Colorado kicks off the new season Friday evening with the annual Rocky Mountain Showdown against in-state rivals Colorado State. The game is scheduled to get underway on September 2nd, at 8:00 p.m. ET at Denver’s Sports Authority Field. The event will be televised on ESPN. The Buffaloes enter the match an -8.5 point favorite and the over/under is set at 57.
Colorado:
The pressure is mounting in Boulder for Colorado to win and win now. The Buffaloes have not had a winning season in ten years and have not been invited to a bowl game since 2007. Considering the fact that Colorado’s 5-40 in their conference contests since joining the Pac-12, it’s obvious why head coach Mike MacIntyre is on the hot seat.
The Buffaloes might be on the cusp of a break-out campaign. Even though they only went 4-9 last season, they lost five of their matches by eight points or fewer. A couple of those defeats were at the hands of the elite schools in the Pac-12 South. They lost to UCLA by a score of 35-31 and to USC by a total of 27-24.
Colorado has 17 returning starters which makes them one of the most experience rosters in the nation. A key returnee is senior quarterback Sefo Liufau. The veteran has set or tied 75 school records and also hopes to rebound off a season where he suffered a broken foot that ended his year.
The Buffaloes need to step it up at the wide receiver position for their senior signal-caller. Unfortunately, it wont be easy with the loss of his favorite target Nelson Spruce to the NFL. Shay Fields will be the new go-to guy and a big year for the wide-out would go along way for the Buffaloes. Fields had almost a hundred catches and 1,000 yards with eight touchdowns as the second option the last two seasons.
The offensive line is virtually all back and they hope to lead the way for a duo of running backs that will operate by committee. Phillip Lindsay and Michael Adkins return to the back field for the Colorado Buffaloes. The two combined for over 1000 yards and ten trips to the end-zone.
Colorado’s defensive should show even more improvement from last year’s numbers. They have seven defensive starters back. Even more impressive is the experience within the group. There are seven seniors and three juniors to face off against opposing offenses.
Defending the pass shouldn’t be a problem for the Colorado Buffaloes this year. Chidobe Awuzie is projected to have a breakout season in the secondary. Ninety tackles and two picks later he claimed All-Conference status in 2015. The Buff’s cornerback is in the running for the Thorpe and also the Nagurski awards.
Colorado State:
The Ram’s offense most likely will have returning quarterback Nick Stevens as the arm under center. Although, Stevens still remains in a three-way battle for the starting job. Whoever ends up taking the snaps for Colorado state will have to do it without All-Conference wide receiver Rashard Higgins. The NFL swallowed up Rashard Higgins. Xavier Williams will have to carry the load. Williams tallied 19 catches for over two hundred yards and two scores.
Daylan Dawkins is a good fit as more of a pass catching back in Head Coach Mike Bobo’s pro-style scheme. The former transfer form the Purdue Boilermakers led Colorado State in rushing last year. He compiled over 850 yards and had a couple of appearances in the end-zone. Izzy Mathew’s will bring his 600 plus yards and five scores to the fold as well. Before the season is over, the sophomore might see the majority of the carries.
The biggest hurdle for the Colorado State Rams is going to be on the defensive side of the football. The Rams have not one returning starters up front. They will have to rely on the talent of linebacker Kevin Davis. Davis is a senior that led the team with 101 tackles in 2015. To make matters worse, Colorado State only created 15 turnovers last year and finished the year ranked 104th overall in the nation.
Match-Up Analysis:
The Colorado Buffaloes appear to finally be hungry and talented enough to make some waves in the Pac-12 South. With an experienced quarterback and an even more experienced defensive unit, they should find away to dispatch their in-state nemesis.
It’s just a tough game for a Ram’s team that has too many questions on both sides of the ball. I get that it’s a rivalry game that is usually decided in the fourth quarter. I also get that more than a touchdown favorite in a grudge match like this is risky. Nevertheless, I think Colorado can stifle an unproven Ram’s offense and create enough scores to frustrate an unseasoned defense. Give me the Buff’s by 10.
The Hun’s Prediction:
Colorado -8.5
