Colorado is coming off a bad loss to in-state rival Colorado State. It was the 2nd time in three years that the Buffs came back to Boulder from Denver with their tails between their legs. This week, the Buffs make their longest trip ever in the continental US to Boston / Foxborough to play UMass at the home of the New England Patriots.
All the pundits and writers this week point out that this game against the Minutemen will be the easiest of the season. That might be the kiss of death, however, as most of those same pundits prognosticated a dominating win for CU over CSU last week.
History does not look kindly on the Buffs. In 2012, after falling to CSU 22-17 in a much closer game than the one this past weekend, the Buffs and coach Jon Embree hosted Sacramento State (a FCS team) in Boulder. That year, the Buffs used the opportunity to beat on a team from a lower division by...
Losing 30-28 in one of the most embarrassing losses in Colorado history to that time.
Not many folks talk about that loss to Sacramento State now, because it was just the beginning of a run of ineptitude that haunts the program to this day. Over the next 10 games, the Buffs gave up 500 points! It could have been much worse, but many of the conference foes showed some mercy and called off the dogs.
The worry right now is how the Buffs will respond to their shellacking by CSU, in which the score did not really demonstrate how badly the Buffs were dominated. Earlier this week, head coach Mike MacIntyre opined that the Buffs "dominated for 65% of the time, and that CSU dominated for 45%" of the game. His numbers don't add up, nor does his analysis. The Buffs were dominated from 3 minutes into the 2nd quarter, and outscored 31-7 in that time. CSU achieved that by running the ball down the throats of the Colorado defense.
Some Buff faithful point at that CSU lost to Colorado last year, and then turned their season around and went on to win 8 out of 14 games, including a bowl victory over a Pac-12 team. They use that tidbit as motivation that Colorado can also turn their season around and still get to a bowl game.
Is is possible? Of course, anything is possible.
Is it likely? Not likely at all. Current odds show the Buffs listed at 225-1 against them winning the Pac-12. We share that distinction with Cal and Washington State at the bottom end of the scale.
Those wishing for the Buffs to make an appearance in a poll had their wish granted this week when Colorado was ranked #21 in one poll. Unfortunately, the poll was for the Bottom 25. Fortunately, CU gets to play a fellow traveller in the Bottom 25. UMass comes in at #14. Since it a rank of ineptitude, the higher ranking Minutemen will be 17 point underdogs to the Buffaloes.
No matter how this game goes, however, it will not serve as a true defining moment for the Colorado Buffs. That will come next week against Arizona State, when the Sun Devils come to Boulder.
Buff players and coaches are hoping they have one win under their belts before ASU shows up. If not, 2014 looks to be every bit as disgraceful as the 2012 squad that it led to Embree's firing and the hiring of MacIntyre.
Let the games begin!
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