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By Stuart
October 10th
Washington in unfamiliar territory
The Washington Huskies are over a two-touchdown favorite over the visiting Colorado Buffaloes this Saturday. While the Buffs are growing ever-more accustomed to being a double-digit underdog on the road (this weekend will mark the fifth such occasion, dating back to last season’s game at Nebraska), being a two-touchdown favorite is new to these Huskies.
According to the Seattle Times writer Bob Condotta, Washington has been a two-touchdown or better favorite only eight times in the past eight seasons, including this fall’s*season opener against Eastern Washington. In those games, Washington has won seven of eight, but has only been 3-5 against the spread.
So the Buffs have that going for them … which is nice.
Misery Loves Company – Arizona and Utah
While it may feel that the Buffs are destined to finish last in a conference for the first time since 1915, a look at the Pac-12 South standings indicates that the Buffs, at 1-5, 0-2, are still holding steady in fourth place.
Behind the Buffs are Utah, 2-3, 0-3, and Arizona, 1-5, 0-4.
Can Colorado still manage to find a way to avoid the Pac-12 South cellar?
Arizona
The Wildcats, after a 37-27 loss to Oregon State last weekend, have now lost ten straight games to FBS teams (the only win this fall came against Northern Arizona from the Big Sky Conference).
“The Cats have been consistently unprepared, unmotivated, at the start of games this season,” wrote Anthony Gimino for TucsonCitizen.com. “They have trailed by double-digits in the first half in each of the past five games. (Head coach Mike) Stoops says he doesn’t have an explanation for the slow starts. If not him, who?”
“The defense can’t stop anybody, abysmal against the pass and the run. The special teams … well, the less said, the better.”
Sound familiar?
Gimino goes on. “When the Wildcats had a chance to answer their critics with a game at previously winless Oregon State, they did all of the stupid stuff they have been doing against elite teams — and then some. Instead of hitting the accelerator and turning the corner, they stayed the course and skidded off a cliff.
“The Oregon State game was supposed to be Arizona’s rescue shot. Get back on the fairway. Try to get to par — 6-6 — for the season.
“Now, what’s left?
“Ticket sales from here to the end of the season will be non-existent. Who is going to show up for UCLA on a Thursday night? Who wants to be at the season-ender vs. Louisiana-Lafayette? Even with a decent second half of the season, Arizona football will be a tough sell for next year … Time is running out for Stoops to show he can take the program to a higher level, and reasons to believe are few.”
Injuries and poor recruiting classes have also taken a toll in Tucson (no, I’m not channeling cubuffs.com).*
“There is no real mystery to Arizona’s 10-game losing streak against BCS schools.” wrote Greg Hansen for the Arizona Daily Star. “This is what happens after two or three thin recruiting seasons in the Pac-12. You get beat up and nobody takes mercy on you.”
” ‘We’ve gotta play who we’ve got,’ defensive coordinator Tim Kish said after a bad Oregon State team beat Arizona 37-27.
“When UA cornerbacks Shaquille Richardson and Trevin Wade were injured Saturday, Arizona’s replacement was senior cornerback Lyle Brown, who entered the season with five career tackles.
“Brown is typical of the type of replacement on Arizona’s depth chart. He agreed to play at Montana when he completed his high school career in Colorado, but thought he could do better and wound up playing at Glendale Community College.
“He ultimately became a nonscholarship player at Arizona and now occupies a place of importance on its roster.
“This isn’t how Oregon does it.”
No, it isn’t … but it is how it is being done at Colorado (at least this year).
Utah
“Now that Utah’s football season is reduced to a fight for bowl eligibility, how likely are the Utes to succeed in that quest?”, wrote Kurt Kragthorpe for the Salt Lake City Tribune, in an article entitled “How bad can this season get for the Utes?”
Wrote Kragthorpe: “The Utes (2-3) must win four of their remaining seven games to qualify for a ninth consecutive bowl game. Failing to do so in this first Pac-12 season would hurt the program’s credibility, especially considering Utah was given a very favorable opportunity with five (of nine) conference games at home and Stanford and Oregon missing from the schedule.
“(Utah head coach Kyle) Whittingham has proven his ability to salvage seasons. But even a 6-6 record is no guarantee at this point, with the Utes having lost all three league games (including two at home) and quarterback Jordan Wynn out indefinitely with a shoulder injury.
“Breaking down the schedule, the Utes logically should beat Oregon State, UCLA and Colorado at home. They should pick off at least one road win against Pittsburgh, California, Arizona and Washington State, giving them the required six victories.
“Yet all seven of those games appear tougher for Utah than they did a month ago, don’t they? The Pac-12’s downtrodden teams are improving and nobody’s sure what to think of the Utes.”
There … feel any better, Buff fans?
Just get through October in one piece, Buffs, and salvage the season in November …
Originally posted by CU At the Game
Click here to vie
October 10th
Washington in unfamiliar territory
The Washington Huskies are over a two-touchdown favorite over the visiting Colorado Buffaloes this Saturday. While the Buffs are growing ever-more accustomed to being a double-digit underdog on the road (this weekend will mark the fifth such occasion, dating back to last season’s game at Nebraska), being a two-touchdown favorite is new to these Huskies.
According to the Seattle Times writer Bob Condotta, Washington has been a two-touchdown or better favorite only eight times in the past eight seasons, including this fall’s*season opener against Eastern Washington. In those games, Washington has won seven of eight, but has only been 3-5 against the spread.
So the Buffs have that going for them … which is nice.
Misery Loves Company – Arizona and Utah
While it may feel that the Buffs are destined to finish last in a conference for the first time since 1915, a look at the Pac-12 South standings indicates that the Buffs, at 1-5, 0-2, are still holding steady in fourth place.
Behind the Buffs are Utah, 2-3, 0-3, and Arizona, 1-5, 0-4.
Can Colorado still manage to find a way to avoid the Pac-12 South cellar?
Arizona
The Wildcats, after a 37-27 loss to Oregon State last weekend, have now lost ten straight games to FBS teams (the only win this fall came against Northern Arizona from the Big Sky Conference).
“The Cats have been consistently unprepared, unmotivated, at the start of games this season,” wrote Anthony Gimino for TucsonCitizen.com. “They have trailed by double-digits in the first half in each of the past five games. (Head coach Mike) Stoops says he doesn’t have an explanation for the slow starts. If not him, who?”
“The defense can’t stop anybody, abysmal against the pass and the run. The special teams … well, the less said, the better.”
Sound familiar?
Gimino goes on. “When the Wildcats had a chance to answer their critics with a game at previously winless Oregon State, they did all of the stupid stuff they have been doing against elite teams — and then some. Instead of hitting the accelerator and turning the corner, they stayed the course and skidded off a cliff.
“The Oregon State game was supposed to be Arizona’s rescue shot. Get back on the fairway. Try to get to par — 6-6 — for the season.
“Now, what’s left?
“Ticket sales from here to the end of the season will be non-existent. Who is going to show up for UCLA on a Thursday night? Who wants to be at the season-ender vs. Louisiana-Lafayette? Even with a decent second half of the season, Arizona football will be a tough sell for next year … Time is running out for Stoops to show he can take the program to a higher level, and reasons to believe are few.”
Injuries and poor recruiting classes have also taken a toll in Tucson (no, I’m not channeling cubuffs.com).*
“There is no real mystery to Arizona’s 10-game losing streak against BCS schools.” wrote Greg Hansen for the Arizona Daily Star. “This is what happens after two or three thin recruiting seasons in the Pac-12. You get beat up and nobody takes mercy on you.”
” ‘We’ve gotta play who we’ve got,’ defensive coordinator Tim Kish said after a bad Oregon State team beat Arizona 37-27.
“When UA cornerbacks Shaquille Richardson and Trevin Wade were injured Saturday, Arizona’s replacement was senior cornerback Lyle Brown, who entered the season with five career tackles.
“Brown is typical of the type of replacement on Arizona’s depth chart. He agreed to play at Montana when he completed his high school career in Colorado, but thought he could do better and wound up playing at Glendale Community College.
“He ultimately became a nonscholarship player at Arizona and now occupies a place of importance on its roster.
“This isn’t how Oregon does it.”
No, it isn’t … but it is how it is being done at Colorado (at least this year).
Utah
“Now that Utah’s football season is reduced to a fight for bowl eligibility, how likely are the Utes to succeed in that quest?”, wrote Kurt Kragthorpe for the Salt Lake City Tribune, in an article entitled “How bad can this season get for the Utes?”
Wrote Kragthorpe: “The Utes (2-3) must win four of their remaining seven games to qualify for a ninth consecutive bowl game. Failing to do so in this first Pac-12 season would hurt the program’s credibility, especially considering Utah was given a very favorable opportunity with five (of nine) conference games at home and Stanford and Oregon missing from the schedule.
“(Utah head coach Kyle) Whittingham has proven his ability to salvage seasons. But even a 6-6 record is no guarantee at this point, with the Utes having lost all three league games (including two at home) and quarterback Jordan Wynn out indefinitely with a shoulder injury.
“Breaking down the schedule, the Utes logically should beat Oregon State, UCLA and Colorado at home. They should pick off at least one road win against Pittsburgh, California, Arizona and Washington State, giving them the required six victories.
“Yet all seven of those games appear tougher for Utah than they did a month ago, don’t they? The Pac-12’s downtrodden teams are improving and nobody’s sure what to think of the Utes.”
There … feel any better, Buff fans?
Just get through October in one piece, Buffs, and salvage the season in November …
Originally posted by CU At the Game
Click here to vie
