So, the CU defense has played Oklahoma (24 points), Kansas (19 points), and Texas Tech (26 points). What do all three of these teams have in common? They are all ranked top 5 in the nation in scoring at 44.5, 42.9, and 42.5 points per game. CU has held these three teams to 20.5, 23.9, and 16.9 points below their scoring averages. On average, CU has held the top 5 scoring offenses it has faced to 20.4 points below their usual score. That number goes up when you count just the games at home.
Kansas State and Arizona State, by the way, are also ranked #12 and #17 in the nation in scoring. Despite the most anemic offensive performance possible and multiple turnovers, CU actually held ASU 3 points below their season average in 100 degree heat! Only KSU scored over their average against us, and that was a game where turnovers were just drastic.
For those keeping score, that is 5 top 17 teams played. All but 1 were held below their average. Both times the teams were CLOSE or above their average? Away. The environs of Folsom field are NOT gentle to opposing offenses. At the time of Kansas’s and Oklahoma’s visits, those teams were ranked #2 and #1 in the Nation in scoring. That was not true the Sunday after those games were played.
The obvious and most important question to this conversation is, where does Mizzou’s Scoring Offense Rank? Number Eight (8) in the nation at 40.4 points/game. The team they most resemble is KU. Many people have noted that KU did have some long scoring drives against CU and that Reesing really hurt us. That is true, the guy played out of his mind, a near perfect performance. Kansas still scored 30 points below their average at the time. The lesson? Mizzou better not bring anything but their absolute best against this Defense. Look at what happened to Graham Harrell in HIS house when he failed to do that.
The pretty amazing thing about this is that if Cody could have kept ahold of the ball a bit more early in the season, CU’s Defense could be on a near historic run. Dizon for Butkus!
There is no Guarantee against Mizzou coming in and lighting the Buffs up, but people have been saying that Mizzou is going to march into Boulder and hang 40 on us. The odds and the stats do not favor that scenario.
What does this point to? Cody needs to be Texas Tech Cody, not KSU Cody. Unless our Defense cracks, and cracks big, we hopefully will not need Oklahoma and CSU (4th Quarter anyways) Cody. This defense bends, and rarely breaks unless a short field is given to the opposing offense. I look forward to Mizzou facing a running game light years better then Iowa States. If a true freshman at ISU can hang 150 on Mizzou, imagine what HUGE Charles can do!
Oh ya, Mizzou lost their best Defensive player last week to injury. Sad, but fortunate for us!

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