Good morning and happy game day Buff Nation! On this 7^th weekend of college football, Barking Carnival has provided us with a roundtable to chat about. We haven’t had much participation in the roundtables this year, so while your watching some of the games today take stab at a question or two. Hopefully most of you are heading to the game vs. Kansas tonight, and if not, what are your thoughts on the game? Happy Saturday and as always GO BUFFS!

How does this year’s Texas/OU game define Mack Brown’s legacy?

Does this one game define Mack Brown’s entire legacy? Absolutely not! He’s a great coach, a great guy, and while there is a lot riding on this game it doesn’t change the fact that he is one of the best coaches in the nation. If you disagree just take a look at his overall record at Texas: 119-26. Enough Said.

Who needs to win a big game more: Bob Stoops, Jim Tressel, or Mark Richt?

Mark Richt is definitely in most need of a big win. Stoops is just fine, he can’t win all the time and is just having an off season. Tressel just needs to recruit some more speed, that’s where he runs into problems when playing and typically losing to other top teams. (Sound familiar? Except with all teams, not just those at the top). Richt, and Georgia have been slipping from the power they were a few years ago. They are still recruiting well and have the ability to jump right back into the spotlight; they just need a big win to put them there.

Pick the game that glistens like no other on your remaining schedule. Why does it shine for thee? What portent does it hold at the seat of your BCS or Brut Sun Bowl altar?

I have to choose the Red River Rivalry. The emotion and rivalry factor that is always present in this game, on top of last season’s debacle should make for a great game. Texas, if they can come out of this one with the win, will most likely be making an appearance for the BCS National Championship. I’m definitely looking forward to this game.

Big upsets are hard to predict. Riddle us yours for the month of October.

Watch out Kansas, the Buffs are coming for you tonight! (And I will admit I’m a bit worried about the Oklahoma vs. Texas game too)

In a top-heavy year where many of the favorites immolated themselves from national title contention early on, two teams now loom larger than the rest: Florida and Alabama. Assuming they face off in the SEC Championship game and the supremacy of their defenses continues to shroud their offenses in a cloak of 13-10 wizardry, and no other team seems quite as worthy by comparison (this is the SEC after all), should they get a chance to play again in January for a national championship? If not, what undefeated or 1-loss team would have the best positioning?

No, absolutely not. Nobody wants to see the same two teams play basically back-to-back, regardless of how exciting it may end up being. It is part of the game; you get your shot to beat someone, why should it happen again? Some other team definitely deserves a shot before we see a rematch. It would be a situation similar to that of Michigan and Ohio State a few years back, but Florida turned out to be better than both teams, a lot better. That is when Texas comes into play. I think they would be the best rivalry to the SEC Champion. It better not be Boise State or Cincinnati, those games would just be boring to watch. I’m thinking, and hoping, that we’ll be seeing Texas vs. the SEC Champion on January 7^th in the Rose Bowl.

College Game Balls has provided us with this week’s roundtable and they’ve got four questions for you to take a shot at. It’d be nice to hear your opinion on some or all of these, so let us know your thoughts. And as a bonus Buffs.tv question, what are your thoughts on this weekend’s game against Wyoming?

1. Which freshman impressed you more last weekend: the California dream Matt Barkley who quarterbacked USC over OSU or white lightening Tate Forcier who slashed through Notre Dame? Which one would you like to have on your team? Feel free to write in another worth candidate.

Definitely Matt Barkley. For two reasons mainly; one being that he played in the Horseshoe, 100,000 opposing fans, in only his second career start. While most freshmen have to worry about classes, Barkley had an entire school watching his every move. The second reason is simply the quality of team that the two QB’s played. Though Notre Dame has shown improvement, I still believe that OSU’s defense is a notch above the Irish. This is not an attempt to lessen the impact of Tate Forcier’s spectacular performance; he played brilliantly and brought some spark back to Ann Arbor. I just think Barkley faced more adversity than the young Wolverine.

2. Let’s play a game of pretend the unthinkable happened. Commissioner __________ of your conference has been forced to resign after he was caught canoodling with some harlots. Great news, you’ve been chosen to succeed him. To make your mark you decide to make a big change. What is it going to be?

The Big XII is in pretty good shape right now. Several teams are ranked, TV revenues are looking good and overall there are no major internal problems. I would like to clear up and make an official change to the tiebreaker system we saw last year. At some point in the future it will happen again and things will be much smoother if there is a change to that problem. Other than that I think I’d be happy with our position.

3. This week the quality of games is kicked up a gear. Other than your own, which game are you most looking forward to?

I can’t wait for the Tennessee at Florida game. Why? Lane Kiffin takes his first trip to the swamp not long after falsely accusing Urban Meyer of cheating and calling out Florida. Kiffin better be ready to step into the most hostile territory he’ll face this season. I’ve got a feeling the Gators are going to make a statement here, dominate from start to finish, and send the Volunteers back to Rocky Top singing nothing but their own sorrows.

4. What mascot and/or tradition would you thieve from another school if it was socially acceptable.

No change in the Mascot. Ralphie is by far the best. How can you top a live running buffalo before each home game? However, a tradition I would like to steal (even though traditions are supposed to be your own) would have to be that of Wisconsin’s “Jump Around!” In the start of the 4^th quarter they play the song Jump Around and the entire stadium literally jumps around. It’s a fantastic sight to see.

This season’s first roundtable is up, and we have a good set of questions coming from Hey Jenny Slater. This year it’d be nice to hear what everyone has to say about each weeks questions. So if you have a minute, read through and post your answers in the comment section. No need to explain your response, simply the team name or player will do just fine. Unless, of course, you feel like going into a little more detail. Regardless, here are the first 5 questions of the season:

1.     Without naming names, a few teams seem to have popped up frequently on everyone’s “overrated” lists in the preseason, so let’s forget about them for the moment and concentrate on a different group: sleepers. Which currently unheralded team are you currently putting at least a few of your chips behind in the hopes that you’ll be able to say “totally called that” once they’ve accomplished big things by the end of the season?

I’m going to go with Illinois on this one. Zook has been doing some good things with the program, and with the return of Juice Williams at QB they should improve upon the finer moments of their previous season. The uncertainty mainly rests on the defensive side of the ball, I don’t see the offense having much trouble scoring. If they can squeeze past Ohio State or Penn State, look for them to have a shot at the Big 10 title.

2.     In a similar vein, pick a sleeper player on your team whom nobody’s talking about right now and tell us why we will be talking about them by December.

Will Jefferson. This true freshman wide receiver came into fall camp and proved that he’s ready to make the jump to college football. The coaches are impressed with his hard work, dedication, and play making ability. In an area where we are spread very thin, this is a player who has the potential to come in and make a huge impact in the passing game. Hawkins has already stated he will be one of the three freshman playing this Sunday against CSU, and hopefully his ability shines through right away.

3.     Florida is about as big a consensus favorite as we’ve seen in recent years, but remember, USC got 62 out of 65 first-place votes in the AP’s 2007 preseason poll and still managed to lose to Stanford. Given how difficult it is to go undefeated period these days, where do you think the Gators are most likely to stumble in the regular season?

The game at LSU is where the Gators need to be careful. I was torn between this and the Georgia game, but LSU just has a more potent team than the Bulldogs. And playing in Tiger stadium is a setback in itself. Although I think the Gators are way too experienced to let things like home field advantage get to them, look for Louisiana to be the place where Florida might run into some problems.

4.     Which regular-season game not involving your team or conference are you most looking forward to this year?

Oklahoma-Texas would be my number one choice but seeing as how that is a Big 12 game I had to reconsider. That is why I have to choose the Florida-LSU matchup. Those two games are almost the exact same in respect to having the two top teams fighting it out for their conference title. Despite being an intense rivalry, this game will be a fight between two of the top SEC teams. If Florida can make it out of Louisiana with a win, look for them to show up at the Rose Bowl.

5.     In honor of Georgia’s opening-weekend opponent and their most prolific booster, let’s say you somehow come into T. Boone Pickens money and can buy anything you want for your program — facilities upgrades, an airplane for recruiting, buy out the contract of that coach you hate, you name it. Where does your first check go?

I think the first check should go to an actual indoor practice facility. Yes, we do have “the bubble,” but in all honesty that is a poor attempt at an indoor field. The team can’t even work on special teams because it is too small. And there are restrictions to when it can be put up and taken down because it’s in a flood plain. Not only would it help us in off-season workouts during the unpredictable winter and spring seasons here in Boulder, it would also help tremendously with recruiting. We have good facilities, but an indoor practice field would take us to the next level.

We didn’t want to be totally upstaged by CU at the game and CUBuffs.com so we did a little overhaul our selves.  We’ll be working to improve the site as the season progresses.  Welcome back and let us know what you think.

Practices are now closed to the media and public and while it has only been 9 days we’ve had a great sneak peak at the Buffs for the upcoming season. However the next several weeks is the key to making this a successful camp. The foremost item on the list is the much-needed identity that Kiseau wants to bring to the offense, something we haven’t had for quite a while, but we won’t see what that looks like for a bit. For now let’s take a look at what we’ve seen from the team during the first few practices and the scrimmage, and what we can expect come kickoff:
QB’s – Still up in the air as to who will emerge as the man for the job. But one thing is sure; the competition between Hawkins and Hansen will only make them better. In Thursdays scrimmage both of them had a good showing, so we still are left with an even battle. If I had to choose though I would say Cody had the slight edge.
RB’s – D. Scott is healthy, Stewart is healthy, Lockridge is healthy, Sumler is ready. Need I say more? Our backs are looking mighty impressive. These men will need to carry our offense and prove to be a legitimate threat so defenses will have to keep another man in the box. If they perform as expected it will not only be exciting to watch but will also help boost the less confident passing game.
O-Line – I’m excited about the potential these guys have. After being extremely thin last year due to injuries, we come into this year with depth and experience. Oh yeah, not to mention two of the biggest linemen in the country (Solder and Miller). Look for these guys to push a lot of opposing defenses around and clear the way for our kick ass backfield.
WR’s – Definitely the weak point in our offense. We’re relying on some inexperienced and young players to step up. But, don’t forget that Hawkins himself is coaching the receiving core this year and he knows better than most the task at hand. If we can get some contribution from a few young guys and get them going early on it will help big time. At least we finally have some size this year.
D-Line – Where to start… We haven’t seen much of anything from these guys so it’s hard to say how they’ll turn out. We have some guys who’ve been with the team for a bit but as Coach Hawk says, we’ll need them to “grow up” fast and get in the swing of things. The new recruits are looking good (Kasa, Nuckols), but hopefully they’ll be ready come Sept. 6, if the coaches decide to play them. We definitely have talent lining up, but no experience. It’s a waiting game at this point.
LB’s – There hasn’t been much talk about these guys but we need them to perform on a consistent basis, and I feel confident that they’ll deliver. We’ve got some important players coming back (Smart and Mohler), and the debut of redshirted Jon Major. Look for this group to be the safety net for our brand new d-line.
CB’s – After leading the Big XII in pass defense last year, and some key returnees, I’m expecting the backfield to be strong again this year. Look for Jimmy Smith to be our lockdown corner, and a possible appearance of freshman Deji Olatoye who’s been impressive so far during camp. If they perform like last year we’ll be in good shape.
Safety’s – With the injury to D.J. Dykes and Ryan Walters toward the end of last season Anthony Perkins and Patrick Mahnke had to step in but it gave them some good experience, but they still need to develop. Ray Polk (switched from RB) has caught the eye of many this year with his speed in the backfield and hitting power, but is still making some mistakes. We should be fine here, but there is still some room for improvement.
I’m glad to report that we’ve seen a lot of good things during the opening days of camp. There are still a lot of things that need to be worked on, but overall not to bad. This is definitely the best we’ve seen from the team during fall practices since The Hawk arrived. Now it’s simply a waiting game until we host CSU on September 6th to see how everything turns out. I’ve got a good feeling about this season though and I hope you share that feeling with me. Look for a quick rundown of the schedule to come out soon (we’ll see if those 10 wins are achievable), and some more analysis on the team. Get ready; college football is about to begin so get your Colorado jerseys and flags out cause the seasons is fast approaching. GO BUFFS!!

Welcome back Buff Fans!!
Well it sure been a lengthy and quiet summer here at Buffs.tv, but we’re back now and I’m definitely excited to see what the team looks like. We’ve returned just in time to kick off the season; the players report tomorrow (Thursday) for physicals, pictures, meetings, etc. Then Friday the rested practice fields will be put to work along with the full 2009 team. A lot has changed since the painful ending to last season, but I hope you share my excitement of the Buffaloes potential in the upcoming months.
Over the off-season there were several departures, coaching changes and transfers. But in my opinion there was one change that I believe had been long awaited by everyone. After 3 seasons of watching the offense struggle through drive after drive, a change in the offensive coordinator was imminent. That time finally came when Mark Helfrich left for Oregon, clearing the way for Hawkins’ promotion of wide receivers coach Eric Kiesau. If you’re worried that he has no experience at the position, don’t fret. He’s expressed that it has been his dream to become an offensive coordinator and I think he’s motivated and ready to create an offense that works best with our strengths and weaknesses. So I’m interested to see what he does with this squad. With our line and plethora of backs, a lot of power running supplemented with some play action should create a more consistent offense than we’ve been seeing.
A lot of talk has been going on about Coach Hawk’s “10 wins and no excuses” statement. I will say it is a possibility but only if all the pieces fall into the correct place. Late in the week I’ll have a breakdown of the 2009 schedule and quick look at each game. But we can be certain that a winning season is more of an expectation this year than a hope.
Another piece of good news is the overall health of the team. We’ve had a lot of bumps and bruises for a while now but most of the team is coming into the fall with a clean bill of health. Along with that comes some more depth and experience amongst most of the positions, especially on the o-line.
There is much, much more to talk about so keep checking the site. We’ll have articles coming out several times a week if not daily now. This was just a welcome back article. For those of you who use twitter, we now have a Buffs.tv twitter page (@buffstv) so check that out and keep updated. We’re also working on getting comments back on the site, so we can get some discussion going on. Keep checking for new articles (which will be soon) and as always GO BUFFS!

Well Buff fans, a roundtable has finally popped up on the map again this week. Sorry it’s coming a bit later in the week but seeing as how our team has the weekend off this will help us pass the time until we head to that dreadfully boring place somewhere in the east. This week our questions come from College Game Balls and they did a great job of throwing some very interesting questions in the mix. It’d be great to hear some of your responses this week, post up your best reply and let’s see what everyone thinks! I’ll take a stab first:
By now everyone has heard that if there is a three way tie in the Big 12 South the highest ranked team in the BCS will play in the Big 12 Championship Game. That means the humans (66% of the BCS Poll) will determine the Big 12 South representative. Let’s assume Oklahoma sinks the pirate ship at home next week. Try to sway the pollsters by arguing which team you think should face off against the Big 12 North.
This somewhat depends on the outcome of Saturday’s game (TT vs OK), but if it turns out to be a close one like many think it will, then my answer will be the same regardless of who wins; Texas. Why you may ask? Who was the original pick to head to the championship game before Tech popped onto the scene? If Oklahoma wins you could argue that they should go, but I don’t believe that should be the case since Texas clearly beat them in a huge game that was also played at a neutral site. Of the 3 teams I believe they have the talent and most well rounded team that would fare well in a national championship game. But as I said, a lot is riding on Saturday’s game and I can’t wait to watch it.
ESPN is aggressively bidding on the rights to the BCS when Fox’s contract expires after the 2009 season. My half baked theory is if they do win the rights they will push for a +1 system. Lucrative television deals have landed ESPN in bed with each of the BCS conferences. The revenue a playoff would generate could be a huge motivator for the four letter to be the common denominator and unifier among the conferences that finally helps them all to see the light of why a playoff would be good for college football. Help expand upon or debunk this theory.
Well because my response to this roundtable is a couple days late, ESPN has already won the rights to the BCS. I don’t think anything will change because of this, at least not for a while. My guess is that it probably would’ve had to be in the contract or else they might not have gotten the rights in the first place. But that doesn’t mean it can’t happen. And if it does bring a playoff, my response will be mixed. The BCS has grown on me and I think it is decent most of the time, but a playoff would be so incredibly exciting I don’t even know what to write about it. Either way, I just love this sport and I’m not concerned with what will happen, it’s still going to be just as great either way.
Rivalry week is around the corner. How do you think your team will fare? Feel free to talk a little or a lot of trash. And now for a little fun… Assemble your dream announcing team. Pick a play-by-play announcer, color commentator, sideline reporter and for the hell of it celebrity guest that drops on by.
I think the Buffs will be ready for this game for two reasons. One, it is Nebraska and we always have to win because lets face it, they’re called the Cornhuskers. And two, this determines if we go bowling or not. Hawk will have them prepared, at least we are all hoping he does. As for the dream announcing team: Play-by-play – Chris Fowler (A CU grad himself). Color Commentator: Kirk Herbsteit – Chris and him work well together. Sideline Reporter – Do I need to even tell you? Erin Andrews – She’s good at what she does and she’s good looking.
So again, post your responses and lets see what everyone thinks. They don’t have to be long or anything, it’d just be nice to see some other responses. GO BUFFS!

Greetings fellow Buffaloes! I am back again with another roundtable this week. Sorry for the absence last week, no one from the conference posted a set of questions. But that’s neither here nor there. The questions come from Corn Nation this week (Corn Nation? Hahaha). Hopefully my response to #1 will be different after Saturday’s game, but here is the roundtable. And as always, GO BUFFS!
1. We’re about half way through the season. Has your team met your expectations, wildly exceeded them, or are you about to light the torches and storm your athletic department demanding blood?
I would have to say that the Buffs have met our expectations, or are perhaps a shade under them. Going into the season we knew they would run into a few rough patches here and there, especially when considering how young the team is. Our offense might be a little below the expected level, but much of that is due injuries and lack of experience. The defense is about where we expected them, losing some key players and playing a difficult schedule exploits many weaknesses, but they’ve been holding up relatively well so far.
2. In an election year, all sorts of promises will be made, few will be kept. What is one promise or item you thought you could count on that hasn’t come to pass yet this season? Is there still a chance?
The unleashing of Darrell Scott. The hype and excitement that surrounded this blue chipper had all Buff fans drooling at the talent he was bringing to the team. But a late start in the summer and pesky injuries plaguing the first half of his season has hindered his performance. Some of this is due to the fact that our line just isn’t able to produce holes for him to run through, but mostly because the coaches don’t want to break him. He will be healthy and 100% ready at some point, and when he is everyone is going to know. Just keep watching…
3. Georgia #1… No, USC #1…. No, Oklahoma #1…. No, Texas #1! Who’s the real #1 team, and who do you think will make it to the big BCS National Title game?
At this point, the number #1 team is and should be Texas. They have shown why with convincing wins against Oklahoma and Mizzou. But they have a few tough games ahead of them, and a conference championship to play in. If they continue to play has they have, they will play for the National Championship hands down. According to the BCS standings, look for Penn State and USC to make a run for the title game as well, their schedules are weaker than the rest of the top teams and they already have a favorable ranking.
4. In only a few weeks, college football fans get to be treated with the obligatory and annual “We Need a Playoff” screaming. Well, you don’t get a playoff, but I’ll let you make one change to the BCS (and no, you can’t cop out and have the BCS commit suicide) to make the world a better place. What is your change?
More emphasis must be placed on the strength of schedule a team plays. I’m tired of teams that haven’t been tested much during the season making it to the national championship and creating a boring game to watch (yes Ohio State, I’m talking about you). Too many times a one-loss team from a challenging conference will be replaced by a one-loss team from a mediocre conference simply because they have scored more points or some other ridiculous reason. For teams that don’t play in a tough conference, schedule harder non-conference games; PROVE to everyone why you should play for a national title, then maybe you can make a case for yourself.
5. Using this year ONLY – no historical references – respond to the statement “The Big 12 is a better conference than the SEC”. There’s nothing sillier than conference wars, but then again, there’s nothing sillier than how SEC fans respond to any challenge to their supremacy. Aim, Fire!
I would have to respond with the fact that the Big XII is a better conference in its entirety. When you split the conferences into their divisions, then maybe the SEC can make a stand. But as a whole the Big XII is a few yards ahead of those boys down south. First off, the Big XII quarterbacks are embarrassing the rest of the NCAA QB’s. Not only are the efficiency ratings through the roof, but also a certain endorsement from the defending Heisman winner has to count for something (Tim Tebow referring to Colt McCoy as the best QB). The two conferences can both make strong arguments for who is better, but the Big XII is the winner this year. Sorry SEC.

This weekend the Buffs are back home in Boulder for a match with the Kansas State Wildcats. After a 0-2 conference start (which should’ve been 1-1 if we didn’t let the Jayhawks get away from us), the Buffs are in a situation where they need to improve upon their previous showing. Let us recap last weekend.
I took the trip down to Lawrence with 150 other Buffs. It was a fun trip and Lawrence showed us a great time. We had a tailgate right in the middle of the Kansas pre-gamers, and were fired up for highly possible win. The first quarter we came out firing on all cylinders; the offense was moving the ball well, the defense was making stops, and Hawkins threw a nice TD pass to Cody Crawford to put us up. Then, things started going downhill. The defense was still doing fine, considering they were barely off the field, but the offense stalled. Once Hawkins was sacked for a safety, it seemed like everyone was pretty much done for the day.
Through the final 3 quarters of the game, the offense managed just 181 yards. The defense fought for a bit, but looked like they were worn down midway into the 3rd. With the exception of a decent scoring drive, the offense was gone in all but the first quarter. And despite having no attempts, our kicking game probably would’ve been rough considering the high winds (and the fact that our backup kicker was kicking more on the sidelines than our starter, a little embarrassing). In the end we suffered a bad loss that could’ve easily been a win. But now we look to our other Kansas foes, K-State.
In order to beat the Wildcats we need to fix several things. First off, we have to move the ball. Helfrich and Hawkins need to call smarter plays, and mix things up to give what talent we have some room to work with. Cody must (this is a big must) improve on his efficiency; it has gone down every single game since Eastern Washington, reaching a low of 67.55 last week. I do believe he can play well; he just needs to be more consistent. Our running game also needs to improve, starting with the line. I know they have had a rough year and are pretty beat up, but I also know they are capable of doing better. Darrell Scott needs to get healthy, and when he finally does, his breakout game is bound to come sooner or later; I think we all really look forward to this day.
On defense, we need to get more pressure on the QB. Josh Freeman is very good; he’s just shadowed by the rest of the Big 12 QB’s. Not only is he good, he’s big. Last week he ran for 95 yards and 4 TD’s, not to mention 234 yards in the air. We were able to stop the dual threat of West Virginia and Pat White; we are going need that spark again this week. The secondary needs to focus on coverage. Against Kansas, the amount of open receivers was ridiculous. But this also relates back to pressure from the D-line, we can only cover for so long before someone gets open.
Special teams needs a big day to give the offense a little push, and the most improvement needs to come from Aric Goodman, who hasn’t made a field goal since the overtime win against the Mountaineers. Our kick and punt returns have been fine, with the exception of a few mental mistakes.
Overall, our team needs to show improvement across the board. And most of all we need to make fewer mistakes knowing that even small ones lead to huge breaks for opposing teams. If we continue to play how we have been, it will be another long day. But if we can move the ball, and keep our defense fresh, we have a strong chance against the Wildcats. I think we will see a fired up Buff team show up on Saturday, and a good start to the second half of the season. Go Buffs!

On ‘The Hill’ tonight students, alumni and Buff fans alike gathered to celebrate Homecoming this weekend for CU. Here are some notable quotes from notable people:
Chancellor Bud Peterson on the differences between us and Texas – “They’ve got hill country, we’ve got the Rocky Mountains. They have a 1200 pound steer that looks like it’s on Prozac, we’ve got Ralphie!”
Olympian Jenny Barringer – “Lets take out Texas!”
Safety Ryan Walters – “We bleed black and gold.”
Coach Dan Hawkins – “We’re proud to represent you.” … “Come early, come loud, GO BUFFS!”
If the students and fans bring to the game the same amount of pride and enthusiasm as they did tonight, it should be an amazing atmosphere, and a great game. GO BUFFS!

So much to cover. Sorry we have been remiss. Personally I have no excuses, I’m not sure about the rest of the guys on the site.
First off the Texas game will be nationally televised on FSN. Gametime is 5pm, which I think is about perfect for the tailgate. Cool fall weather and cold beer go so well together.
Kendrick Celestine has chosen to leave the Buffs. He has cited personal reasons which could mean anything. We will miss him and I wish him all the best.
CU and CSU have announced that they will renew their series together. So despite CSU has chosen to host the game at Lubick Field on 2010 we will continue to play them. Expect to see some breaks in the series to accomodate 6 true home games for the Buffs since the Rams don’t seem to keen on coming up to Boulder anymore. But let’s be straight, the Rams just don’t seem to have it all together right now. Financially, deciding to host the game in Ft Collins instead of Denver was not too smart and we’ll leave it at that
Max Tuioti-Mariner is out for the season with a torn ACL. This is a shame. He was playing great for the Buffs as the line starts to gel. ANd this is his second torn ACL since High School. This leaves the BUffs thin at offensive line again. Depth – hopefully one day we will have it.
That’s it for now. Sorry we have been out of touch, we hope to get this rolling again shortly

Practice starts today. Admittedly it has been a little quite around here on Buffs.tv. But our enthusiasm for the season still abounds. Let’s go through some quick headlines.
Riar Geer has been reinstated as a Buff – While this situation was unpleasant for all involved, Geer will prove invaluable for the Buffs this season.

Erick Faatagi was ruled academically ineligible. This one hurts, it leaves us with almost no experience on the offensive line. We will have to watch the line situation closely as the season progresses.
Katoa receives a deferred sentence for his altercation. We will see him back next year.
Plati released “The Vault” – A must have for your coffee table.
Bloom hosted a camp this summer and expects to be in an NFL camp shortly
Victoria Secret released some CU gear. I personally can tell you that there is at least one Buffs.tv editor who looks smoking in these.
More to come. Go buffs!

The University settled out of court with two alleged rape victims for $2.85 million. They had sued the school under Title IX for fostering an environment that led to their rapes. I am sure both parties are glad to put this case behind them. The school’s insurance will pay for the settlements and all but $1 million of the school’s legal fees. This case has always appeared to have been about the money as no criminal or civil charges were ever brought against the individuals involved.

Well folks, its that time again. I missed last weeks post due to depression. CU was 0 and 3 before the Hawks game, and as I saved the Franchise, I accidentally saved over the Franchise I was actually playing. My 5 seasons deep franchise. It was a very sad time, because CU’s depth is such that even in NCAA 2008, it takes 3 or 4 seasons of top level recruiting before you stop having large weaknesses in at least one facet of the team. Now, onward to the prediction!
A quick Note: CU dominated the Hawks in week 4 by the score of 24 to 7 to get their first win of the season. There will be no rundown of the action. CU entered the OU game 1 and 3. It will be interesting to see where CU ends up in the game versus (how important is this, really?) real life.
The first quarter starts with a fizzle and a fart. Cody and the offense go 3 and out before Dillalo punts the ball onto the OU 2 yard line. OU fumbles the ball away on its own 11. Instead of taking advantage of the field position, CU goes for it on 4th and 1 at the 2. Hugh gets slammed for a loss of 3 on a toss play. Hawk shouts at his players “I TOLD YOU TO AVOID THE VALLEYS!!”
The rest below the fold!

OU scores, going 95 yards in under 4 minutes.
OU scores after Hawk is intercepted.
OU scores again when Hugh fumbles.
The first quarter is over. Fans are filing out of the stadium. Jon Major appears on the jumbotron and says he was going to commit to CU, but it looks like OU is the ticket instead.
CU goes 3 and out. OU scores.
CU drives the field as Cody completes 4 straight passes and Mr. Hands himself, Dusty “drops” Sprague makes a diving catch at the corner of the endzone to put CU on the board.
The Score is 28 to 7 with 4 minutes left in the 2nd half.
OU then scores. A Lot. This is depressing.
Final score 55 to 7. Hawk is 7 of 24 passing for 94 yards, 1 TD and 3 INT. The rushing game is actually positive with 69 yards on 21 carries.Well, this is a worst case scenario at least. On to the next week! CU (1 and 4) gets to play the fearsome Baylor Bears (2 and 3) for a chance to even their big 12 record!

Matt over at the Crimson and Cream Machine has sent over some statements for arguments sake. And because we are college football fans, we are always up for a discussion; otherwise how could we put up with the poll system?
Colorado fans are losing faith in new head coach Dan Hawkins.
Fiction – When Hawkins was first announced as the new head coach for the Colorado Football program, many fans were confident that Hawkins’ success, especially on offense, would directly translate into continued success for the Buffs. While the patience of many fans is being tried, I think that most fans believe that Coach Hawk will ultimately prove to be an effective coach here.
The Colorado offense is one dimensional.
Fiction – If your offense can’t complete a pass, it is by default, one dimensional. However, Jackson’s performance against Texas Tech showed great improvement. Going 11 of 17 for 151 yards, 2 touchdowns and no picks, Jackson may have turned the corner. While those stats aren’t exactly lofty, they were effective enough to keep the defense honest and allow Charles, Holiday and Jackson to combine for 228 rushing yards on 46 attempts. The group averaged 4.9 yards a carry with Charles leading the way boasting a 7 yard average.
Colorado’s defense is underrated.
Fact – In a year when offensive scores of any kind have been few and far between, the Buff’s D has kept them in every game. Culminating in their best show yet, holding the vaunted TT passing game to 245 yards on 45 attempts. (One of those completions, a screen, went for 54 yards.) Throw in three drive killing picks and the Red Raiders didn’t have much of a chance. Oh and by the way we held TT to 31 yards rushing
Without Adrian Peterson on the field the Buffaloes have no idea how to defend Oklahoma.
Fiction – Any college football fan hates to see a star player go down. On the bright side for Peterson, this isn’t a career threatening injury and his future is still very bright.
Without Adrian Peterson of the field, the Sooners have no idea how to run their offense. The Sooners will have to find a way to replace 177 ypg of offense (not even counting special teams play). The buffs have 5 games from the 2005 season where Peterson did not start to look at. This is one situation where game planning for the unknown may be easier than planning for the known.
Colorado will have to run the ball to beat Oklahoma
Fact – Absolutely the Buffs will have to run the ball, and well, to beat Oklahoma. The trick to accomplishing that will be the buffs passing efficiency. In order to keep OU from stacking 8 men in the box, the Buffs will have to be at least moderately successful on some quick passes to the flats and the occasional medium range pass down field. If the Buffs can spread the defense, look for Hugh Charles to have great success with the running lanes up the middle.
The Colorado football program is better off now as opposed to a year ago.
Fact – This is the though question. If the only measuring stick is on the field success, then the program is obviously far, worse off. However, very few people are so myopic as to believe that winning is the only goal of a college football program. The very fact that CU has had no on or off the field disruptions this year speaks highly of Hawkins ability to coach these young men in matters of character and life.
The winning will come, but it should always be a secondary goal. Go Buffs!

Kyle over at DawgSports.com has asked us to provide some insight into this weekends game and the rest of the Colorado season.
1. What concerns you the most about playing Georgia? What about playing Colorado ought to concern Georgia the most?
The thing that concerns me the most about playing Georgia is that they are an all around better team than the Buffs are at this point. It’s no secret that Colorado has a lot of issues and has yet to put together a respectable performance. Prior to the season, I expected Georgia to be the better team, and was hoping that the Buffs would just keep this game close. Now, I don’t see any way that we don’t get blown out. The only thing that I think Georgia has to be concerned with is completely overlooking the Buffs. While the offense has been terrible, the defense has actually played remarkably well and nearly held ASU to 14 points (if not for a punt return fumble). If Georgia take the Buffs lightly and allow them to stay in the game, I suppose it’s possible that the Colorado offense could click and surprise the Bulldogs.
2. Where are the Buffaloes most improved this season?
The answer to this question is the same now as it would have been prior to the season, the only difference being the degree of “weaker”. The defense has improved over last season and is the strength of this team. The biggest improvement I see is in the defensive line, specifically Abraham Wright who has been a monster up front. It’s been a while since the Buffs have had a good defensive front and it’s really been the one bright spot this season. On the flip side, the Buffs are obviously weaker on the offensive side of the ball. QB Bernard Jackson is athletic, but has little experience and has had trouble in the passing game. The offense made some strides against ASU last week, but have a long, long way to go and I don’t see them improving against a tough Bulldog defense.
3. What effect is the coaching change having on this team? Does Dan Hawkins’s experience in last year’s game between Boise State and Georgia help or hurt the Buffaloes’ chances in Sanford Stadium?
It’s hard to tell if the coaching change has had a real effect on this team or if we’re seeing a continuation of last year’s slide and a lack of talent left by the prior staff. Long term, I think the change was the right one and believe that Hawkins will get this program turned back in the right direction. Recruiting talk is already optimistic and the players seem to be buying into his system. Continued losing may change that, but I think that this staff will pull it together this year and finish on a positive note. I’m not sure that last year’s game between Georgia and Bosie State will have any effect on this game as Hawkins is working with an entirely different group of players that were recruited for a different system. Georgia is obviously the better team in this matchup and I think Hawkins and his staff will be more concerned with trying to get the team to improve and eliminate the mistakes they’ve made in the previous games.
4. Colorado went through an exceedingly tough stretch run last season. What contributed to the Buffs’ late-season collapse?
I think that there were a couple of reasons that the Buffs collapsed at the end of last season. I think a big part was the players giving up on the staff and then giving up on themselves. We’re still seeing issues this year where the players seem to fall back when they get behind. It’s as if they lost the confidence that they could come back and beat teams. From my vantage point, it seems to be getting better as the team continued to play hard against ASU despite being down most of the game. However, the late season collapse as well as the coaching change have obviously contributed greatly to our slow start this season. It remains to be seen if the team starts pulling it together or continues to spiral downward.
5. Where will the Buffaloes finish in this year’s Big 12 North race?
The easy answer is that we’ll finish last (6th) in the Big 12 North. However, I’m still optimistic that Hawkins will get some results out of this team and we have the chance to finish 4th, as I don’t think Kansas or Kansas State are any good either.

It’s that time of year again, and I’m finding it difficult to put together my annual season preview. There are so many changes for the Buffs heading into the season, I can make arguments for us finishing 10-2 as well as finishing 5-7. Which do I think is more likely? Perhaps I’ll channel the unlimited enthusiasm of Coach Hawkins as I go game by game:
Sep 2, Montana State – I don’t see any way that we lose this game. While I hate to see us play a I-AA school, this contest couldn’t come at a better time. Paying the Bobcats to take a beating gives us a chance to break in the new system and attempt to get the mistakes out of the way. Buffs 51 Bobcats 10
Sep 9, Colorado State – This is always a no-win situation for the Buffs and it’s no difference this year. Win, and it’s no big deal as that’s what is expected. Lose, and we have to listen to Ram Fan spout off all year about their superiority. I really think the Buffs need a win here to avoid a downward spiral for the rest of the season. I see Hawk having his boys ready to play. Buffs 27 Rams 23
Sep 16, Arizona State – This game is the first of two brutal non-conference games that I expect the Buffs to struggle in. ASU is picked as a national darkhorse by many experts and I just don’t think the Buffs will have it together enough this season to pull out this game. I think the Buffs keep it close, but don’t have enough in the end. Buffs 24 Devils 31
Sep 23, Georgia – Recently, it seems the Buffs get blown out in at least one road game a year. Hopefully, Hawk can reverse that trend. Unfortunately, I don’t think he’ll do it this year. Buffs 13 ‘Dogs 35
Sep 30, Missouri – This game will show us the character of this team as they could be coming off of two straight losses and will have to travel to Missouri to face the always tough Tigers. I think the character of the coaching staff causes the team to bond together and the Buffs pull out a tough one in Columbia (on a Mason Crosby last-second field goal). Buffs 24, Tigers 21
Oct 7, Baylor – Baylor is said to be improved this year. You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig. Buffs 41 Bears 17
Oct 14, Texas Tech – This one could be a barn-burner. We know that Tech will throw the ball up and down the field and it will be interesting to see the new Buffs offense can match the scoring. Unfortunately, I don’t think they can. I think the defense makes some big plays to keep it close, but the Tech offense is just too much for the Buffs this year. Buffs 37 Red Raiders 48
Oct 21, Oklahoma – Enough has been said in the media about Rhett Bomar and the effect that his dismissal will have on OU. Prior to his leaving, I had a loss written down for the Buffs in pen. Now I’ve moved it to pencil. I still think we lose, but I think we have a chance to pull out the upset. Buffs 17 Sooners 24
Oct 28, Kansas – Kansas always plays us tough in Lawrence, but we almost always pull out the win anyway. I think the Buffs do the same this year. Buffs 35 Jayhawks 21
Nov 4, Kansas State – It’s going to be a long season for Wildcat Fan and this game won’t cheer them up any. Buffs 42 Wildcats 13
Nov 11, Iowa State – This game could have Big XII North Division implications and we all know what that means. Iowa State will lay an egg and head off to a lower bowl once again. Buffs 27 Cyclones 20
Nov 24, Nebraska – The game that we all look forward to the most. After an embarrasing loss last year, the Buffs have something to prove against the Corn and their delusional fans. If you ask Bugeater fan about his predictions, he’ll tell you that the Corn will be wrapping up a perfect season by beating the Buffs on the day after Thanksgiving. Unfortunately for the hicks, the Corn may already have 4 (or more) losses coming into this game. I think the Buffs wrap this game up for another North crown. Buffs 30 Huskers 20
It appears that I’ve landed somewhere in the middle of the two records mentioned above. 8-4 on the season for the new staff, a trip to the Big XII title game, and another bowl appearance.

Matt at My Opinion on Sports is getting ready to do a review of spring practices in the Big XII. Buffs.tv answered a short Q&A about how your CU Buffs are faring this spring. You can see the results below and the rest of the reviews will be posted soon over at My Opinion On Sports. Don’t miss the spring game April 15 at 1:00 p.m!!
What is the biggest question that Colorado needs to answer this spring?
For the sake of all of the upperclassmen on the team, 2006 can not be written off as a rebuilding year. The Buffaloes must adapt to new coaches and new systems and be ready to define this season as a successful one. They’ve got one breather game with Montana State before heading into the standard difficult non-conference schedule that has come to define the Colorado program (Colorado State, Arizona State and Georgia) MSU should allow them to get a feel for the new offense in a real game before the pressure comes squarely down upon them.
What will be the biggest position battle this spring?
Quarterback. Joel Klatt the CU starter for the last 3 years is looking for an NFL team now. The competition will be fierce with seniors Brian White and James Cox competing with junior Bernard Jackson for the top spot. This competition will not be finalized in the spring. That’s a great thing for Cox who has a bruised thumb and is sitting out much of the spring. Watching these guys compete is great since they are all starting from square one with a brand new offense. Brand new and exciting!
Who is an unknown player that will emerge as a star this spring?
A bulked up junior Hugh Charles is a force to watch at running back and it is great to see redshirt freshman Kevin Moyd provide him some excellent competition in his first year of action. And probably the best news for the Buffs is the play of junior Tyson DeVree at tight end. Quality tightends are a staple at CU (see Daniel Graham, Joe Klopfenstein, Christian Fauria, Matt Lepsis..) and Tyson is on the national watch lists already.
What can we expect to see different from the Buffs with new head coach Dan Hawkins?
This guy is passionate. He has slept every night at Dal Ward duirng spring practice. Check this out. A few days ago sophomore Ben Burney made an interception in 7-on-7 drills. Hawkins sprinted down the sideline after him trying to strip the ball along the way then the two of them celebrated together with high fives and chest bumps in the end zone. That’s what I want from my coach.
Who will be the biggest star on the team?
The stars are still to be determined, but one thing we know for sure is that senior center Mark Fenton will define the heart and soul of this team as he leads the Buffs into the 2006 campaign. Go Buffs!

The state audit on the Colorado Buffaloes spending procedures was released this morning. You can read the entire audit here. The audit questions spending in key areas such as bowl game expenditures and record keeping at summer football camps. The audit provides 15 reccomendations for the University. 9 of these remedies will be in place at the University by the end of the first quarter of 2006. Implementation of all of the reccomendations should be complete by the summer of 2006.