Burnt Orange Nation is hosting the Blog Poll round table this week. Check them out
1. Handicap your team’s chances to win your conference championship. If your team is not the favorite, who is?
We’re from the Big XII North; of course we aren’t the favorite to win the Big XII Conference, even though there have been a fair amount of surprises in the championship game since the Big XII began. Oklahoma has to be the odds on favorite to win the conference right now. That being said, it is not out of the question for the Buffs to make it to San Antonio in December. It is one of the benefits of having a championship game. A team can go 2-2 in their non conference schedule and still win their division.
We are in no place to be overconfident about the Buffs chances right now, but if the running game gets going, I think the Buffs have legitimate shots at Baylor, KState, Kansas, Missouri and Iowa State. Heading into Thanksgiving weekend at 5-2 in the division would really make the game with the Huskers interesting. Even if the Huskers only non-conference loss was to Texas, a loss to CU would give us the tie breaker and the inside track to the Dr Pepper bowl.
2. Outline the (realistic) best case and worst case scenarios for your team.
Best Case: I think I just outlined the best case scenario for the Buffs. Put up enough conference wins to make the final game against the Huskers have conference championship implications. This is a little far fetched since the Buffs have managed only 1 win so far, but this is supposed to be best case.
Worst Case: The Buffs head into Waco at 2-3 and come out 2-4. This might break the back of our Buffs and we might go into a tailspin. Let’s not think about this any more.
3. We’re only three games in to the season, but teams and storylines are starting to take shape. Compare your team to a character or theme from a fable or children’s tale.
I think the Buffs might be best represented by “The Little Engine That Could”. Dan Hawkins the consummate optimistic thinks we can. I think we can. Even the players think we can. We haven’t quite made it over that mountain just yet.
4. Imagine you’re the coach of your team. Give three specific changes you’d implement immediately which you think would have the biggest impact on improving the team.
A. Get the running game started. We’ve got the backs to make this happen, I think we need to alter our play calling a little bit to stoke the fire. Enough of these slow to develop draws, misdirections and end arounds. Let’s fire it up the middle quick and hard. This should counteract the speed of the other teams and allow our backs to make things happen.
B. Crossing routes. Hawkins had 5 tipped balls in the home opener against CSU. He has thrown two passes over the middle since. Not surprisingly one was a touchdown to Tyson Devree. Hawkins may be short, but we have to design some plays that will allow him to reach the middle of the field.
C. The first two are so big that I am not sure where else to go. How about lifts for Cody Hawkins cleats. It will help him with the ladies.

5. USC, LSU/Florida, and Oklahoma have established themselves as the frontrunners in the early going. Which other team or teams are you eyeballing as potential BCS party crashers?
I like Cal. I loved how they played Tennessee. It wasn’t just that they outplayed them. But better yet they adjusted to them. Tennessee made some nice adjustments and looked like they were on the comeback trail. Cal barely blinked adjusted again and kept on running.

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