played indicates that they are ready to be competitive on a regular basis against conference foes.  After a 4-24 record in three years against Pac-12 teams since they joined the conference, being competitive is a MAJOR step up.

The Buffs may not win six games this year to become bowl eligible. Buff fans have to remember that two of last year's four wins came against lower division FCS teams. There are none of those teams on this year's schedule.

Remember that UMass played Boston College tough for 30 minutes and only trailed 7-6 at the half. That is the same Boston College team that whipped USC last weekend. Colorado had to come back to beat UMass, but they did come back and win.

Hawaii only has a record of 1-2 coming into the game this weekend, but their two losses were very close games against Pac-12 opponents. Norm Chow is a great coach and the Rainbow Warriors are a much better team than people think. The Buffs will have to play hardnose and smart football to beat them.

This writer has been watching the Buffs for 30 years now, many of them as a season ticket holder. I have travelled to see them play. I have been to bowl games. I was there for some of the best times and teams in Colorado history. I have also seen some of the worst times.

For the first time in a long time, I am hopeful and proud of the way the Buffs have started to improve. I see good things ahead for these young men. College football is not as simple as it used to be. Learning from one coaching staff is difficult enough. Some of these young men are on their 3rd, but their hard work and the teaching ability of the coaching staff is finally start to pay dividends.

Look for that investment to begin paying off very soon. These Buffs CAN play in the Pac-12, and if last week was any indication, they can also put up a fight against the Big Dogs!