Wow!
The Colorado Buffaloes finally broke out the Joie de Vivre and had a good time. As a consequence they earned a big win, 44-28 over the California Golden Bears.
Football is a game. It's supposed to be fun. But for much of this year Colorado has looked like a group of guys doing chores instead of playing a game. Against Cal, they finally looked like they were having fun.
This was the Colorado team fans had been hoping to see all season. It was exciting to see.
The question now is whether the Buffs can take the momentum created today and carry it over to the last three games. One more win and they can earn a bowl berth, which just a few days ago seemed quite unlikely.
More will be known by the end of the night. Colorado's next two opponents, Arizona State and USC, face off tonight in Tempe. The winner takes control of their own destiny for the Pac-12 South. The loser will need help.
Colorado can no longer win the South, but they can play a big part in determining who takes the crown. It can be fun to be a spoiler too, especially if it also allows CU to make it to a second consecutive bowl game.
They'll be watching tonight to scout the next two opponents. The key to winning one or both of those games is to come and play with enthusiasm. They need to keep on having fun.
Here's to hoping they do just that. Go Buffs!
Showing posts with label Cal Golden Bears. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cal Golden Bears. Show all posts
Saturday, October 28, 2017
Saturday, October 14, 2017
Friday the 13th: The Wonderful, Crazy World of College Football
Some folks have an odd fear of Friday the 13th. Don't count me in there because I love it. Two coaches who will likely look back in dread on the day are Clemson HC Dabo Swinney and Washington State head coach Mike Leach. Both had excellent seasons hit massive road-bumps last night.
Defending national champion and current #2 Clemson traveled to Syracuse, New York and lost a close one 27-24 to the same Orange who had lost earlier in the season to Middle Tennessee State. Really.
Cal entered the game against Washington State with three losses already on their resume. But those losses were to USC, Washington, and Oregon. Nothing to be ashamed about. But most folks figured their game Washington State would be another loss to a Top 10 team.
Somebody forgot to tell the Bears, and they shellacked the #8 Cougars by a score of 37-3. It was some welcome good news to the Bay Area where wildfires have killed more than 34 with hundreds missing and more than 5000 buildings have been lost. Some fans in the stands wore masks due to the visible smoke.
There were only two FBS games last night, and the Top 10 team in both lost. Clemson was favored by 24 points. Washington State was a 17 point favorite. Oh well, now we know why they play the games.
Since these games were played on a Friday, it means that FOUR Top 10 teams have lost in the last week. Oklahoma and Michigan lost last Saturday.
Thank goodness for Friday the 13th and the wonderful, crazy world of college football.
Defending national champion and current #2 Clemson traveled to Syracuse, New York and lost a close one 27-24 to the same Orange who had lost earlier in the season to Middle Tennessee State. Really.
Cal entered the game against Washington State with three losses already on their resume. But those losses were to USC, Washington, and Oregon. Nothing to be ashamed about. But most folks figured their game Washington State would be another loss to a Top 10 team.
Somebody forgot to tell the Bears, and they shellacked the #8 Cougars by a score of 37-3. It was some welcome good news to the Bay Area where wildfires have killed more than 34 with hundreds missing and more than 5000 buildings have been lost. Some fans in the stands wore masks due to the visible smoke.
There were only two FBS games last night, and the Top 10 team in both lost. Clemson was favored by 24 points. Washington State was a 17 point favorite. Oh well, now we know why they play the games.
Since these games were played on a Friday, it means that FOUR Top 10 teams have lost in the last week. Oklahoma and Michigan lost last Saturday.
Thank goodness for Friday the 13th and the wonderful, crazy world of college football.
Friday, August 14, 2015
2015: Colorado Buffs and their Fans Looking for a Team to HATE, or Vice Versa... or Maybe Just to Care Again!
Heading into the 2015 NCAA football season, Colorado Buff fans in Boulder and around the country are searching and hoping for a reason to care about college football again. At least when it comes to their Buffaloes.
Football is a PASSIONATE sport! It's one of the reasons that it has often been compared to war. One of the things that is necessary for that passion is deeply held feelings. And those feelings only come with time and hard fought wins and losses.
Unfortunately, the Buffs have not been in the Pac-12 long enough to have strong feelings about their conference foes. So far, it has just been "we're happy to be here" in the Conference of Champions. And since the Buffs have been nothing but the designated "Gimme" in the Pac-12 since joining the league, the other schools have been happy to have Colorado around as well.
Boulder is a new favorite among fans around the Pac-12 to travel to for away games as well. One reason is they can usually count on a victory. Boulder is also one of the most beautiful towns in the country. And, judging by the lines outside the legal marijuana dispensaries on game days, Boulder's social activities are popular among college students around the Pac-12.
Back on the gridiron, however, things are different. Due to a decade of futility, nobody in the Pac-12 spends time being worried about the Buffs when it comes to football. (That's not true in basketball and other sports where the Buffs are already teams to be feared.) Nobody in the conference fears Colorado... because the Buffs haven't earned it yet.
Last year was close. Two double-overtime losses (Cal and UCLA) would have done a great deal toward earning the Buffs some respect had the games gone the other way. But they didn't. So they enter 2015 as a team flying under everyone's radar. Again.
Only when the Buffs have broken the dreams of some conference foes will they get the respect they desire. That's how rivalries are built.
---------------------------------
Heading into the 1986 season, the Colorado Buffaloes were coming off a 7-5 record under Bill McCartney. That was considered an amazing feat since the Buffs had only won ONE game the year prior. Those seven wins earned McCartney his first of three conference coach of the year awards.
After the seven wins in 1985, Buff fans were excited about the possibility of even better things to come in '86. The Buffs started the year with FOUR straight losses before finally getting their first win in a nail-biter against Missouri. The next game the Buffs demolished Iowa State. The Buffs stood at 2-4 and would be hosting the hated #3 ranked Nebraska Cornholers at Folsom Field.
Almost nobody around the country, and very few around Boulder, gave the Buffs much of a chance. Nebraska had beaten the Buffs every single year since 1967, and the Buffs had not beaten the Fuskers in Boulder since 1961. Nebraska marched into Boulder undefeated and ranked #3 and ready to dominate.
Part of the turnaround made by coach McCartney was to designate the Nebraska game as Colorado's "red letter" game because he felt the Huskers were a model of consistency over decades and that if the Buffs wanted to be a national caliber team, they would have to be good enough to beat Nebraska on a consistent basis.
Husker fans laughed aloud at Mac declaring Nebraska a rival. Many of them had grown up without ever seeing Colorado win against their beloved Huskers. Back here in Boulder, Colorado fans were sick and tired of the condescending Nebraska faithful, who loved to swarm into Boulder and fill the bars and restaurants with tobacco smoke and boast about their team. Up until that point, Nebraska fans LOVED Boulder because they could count on a win and gloat their way around town.
Somebody forgot to tell Mac and his team, however. The Buffs came out and played hardnosed defense and beat the hated Huskers by a score of 20-10. Twenty-five years of frustration came to a boil in a party of exuberance that had been long missing at Folsom Field. The goal posts came down and the words "WE WIN!" blazed from the scoreboard through the night and across the front pages of the Colorado papers.
After that game, Colorado was indeed a rival for Nebraska. Husker fans refused to acknowledge the Buffs as a rival but their hatred shined through loud and clear. Whereas Boulder was once their favorite road trip of the season, they started complaining long and loud that Buff fans were "rude" to them (completely ignoring how Lincoln treats their out-of-town fans).
If you asked just about any Buff fan which team they loved to hate, Nebraska would be at the top of the list. The Fuskers and their fans were a classless bunch, by far the worst that Buff fans had encountered.
Some examples of Nebraska classlessness follow: In 1989, as the Buffs were rolling through a miraculous undefeated regular season marred by the death of their quarterback Sal Aunese. His death made national news and brought condolences from around the country.
But the slimeballs in Nebraska reacted to his death by writing "SAL IS DEAD, GO BIG RED!" across the highway where it crossed from Colorado into Nebraska. Talk about a rivalry gone wrong! Those poor jackasses were willing to glory in the death by cancer of a young man just because he played for a team they didn't like.
The next year, the Buffs won the National Championship. It should have been a unanimous National Championship, but the Buffs had to share it with Georgia Tech because Husker's head coach Tom Osborne ballot amazingly left #1 ranked Colorado off the list of top twenty teams. Osborne later claimed someone else filled out the ballot for him, but it was in HIS name and HE was responsible. Classless from the bottom and classless from the top. That's Nebraska.
-------------------------------
What's the point of the story? Mike MacIntyre's Colorado Buffaloes have to give up being happy to be in the Pac-12. They need to kick some doors down and piss some people off. They need to ruin some team's hopes for a Conference or National Championship. They need to deny someone a bowl game. They need to make Folsom Field a place where every other team fears to play.
Boulder will still be beautiful. And the fans from around the Pac-12 can still appreciate the social activities that Colorado has to offer. But they need to make Folsom Field THEIR HOUSE once again. Only then can bowl games and championships come back to Boulder.
Football is a PASSIONATE sport! It's one of the reasons that it has often been compared to war. One of the things that is necessary for that passion is deeply held feelings. And those feelings only come with time and hard fought wins and losses.
Unfortunately, the Buffs have not been in the Pac-12 long enough to have strong feelings about their conference foes. So far, it has just been "we're happy to be here" in the Conference of Champions. And since the Buffs have been nothing but the designated "Gimme" in the Pac-12 since joining the league, the other schools have been happy to have Colorado around as well.
Boulder is a new favorite among fans around the Pac-12 to travel to for away games as well. One reason is they can usually count on a victory. Boulder is also one of the most beautiful towns in the country. And, judging by the lines outside the legal marijuana dispensaries on game days, Boulder's social activities are popular among college students around the Pac-12.
Back on the gridiron, however, things are different. Due to a decade of futility, nobody in the Pac-12 spends time being worried about the Buffs when it comes to football. (That's not true in basketball and other sports where the Buffs are already teams to be feared.) Nobody in the conference fears Colorado... because the Buffs haven't earned it yet.
Last year was close. Two double-overtime losses (Cal and UCLA) would have done a great deal toward earning the Buffs some respect had the games gone the other way. But they didn't. So they enter 2015 as a team flying under everyone's radar. Again.
Only when the Buffs have broken the dreams of some conference foes will they get the respect they desire. That's how rivalries are built.
---------------------------------
Heading into the 1986 season, the Colorado Buffaloes were coming off a 7-5 record under Bill McCartney. That was considered an amazing feat since the Buffs had only won ONE game the year prior. Those seven wins earned McCartney his first of three conference coach of the year awards.
After the seven wins in 1985, Buff fans were excited about the possibility of even better things to come in '86. The Buffs started the year with FOUR straight losses before finally getting their first win in a nail-biter against Missouri. The next game the Buffs demolished Iowa State. The Buffs stood at 2-4 and would be hosting the hated #3 ranked Nebraska Cornholers at Folsom Field.
Almost nobody around the country, and very few around Boulder, gave the Buffs much of a chance. Nebraska had beaten the Buffs every single year since 1967, and the Buffs had not beaten the Fuskers in Boulder since 1961. Nebraska marched into Boulder undefeated and ranked #3 and ready to dominate.
Part of the turnaround made by coach McCartney was to designate the Nebraska game as Colorado's "red letter" game because he felt the Huskers were a model of consistency over decades and that if the Buffs wanted to be a national caliber team, they would have to be good enough to beat Nebraska on a consistent basis.
Husker fans laughed aloud at Mac declaring Nebraska a rival. Many of them had grown up without ever seeing Colorado win against their beloved Huskers. Back here in Boulder, Colorado fans were sick and tired of the condescending Nebraska faithful, who loved to swarm into Boulder and fill the bars and restaurants with tobacco smoke and boast about their team. Up until that point, Nebraska fans LOVED Boulder because they could count on a win and gloat their way around town.
Somebody forgot to tell Mac and his team, however. The Buffs came out and played hardnosed defense and beat the hated Huskers by a score of 20-10. Twenty-five years of frustration came to a boil in a party of exuberance that had been long missing at Folsom Field. The goal posts came down and the words "WE WIN!" blazed from the scoreboard through the night and across the front pages of the Colorado papers.
After that game, Colorado was indeed a rival for Nebraska. Husker fans refused to acknowledge the Buffs as a rival but their hatred shined through loud and clear. Whereas Boulder was once their favorite road trip of the season, they started complaining long and loud that Buff fans were "rude" to them (completely ignoring how Lincoln treats their out-of-town fans).
If you asked just about any Buff fan which team they loved to hate, Nebraska would be at the top of the list. The Fuskers and their fans were a classless bunch, by far the worst that Buff fans had encountered.
Some examples of Nebraska classlessness follow: In 1989, as the Buffs were rolling through a miraculous undefeated regular season marred by the death of their quarterback Sal Aunese. His death made national news and brought condolences from around the country.
But the slimeballs in Nebraska reacted to his death by writing "SAL IS DEAD, GO BIG RED!" across the highway where it crossed from Colorado into Nebraska. Talk about a rivalry gone wrong! Those poor jackasses were willing to glory in the death by cancer of a young man just because he played for a team they didn't like.
The next year, the Buffs won the National Championship. It should have been a unanimous National Championship, but the Buffs had to share it with Georgia Tech because Husker's head coach Tom Osborne ballot amazingly left #1 ranked Colorado off the list of top twenty teams. Osborne later claimed someone else filled out the ballot for him, but it was in HIS name and HE was responsible. Classless from the bottom and classless from the top. That's Nebraska.
-------------------------------
What's the point of the story? Mike MacIntyre's Colorado Buffaloes have to give up being happy to be in the Pac-12. They need to kick some doors down and piss some people off. They need to ruin some team's hopes for a Conference or National Championship. They need to deny someone a bowl game. They need to make Folsom Field a place where every other team fears to play.
Boulder will still be beautiful. And the fans from around the Pac-12 can still appreciate the social activities that Colorado has to offer. But they need to make Folsom Field THEIR HOUSE once again. Only then can bowl games and championships come back to Boulder.
Monday, October 6, 2014
Colorado Edges Closer in Pac-12 Play, But Falls Once Again
BOULDER--
The University of California Golden Bears find themselves in a very unique situation this week. They are in first place in the Pac-12 North Division. That's right, Cal. Not Oregon. Not Stanford. Not Washington. The California school that's in Berkeley.
Last year, the Bears went 1-11 under first year head coach Sonny Dykes. Colorado's Mike MacIntyre did somewhat better with a 4-8 record. Both Cal and Colorado are MUCH better teams this year than last. The difference so far this year is in the records. Cal is 4-1 while Colorado is just 2-4.
Colorado fans need to realize how little things can make a big difference in winning and losing. Is Cal atop the Pac-12 North because of their stifling defense? Certainly not. In fact, Cal is the only team in the history of college football (and probably pro and high school) to give up a combined 115 points in two games and actually win both those games. Colorado scored 56 on the Bears, and Washington State scored 59 last Saturday, but Cal walked away with three and one point victories.
Does that mean that California is much better than Colorado? Absolutely not. If you JUST look at the records, Cal is a very good team and CU is pretty mediocre. If you look at the reality of what is happening on the field, Colorado is every bit as good as Cal. The difference right now is that Cal has turned the corner and learned to finish games on top.
Colorado is very close to doing the same thing. It's a process. The Buffs have lots of young players and a young offensive coordinator who is still honing his chops at the Pac-12 level. Brian Lindgren has turned the Buffs offense into a group that can puts lots and lots of yards on the opposition. That is good. But he and his unit still go through times of miscommunication, poor play calling, and avoidable turnovers. Unfortunately, those mistakes are often just enough to have the Buffs on the losing end when the game ends.
It will get better. In fact, it is already so much better. Two years ago the Buffs were losing by an average of 32 points a game in conference play. Last year, the number was down to 25 points a game. Although the Buffs actually won one conference game each of the last two years, the overall pattern was the Buffs being smoked early and often when they took the field against Pac-12 opponents.
That is not the case this year. Colorado put up big yards against Arizona State, but a few mistakes kept putting them in the hole and they ended up losing a game by 14 they easily could have won. Against Cal, five breakdowns on defense led to losing a game by three points the Buffs should have won by 20.
Against Oregon State, the Buffs put themselves in a 14 point hole to begin the game. The came back to take the lead, but then had one of those quarters in which the offense could not do anything right. They came back yet again but could not overcome the double digit lead at the end.
Many fans are frustrated that the Buffs are coming up just short this season. They really need to remember how much fun it is to be still in the game when it ends. The Buffs are playing conference foes tough week in and week out for the first time since they joined the Pac-12. After three conference games, the Buffs have twice fallen by 5 points or less. Better yet, the 22 points in deficit in three games is three points less than the average conference score last year.
Look at those numbers again:
Buff fans should enjoy and appreciate how far these Buffs have come from just two short years ago. The Coors Events Center has quickly become the best place to watch college basketball in the Pac-12 over the last three years because of the raucous fans. Wouldn't it be great if CU students and football fans could do the same for Folsom Field?
Large and vocal crowds would do a great deal to push the Buffs around the corner toward becoming a winning program once again. And fans who have been staying away from Folsom should get out there to see the games in person. Pac-12 games are a blast to see from the stands. Many of the best players in the country play in the conference. Get out to see them and support your Buffaloes.
The University of California Golden Bears find themselves in a very unique situation this week. They are in first place in the Pac-12 North Division. That's right, Cal. Not Oregon. Not Stanford. Not Washington. The California school that's in Berkeley.
Last year, the Bears went 1-11 under first year head coach Sonny Dykes. Colorado's Mike MacIntyre did somewhat better with a 4-8 record. Both Cal and Colorado are MUCH better teams this year than last. The difference so far this year is in the records. Cal is 4-1 while Colorado is just 2-4.
Colorado fans need to realize how little things can make a big difference in winning and losing. Is Cal atop the Pac-12 North because of their stifling defense? Certainly not. In fact, Cal is the only team in the history of college football (and probably pro and high school) to give up a combined 115 points in two games and actually win both those games. Colorado scored 56 on the Bears, and Washington State scored 59 last Saturday, but Cal walked away with three and one point victories.
Does that mean that California is much better than Colorado? Absolutely not. If you JUST look at the records, Cal is a very good team and CU is pretty mediocre. If you look at the reality of what is happening on the field, Colorado is every bit as good as Cal. The difference right now is that Cal has turned the corner and learned to finish games on top.
Colorado is very close to doing the same thing. It's a process. The Buffs have lots of young players and a young offensive coordinator who is still honing his chops at the Pac-12 level. Brian Lindgren has turned the Buffs offense into a group that can puts lots and lots of yards on the opposition. That is good. But he and his unit still go through times of miscommunication, poor play calling, and avoidable turnovers. Unfortunately, those mistakes are often just enough to have the Buffs on the losing end when the game ends.
It will get better. In fact, it is already so much better. Two years ago the Buffs were losing by an average of 32 points a game in conference play. Last year, the number was down to 25 points a game. Although the Buffs actually won one conference game each of the last two years, the overall pattern was the Buffs being smoked early and often when they took the field against Pac-12 opponents.
That is not the case this year. Colorado put up big yards against Arizona State, but a few mistakes kept putting them in the hole and they ended up losing a game by 14 they easily could have won. Against Cal, five breakdowns on defense led to losing a game by three points the Buffs should have won by 20.
Against Oregon State, the Buffs put themselves in a 14 point hole to begin the game. The came back to take the lead, but then had one of those quarters in which the offense could not do anything right. They came back yet again but could not overcome the double digit lead at the end.
Many fans are frustrated that the Buffs are coming up just short this season. They really need to remember how much fun it is to be still in the game when it ends. The Buffs are playing conference foes tough week in and week out for the first time since they joined the Pac-12. After three conference games, the Buffs have twice fallen by 5 points or less. Better yet, the 22 points in deficit in three games is three points less than the average conference score last year.
Look at those numbers again:
- 2012 -- outscored in Pac-12 play by an average of 32.
- 2013 -- outscored by 25 on average.
- 2014 -- outscored by 7.3 after three games.
Buff fans should enjoy and appreciate how far these Buffs have come from just two short years ago. The Coors Events Center has quickly become the best place to watch college basketball in the Pac-12 over the last three years because of the raucous fans. Wouldn't it be great if CU students and football fans could do the same for Folsom Field?
Large and vocal crowds would do a great deal to push the Buffs around the corner toward becoming a winning program once again. And fans who have been staying away from Folsom should get out there to see the games in person. Pac-12 games are a blast to see from the stands. Many of the best players in the country play in the conference. Get out to see them and support your Buffaloes.
Friday, October 3, 2014
Colorado Earns Respect as Buffs Prove They Can Score Big Points in Pac-12 Play
In the first three years that Colorado was playing in Pac-12 games, their opponents scored 40 or more points 22 times. In fact, their Pac-12 opponents scored 50 or more 8 times during from 2011-13.
During that same time span, Colorado only scored more than 40 points twice in Pac-12 play. That 22-2 difference pretty much sums up that the first three years in the league were extraordinarily tough. Mike MacIntyre was the head coach in only one of those first three years, but his Buffs have made steady improvement and are now poised to shoot it out with their conference foes.
The Pac-12 is an offensive league. Points are scored at a high rate and no team can ever be counted out. Arizona scored 36 points in the 4th quarter to come back and beat California. Utah gave up a 21 point lead to Washington State to lose by one. Colorado was twice up by 14 points against Cal only to lose the game by three points in double overtime. The "Berkeley Shootout" saw 115 points scored and 14 touchdown passes.
Colorado showed against Arizona State that they could move the ball up and down the field against a very good Pac-12 team. Turnovers and mistakes led them to lose after dominating the last three quarters against the Sun Devils. Against California, the Buffs again put massive yards up, but this time put up a score to match with 56 points. Unfortunately, Cal scored 59, but the game confirmed that the Buffs finally possessed the offensive firepower to put big points on the board in conference play.
The next step for Colorado is continuing improvement toward eliminating big plays by the competition. Take away five defensive breakdowns for Colorado against Cal and the Buffs win by 20 or more.
California scored 35 points on plays of 25, 26, 40, 75, and 92 yards. Those 258 yards in five plays represented 44% of the Golden Bears' yardage on the day. They also led to almost 60% of the Bears' points.
By comparison, Colorado's ball control offense moved the ball in much smaller chunks. The yardage on their longest 5 touchdowns combined was only 96 yards total. Those scores covered 30, 25, 22, 12 and 7 yards. The yardage on those 5 touchdowns represented only 15% of their total offense of 630 yards.
What the Buffs have going for them is that their offensive style allows them to control the ball and the clock. If opposing defenses play deep to take away the long ball, the Buffs are adept at chipping their way down the field. If opponents play too close to the line, the Buffs can go over the top to score. Going forward, that style of ball control gives the Buffs their best chance to win. As they continue to improve and their running game becomes more reliable, the Buffs will be harder and harder to stop.
The Buff defense is still giving up a lot of points, but other league teams are working much harder to score them. In years past, the Buffs were usually going against 2nd and 3rd stringers (or 4th!) in the second half. This year, Cal and ASU had their starters in the entire game. The Buff D has also developed a swagger that has not been seen in Boulder for a long time. It's good to see and a sign of better things to come.
If fans only look at the final scores, it might seem hard to see the great improvements made by the Buffs in 2014. It is necessary to watch the games to see how improved they are. They are hitting harder as a group and scoring more points as well. They are scratching and clawing to become relevant in the best conference in the country. Before our very eyes, they are learning to compete to the final whistle. And before long, they will be learning to win in the Pac-12 on a consistent basis.
--------------------------
Seeing the Buffs play this year, especially in person at Folsom Field, will also give Buff fans a chance to see Nelson Spruce obliterate the record book for receivers at Colorado. Just as casual fans turned out to watch Chauncey Billups play hoops at CU, they should also do the same for Spruce. They should also cross their fingers that Spruce blesses Colorado with one more year before going off to the NFL.
During that same time span, Colorado only scored more than 40 points twice in Pac-12 play. That 22-2 difference pretty much sums up that the first three years in the league were extraordinarily tough. Mike MacIntyre was the head coach in only one of those first three years, but his Buffs have made steady improvement and are now poised to shoot it out with their conference foes.
The Pac-12 is an offensive league. Points are scored at a high rate and no team can ever be counted out. Arizona scored 36 points in the 4th quarter to come back and beat California. Utah gave up a 21 point lead to Washington State to lose by one. Colorado was twice up by 14 points against Cal only to lose the game by three points in double overtime. The "Berkeley Shootout" saw 115 points scored and 14 touchdown passes.
Colorado showed against Arizona State that they could move the ball up and down the field against a very good Pac-12 team. Turnovers and mistakes led them to lose after dominating the last three quarters against the Sun Devils. Against California, the Buffs again put massive yards up, but this time put up a score to match with 56 points. Unfortunately, Cal scored 59, but the game confirmed that the Buffs finally possessed the offensive firepower to put big points on the board in conference play.
The next step for Colorado is continuing improvement toward eliminating big plays by the competition. Take away five defensive breakdowns for Colorado against Cal and the Buffs win by 20 or more.
California scored 35 points on plays of 25, 26, 40, 75, and 92 yards. Those 258 yards in five plays represented 44% of the Golden Bears' yardage on the day. They also led to almost 60% of the Bears' points.
By comparison, Colorado's ball control offense moved the ball in much smaller chunks. The yardage on their longest 5 touchdowns combined was only 96 yards total. Those scores covered 30, 25, 22, 12 and 7 yards. The yardage on those 5 touchdowns represented only 15% of their total offense of 630 yards.
What the Buffs have going for them is that their offensive style allows them to control the ball and the clock. If opposing defenses play deep to take away the long ball, the Buffs are adept at chipping their way down the field. If opponents play too close to the line, the Buffs can go over the top to score. Going forward, that style of ball control gives the Buffs their best chance to win. As they continue to improve and their running game becomes more reliable, the Buffs will be harder and harder to stop.
The Buff defense is still giving up a lot of points, but other league teams are working much harder to score them. In years past, the Buffs were usually going against 2nd and 3rd stringers (or 4th!) in the second half. This year, Cal and ASU had their starters in the entire game. The Buff D has also developed a swagger that has not been seen in Boulder for a long time. It's good to see and a sign of better things to come.
If fans only look at the final scores, it might seem hard to see the great improvements made by the Buffs in 2014. It is necessary to watch the games to see how improved they are. They are hitting harder as a group and scoring more points as well. They are scratching and clawing to become relevant in the best conference in the country. Before our very eyes, they are learning to compete to the final whistle. And before long, they will be learning to win in the Pac-12 on a consistent basis.
--------------------------
Seeing the Buffs play this year, especially in person at Folsom Field, will also give Buff fans a chance to see Nelson Spruce obliterate the record book for receivers at Colorado. Just as casual fans turned out to watch Chauncey Billups play hoops at CU, they should also do the same for Spruce. They should also cross their fingers that Spruce blesses Colorado with one more year before going off to the NFL.
Friday, September 26, 2014
Colorado Buffs Looking to Control Tempo and Limit Turnovers Against California
The Colorado Buffaloes hit the road this weekend against the California Golden Bears. To hear some folks tell it, you would think the Buffs were going against the greatest offensive machine in the Pac-12. Or the country. Balderdash!
Some coaches like their teams to throw the ball. A LOT. But throwing the ball 60 times a game does not automatically make the QB the next big thing or the team a winner on the field. Look at some of the examples right here in the conference.
What's the moral of this story?
The key is to control the game, not just throw lots of passes for big yardage. In fact, it could be argued that it is frequently the case that lots of yardage through the air only shows that the team was behind and trying to catch up.
Some coaches throw the ball so much that they don't know how to control the clock with the running game. Last week against Arizona, Cal gave up 36 points in the fourth quarter to lose after being ahead by 22 points at halftime.
The key to the game against Cal will be to control the tempo of the game and to limit Cal's big plays for scores.
Cal will put big yardage up against Colorado, but that does not mean they will win. The Buffs have gotten much tougher in the red zone than they have been in years. Where in years past the red zone for Buff opponents usually meant a touchdown, this year they are finding the sledding much tougher, and that a field goal is all they come away with.
Two other areas the Buffs must win are special teams play and turnovers. One of the reasons that Arizona State was crushed by UCLA was that they turned over the ball 4 times and also allowed a kickoff to be returned for a touchdown.
If the Buffs can hold onto the ball, and continue the outstanding play on special teams (for the last couple of games), along with creating several turnovers by the Bears, they have an excellent shot at leaving Cal with their third win of the season.
Fans should remember that last year's four win team had only two of those wins against FBS level school. There are no FCS teams on the schedule this year.
The turnover battle will be key for this game. In 2010, the Buffs turned the ball over 5 times and California crushed them by a score of 52-7. Last year, the Buffs and Bears each had only one turnover, and Colorado cruised by a score of 41-24.
Some coaches like their teams to throw the ball. A LOT. But throwing the ball 60 times a game does not automatically make the QB the next big thing or the team a winner on the field. Look at some of the examples right here in the conference.
- Arizona State put up 626 yards and 38 first downs against UCLA. Their QB threw for 488 yards, and completed 42 of 68 passes. Big win for the Sun Devils? NO! UCLA crushed ASU 62-27.
- Cal's QB Jared Goff set lots of passing records in Berkeley last year. The Golden Bears finished 1-11.
- Washington State throws for almost 500 yards per game this year. Their record is 1-3.
- In the Colorado game vs. Arizona State, the Buffs dominated time of possession, had 55% more first down, and outgained the Sun Devils by 120 yards. ASU won 38-24.
What's the moral of this story?
The key is to control the game, not just throw lots of passes for big yardage. In fact, it could be argued that it is frequently the case that lots of yardage through the air only shows that the team was behind and trying to catch up.
Some coaches throw the ball so much that they don't know how to control the clock with the running game. Last week against Arizona, Cal gave up 36 points in the fourth quarter to lose after being ahead by 22 points at halftime.
The key to the game against Cal will be to control the tempo of the game and to limit Cal's big plays for scores.
Cal will put big yardage up against Colorado, but that does not mean they will win. The Buffs have gotten much tougher in the red zone than they have been in years. Where in years past the red zone for Buff opponents usually meant a touchdown, this year they are finding the sledding much tougher, and that a field goal is all they come away with.
Two other areas the Buffs must win are special teams play and turnovers. One of the reasons that Arizona State was crushed by UCLA was that they turned over the ball 4 times and also allowed a kickoff to be returned for a touchdown.
If the Buffs can hold onto the ball, and continue the outstanding play on special teams (for the last couple of games), along with creating several turnovers by the Bears, they have an excellent shot at leaving Cal with their third win of the season.
Fans should remember that last year's four win team had only two of those wins against FBS level school. There are no FCS teams on the schedule this year.
The turnover battle will be key for this game. In 2010, the Buffs turned the ball over 5 times and California crushed them by a score of 52-7. Last year, the Buffs and Bears each had only one turnover, and Colorado cruised by a score of 41-24.
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