Tag Archives: Colorado Buffaloes

by Matthew | November 9, 2013 · 10:09 am

UW vs. Colorado Predictions

The Huskies have four regular season games left, and the season could go almost anywhere at this point. Today’s game should be a win, as should the Apple Cup, although one never knows. At UCLA and Oregon State will be tough but winnable games. Win all four and this season is an unmitigated success. Win three and it’s still a decent season, especially if they can tack on a bowl win.

There are plenty of interesting storylines to watch the rest of the season, but one I’m especially curious about is the development of a few true freshman. John Ross has had the biggest impact thus far, and that should only increase in the absence of Kasen Williams. Fellow WR Demorea Stringfellow hasn’t done much thus far, but he too could blossom with increased opportunity. It sounds like the coaches expect or at least hope he can take over the position. Stringfellow is a mountain of a man at 6′ 3″ and at least 220 lbs. Don’t be surprised if he has a breakout similar to Kasen’s at the end of his freshman year.

After watching Stanford’s defensive line demolish Oregon this week, I’m hoping to see quick improvement from maybe the two most talented ends on the Huskies roster, freshman Joe Mathis and Marcus Farria. Both have had their moments in limited playing time thus far. I don’t know if they’ll see a ton more playing time, but Sark raved about them during the bye week. Both bring a combination of size, length, tenacity and quickness that could allow them to be stars as they mature.

The Huskies don’t lose a lot of players after this season, which means the improvement of young players will either lead to upgrades at positions or quality depth, which the Huskies have not had much of in a long time. Hopefully 2013 brings five more wins and plenty of bright moments for the young guys.

Dan

The Huskies had a bye last week and if all goes as it should, tomorrow ought to be a semi-bye too. Colorado is bad and anything other than a UW blowout would surprise me. It feels like the Huskies haven’t played in a really long time, and they may have some rust to knock off, but by the second half I suspect the Huskies run away, literally, by running the ball. Maybe the Buffs will be good in a couple years, I think that would be good for the conference. For now, they are relying on a true freshman QB from Tacoma who had exactly 1 offer from an FBS school. Although he did torch my Bothell Cougs last year so maybe he’s the real deal. Dawgs roll tomorrow, and hopefully stay healthy in doing so.

UW 42 – CU 13

Joe

UW comes off a much needed bye week to face lowly Colorado. The Buffaloes showed signs of life at UCLA last week, keeping the game competitive and in doubt into the second half, which is a vast improvement over the Buffs previous blow out losses. I have a feeling that game may have been CU’s best effort; couple that with a rested and ready UW squad, and I see a solid, big win for UW Saturday night. The Huskies know what is at stake: win, and they are bowl eligible, which yes, that is a big deal. It would be four years in a row Sark has guided UW to a bowl, which is only a year removed from the 0-12 abyss he inherited. At some point the 0-12 excuse must end, frankly I think this is it, but that said, a bowl eligible Husky football team in early November hasn’t happened in a decade, and should be cause for celebration among Husky fans. The fun part is there is still much to be gained with the rest of the season. 9-3 is a very real possibility with the scuffling Bruins and Beavers left, and then the wretched Cougars at the end. Tomorrow is the first step to Sark’s best record year yet.

UW 39 – CU 17

Andrew

I’ve seen a good amount of talk about how the Buffaloes are going to give the Huskies a tough game and they are no push over. This could be the case and credit Colorado for playing hard the last few weeks. But, the Buffs played their best game of the season last week and still lost by three scores. UCLA didn’t especially look great last week either. This game may be close for a while but it would be because the Huskies aren’t playing well, not because Colorado is the better team. I think the Huskies will be focused and ready to set the tone for the last 1/3 of the season. While Colorado may keep it close for a quarter, I think the Huskies will have this wrapped up in the 3rd quarter.

When I used to pitch in Little League, my dad would coach. When it was a really important inning he would get this look about him as I headed out to the mound. Once the inning started, I would hear this voice come out from the dugout. “9, Andrew!” I’d fire in a strike. “Alright, 8 more!” After every strike he would count down one more until my team was back in the dugout. Coming into this season I think the goal needed to be 9 wins on the season (including the bowl, in my pre-season prediction). That goal is going to take a great focus, one that we haven’t seen out of Sark’s team. Now is as good of time as ever to start. Go get ’em, Dawgs! 4 more, and it starts tomorrow.

UW 45 – COL 14

Matthew

Colorado is not a pushover like they have been, but they’re not a lot better. Paul Richardson is one of the scariest wide receivers in the country, but they don’t have a lot of offensive firepower otherwise. The defense is nothing to be afraid of. This is a game the Huskies should win handily. The best case scenario would be an early blowout and some rest for Price and Sankey and Danny Shelton. Bigger games are coming. These Huskies are a bit unpredictable, so who knows what to expect, but this seems like the perfect opportunity to practice some consistency and play a complete game. It might stay close for a bit, but the Huskies should win this one easily.

UW48 – Colorado 17

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by Matthew | October 2, 2013 · 11:59 am

Running with the Pac: Week 5

And we’re back with our rankings of who had the best week in the Pac-12. Remember, these aren’t overall power rankings for the season (those will come in a day or two). They are just rankings of which teams had the best games and weeks. Teams on a bye are left off unless something happens to warrant inclusion.

1. Stanford Cardinal beat WSU 55-17

I had doubts about the Cardinal before the season, and their first few weeks didn’t do a lot to quell them. An offense already short on playmakers lost two excellent tight ends and a star running back. A defense supposed to be among the best in the country looked a bit lackluster for the first couple of games as well. Stanford has changed course in a hurry. The defense pounded WSU, knocking Connor Halliday out of the game, and the offense has added a vertical passing dimension it hasn’t had in a while. I’m still not a complete believer in Stanford, but they look like a completely different offense from the one the Huskies beat last year.

2. Arizona State Sun Devils beat USC 62-41

ASU badly needed a win to maintain any shot at challenging UCLA in the south, and they got it in unexpected fashion. Everyone knows about USC’s offensive woes, but their defense had been excellent. ASU showed all of their offensive weapons in an explosion that cost Lane Kiffin his job. Giving up 41 is concerning, but the win is still big.

3. UW Huskies beat Arizona 31-13

It’s unclear how good the Huskies opponents have been, which makes it tough to know how the Huskies are. Or maybe it’s the other way around. Either way, the Huskies handled what looked like a solid but limited Arizona squad. It wasn’t pretty, and it wasn’t the blowout Dawg fans were hoping for, but I think that had as much to do with the first half monsoon as with anything the Huskies did. There was a point where both teams seemed to give up on doing anything more than handing off, and that was a bigger detriment to UW than Arizona. The defense was stingy all day, and the offense exerted its will most of the game. It’s a big win for the Huskies, but it didn’t provide as much clarity on the Huskies ability as I’d hoped. That’ll come soon.

4. OSU Beavers beat Colorado 44-17

After their well-documented slow start, the Beavers are rallying. They haven’t beat anyone of consequence, but they’ve done what’s necessary to get their season back on track. I still think their defense will keep them out of the top half of the division, but the offense is as dangerous as any. Sean Mannion to Brandin Cooks is maybe the top duo in the country.

5. Oregon Ducks beat Cal 55-16

Oregon demolished another poor opponent. The main reason they’re at the bottom of the winning teams is De’Anthony Thomas’s injury. It doesn’t sound serious, but he’s likely out this weekend, and hopefully (for the Huskies) the one after.

6. Arizona Wildcats lost to UW 31-13

No one had a “good loss” this week, but Arizona’s wasn’t terrible: on the road, to a ranked opponent, competitive. As I said, the weather made it hard to glean a lot from that game, but Arizona has a solid defense and an excellent running back. Quarterback is what’s going to hold them down. BJ Denker gave no indication he can be any passing threat whatsoever. The Cats can beat the bad teams, but they’re going to struggle greatly against good defenses until they find a semblance of a passing game.

7. Colorado Buffaloes lost to OSU 44-17

The next three are all pretty interchangeable, but we’ll give the Buffs the top spot because we had low expectations of them and they didn’t suffer any notable injuries or embarrassments that I’m aware of. The loss did show how far Colorado still has to go before they’ll be competitive.

8. California Golden Bears lost to Oregon 55-16

No one expected Cal to keep this close, but I thought they’d put up a few more points, or at least yards. They now have a bit of a quarterback controversy as well, for reasons unclear to me. They switched mid-game from starter Jared Goff to give Zach Kline some snaps. Maybe it was just to protect the less mobile Goff, but if they were expecting more from a true freshman against Oregon, they’re crazy. Goff was good enough before Saturday to justify the surprising decision to go with him to start the season, and to change now seems strange to me. I’d expect to see Goff back in there throwing like crazy. It might not get Cal many wins, but a dynamic passing game is all they have going for them.

9. WSU Cougars lost to Stanford 55-17

The Cougars go below the previous two because they actually had hopes of a win, hopes that Stanford tore apart and sent down the storm drains with the rain. WSU’s supposedly improved defense was overmatched, and the offense did next to nothing. I do think WSU’s better than last year, but their improvement has been overstated. A big problem is the quarterback. Halliday can do some things, but he balances his plusses with terrible mistakes. Austin Apodaca looked decent when he came on for the injured Halliday, but he’s not going to be a magical cure should the Cougars go to him more in the future. The Cougars might be on the right track, but Stanford showed it’s going to be a slower journey than Cougar fans had hoped.

10. USC Trojans lost to ASU 62-41

Let’s recap USC’s Saturday/early Sunday. They were demolished by ASU, giving up more points in one game than they had all season up to that point. They lost multiple defenders to injury, depleting a roster already demolished due to scholarship sanctions. All-world WR Marquise Lee, suffering a poor season due to inconsistent quarterback play, had a knee injury that looked bad, although it’s unknown how long he’ll be out. And, to top it off, Lane Kiffin was fired as soon as the plane landed back in LA. It’s been about as bad a week as USC could have imagined. A few positives: USC still has plenty of talent, and it might respond to new coach Ed Orgeron. The running game with Tre Madden and Justin Davis has been a solid plus for an offensive that’s struggled. And whatever else one wants to say about Kiffin, his playcalling this season has been strange at best. A new mind running the offense might get better results. Or it might not. It’s hard to know what the rest of the season will bring, but this was an inevitable move. Let’s just say that as a fan of another Pac-12 team, I’d much rather have Lane Kiffin as USC’s coach than whomever they hire to replace him.

-Matthew

Runnin’ With The Pac: Week 3

Once again, rankings of who had the best week in the Pac-12. These are not overall power rankings, just who had the best game/week last week. Teams on a bye are excluded unless something warrants it.

1. UCLA Bruins beat Nebraska 41-21

What a tough week for the Bruins. Last Sunday they lost a player, Nick Pasquale, who was killed in a car wreck. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, teammates and coaches. Dealing with a death like that is so far beyond anything happening on the football field, and it showed as UCLA struggled in the first half on Saturday. They stormed back to blow-out Nebraska and earn the Pac-12’s best victory thus far. No matter how you usually feel about UCLA, this was a win everyone can be excited for them to get. It doesn’t replace losing a member of their family, but if it helps give them meaning and a chance to move on, it will be worth something. Best wishes to everyone involved, and we hope you find overwhelming love and support through the next months.

2. ASU Sun Devils beat Wisconsin 32-30

ASU didn’t always look good, but they looked better most of the game than did the Badgers. And come on, how great was that ending! It was wrong in oh so many ways, and Wisconsin has every right to be furious. It was also one of the craziest things I’ve seen on the field in a while. I’d put them number two just because of how much enjoyment it brought me, but it was also a solid win against a ranked team. ASU didn’t look perfect, but they’re a tough team when they get rolling.

3. USC Trojans beat Boston College 35-7

After their terrible showing against WSU, the Trojans finally did some things right. Kiffin named Cody Kessler as quarterback, and he was solid. Even more encouraging was a strong day in the running game and signs that Marquise Lee is getting untracked. He only caught two balls, but they went for 90 yards. BC isn’t good, but USC did exactly what they needed to get their season at least going in the direction of the right track.

4. Oregon Ducks beat Tennessee 59-14

Not much to say here, as Oregon pummeled yet another mediocre opponent. I wish we could see them play someone, but they’re disposing quickly of anyone they see.

5. UW Huskies beat Illinois 34-24

Illinois is probably about as good as Tennessee, but the Huskies weren’t nearly as dominant as Oregon was. Still, road wins are always good, and the Dawgs were a few mistakes from a blow-out. They need to stop making mistakes. Don’t do dumb stuff, Huskies!

6. Oregon State Beavers beat Utah 51-48

The Beavs are tied with WSU for the Pac-12 lead. Have a good laugh. Take your time. The good news is that, in what was something of a must win, the Beavers did, and salvaged any hope their season had. The bad news is they didn’t look too great doing it and the defense continues to struggle mightily. OSU usually improves over the year, except for that year they really didn’t. They’re going to score plenty of points, but the defense doesn’t have any answers right now. Glad to see Storm Woods is okay, though. That was a scary moment for a talented guy.

7. (Tie) Arizona Wildcats beat UTSA 38-13 & WSU Cougars beat Southern Utah 48-10

Both teams beat weak opponents fairly handily, so I’m giving them the tie. I saw some of the WSU game and none of Arizona’s so I can’t say a ton. WSU looked shaky early, but they managed to take care of business. Both teams are doing what they need to do, but stiffer challenges await.

9. Stanford Cardinal beat Army 34-20

Unimpressive win for a top five Stanford squad. The passing game is looking better than expected, but the defense struggled a bit with Army. That shouldn’t happen. Stanford is probably fine, but they look a bit suspect, and that’s enough to drop them to 9th in a strong week for the conference.

10. California Golden Bears lost to Ohio St. 52-34

Cal got whupped by OSU, but they did manage to put up 34 points. QB Jared Goff is a keeper (literally. I have him in fantasy. I might keep him) and the offense is fairly loaded and in a system well-fitted to their strengths. Unfortunately for the Bears, the defense is horrendous. I mean, it’s really bad. Really really bad. Cal could be good soon, but I don’t think it’s going to happen this year.

11. Utah Utes lost to OSU 51-48

The Utes get the basement for losing a conference game at home they were in position to win. The good news is they were in position to win, and the offense is dramatically improved from last year. Alas, they still lost, and the Utes aren’t good enough yet to be losing conference games at which they have a shot.

Honorary Listing: Colorado Buffaloes

Colorado had their match with Fresno State postponed due to the incredible flooding taking place. Again, prayers and well wishes to all those suffering loss in the tragedy. Cancelling the game was the right move. Still, it was probably unfortunate for Colorado, who have been playing reasonably well and were looking for some revenge against FSU for last year’s beating. Last I heard, they haven’t decided for sure if the game will be rescheduled, although they hope to. Hopefully Colorado dries out soon and the Buffs can resume their slow improvement on the field.

Here’s to a week with fewer tragedies and even more great games. Stay safe everybody.

-Matthew

Head of the Pac: Week Two

This is a new thing I’m trying this season. Last week it was just called Ranking the Pac-12. Prepare yourself for a slew of bad “Pac” related titles until I find one I like. Anyway, this is not a power ranking. It is a subjective ranking of who had the best week the week before. Teams who didn’t play will be left off unless something significant enough to merit a ranking happened. This week there was one interesting game and lots of blowouts of cupcakes. The schedule gets a lot better in week 3. Let’s do this.

1. WSU Cougars beat USC 10-7

I have some misgivings putting the Cougs at the top, because they really didn’t look too great, USC looked horrific, and they’re the Cougars. Still, WSU got a road win over USC and is leading the Pac-12 North. I would never have guessed either of those things would have happened this year. WSU’s defense looked good, but there’s no arguing it was helped significantly by terrible quarterbacking and worse play-calling for USC. The offense didn’t manage a touchdown, and was maybe worse than USC’s before the big catch and run that put them in field goal position. The Cougars are certainly better than they were, but I’m unconvinced of how much. Strangely, it’s the defense that has made the greatest strides under Mike Leach.

2. Oregon Ducks beat Virginia 59-10

The Ducks weren’t perfect, but any complaints are extremely minor when you beat an FBS team on the road by 49 points. I doubt Tennessee will fare much better this week. The Ducks might not be challenged much before coming to Husky Stadium in a few weeks.

3. Utah Utes beat Weber State 70-7

Everything gets a little murky through the vast middle of these rankings. No one played anyone good and most teams won big. Extra points and the number three ranking to Utah for doing something I wouldn’t have believed them capable of before the season: putting up 70 points. That’s a lot, regardless of the opponent.

4. ASU Sun Devils beat Sacramento St. 55-0

I like blowout shutouts. This is an appropriate score given the teams involved, but it’s always encouraging to see a team nearly perfect on opening night. This Saturday gets much tougher with Wisconsin coming to town.

5. Stanford Cardinal beat San Jose St. 34-13

Stanford wasn’t incredible, but they handled one of the week’s better opponents easily. Offense is going to be the question for the Tree. They’re lacking in established skill players outside of QB Kevin Hogan. The defense and O Line will have to carry them until they can get clicking.

6. Arizona Wildcats beat UNLV 58-13

Another big win over a weak opponent. The passing game is struggling for the Cats. Luckily they have All-American Kadeem Carey back from suspension. Carey is one of the few players to ever be suspended for being an All-American. The guy’s amazing in so many ways.

7. Oregon State Beavers beat Hawaii 33-14

We have reached the section: “Unimpressive wins against terrible opponents”. Hawaii is terrible. Even USC beat them handily. OSU did too, but it took a while. The game was in question for the first half before the Beavs pulled away. They also lost the defense’s captain and maybe best player, LB Mike Doctor. At least he should heal quickly (Doctor joke). Actually, probably not: 6-8 weeks out. The O Line is beat up as well. We’ll see if the Beavers can rally, but it’s looking like a potentially long season. Sean Mannion and Brandin Cooks are pretty great though.

8. (Tie) California Golden Bears beat Portland St. 37-30; Colorado Buffaloes beat Central Arkansas 38-24

Many similarities here. Both teams struggled to beat bad opponents. Both had some standout offensive performances: Jared Goff went over 450 yards for the second game in a row for Cal, with many of those yards going to WR Bryce Treggs; Buff WR Paul Richardson had his second straight 200 yard receiving game. That’s never been done before in the Pac-12. Good stuff. Unfortunately, the rest of the team isn’t that great, for both squads.

10. USC Trojans lost to WSU 10-7

Oh, USC. Where to even begin? This was one of the worst offensive performances I have ever seen. Both quarterbacks are bad and made worse by Lane Kiffin’s poor handling and ridiculously terrible play-calling. Maybe my biggest question is why both quarterbacks are so bad. Both guys were highly rated and possess obvious physical skills. It’s no surprise if one of them doesn’t develop, but I find it quite strange that both are struggling so greatly. One more strike against Kiffin. Unfortunately for him, he’s already wearing a Golden Sombrero. The defense is good enough to sustain them if they can show even the slightest threat on offense, but that’s looking like a lot to ask for at the moment. That sentence is really depressing if you simultaneously look at their roster. They have so much talent it’s crazy. This team is going to have to drastically improve if they want to save Kiffin’s job, let alone get to a bowl game. I’d put Kiffin at about a 3% chance of returning next year.

-Matthew

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