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Do the Buffs win or lose?

  • They win!

    Votes: 54 98.2%
  • ...the other result

    Votes: 1 1.8%

  • Total voters
    55

Justin M Guerriero

Club Member
Club Member
Greetings Buffalunitics. Hope you all had a nice weekend. This piece right here is meant to shed some light on the CSU Rams in anticipation for the upcoming Rocky Mountain Showdown on Sept. 2. I talked with Chad Deutschman, the sports editor of the Rocky Mountain Collegiate (CSU's student newspaper) and asked him some questions about the team and the matchup. Later this week I'll post the full transcript of questions and answers but for now, here are some impressions I got from Chad's answers.

And actually...let me start with this statement: From what I have observed at CU practices this year and the way Chad described the Rams, if the Buffs can go through this game without committing their usual sins (offensive inefficiency and ineptitude in the red zone namely) I think they're going to steamroll this Rams team.

Long story short, the Rams seem to be on the come-down and the Buffs appear to be on the come-up. Here's why I think that:

1. Experience. Chad told me that CSU head coach Mike Bobo hasn't named a starting quarterback yet (that was on the 24th). Also, the Rams defense is surprisingly new. They lost a lot of kids. Out of their entire secondary, there's only one returning starter. In regards to the Rams' front seven on D, Chad told me that he doesn't expect them to put the same amount of pressure on Sefo Liufau this year. I hate to be cocky, but it seems to me that the 2016 CSU Rams are still juggling with quite a few unanswered questions regarding starters and what to expect from new players heading into September. CU is quite the opposite of that. The team has looked good in practice and I think both the offense and defense are clicking well as a unit.

With all x-factors and intangibles that a rivalry game has set aside, I don't think there's a question about it: the Buffs are the better team here.

2. The Buffs' D: I think the Colorado defense is going to shut down CSU's offense. And in terms of the secondary, if the Rams have to mix match the QB position in-game as they did last year, Chidobe Awuzie, Tedric Thompson, Ryan Moeller and CO. are going to make medium to long passes very hard to pull off. Chad did note that the Rams' O line looked good. The Buffs D line vs. the Rams O line...that matchup I am eager to see.

Chad also mentioned that running back Dalyn Dawkins (who ran for 118 yards on 20 carries against the Buffs last year) will be returning. That'll be interesting. Run D was a big problem last year. The Buffs gave up 5+ yards a carry on average. We'll see if that changes. Also, last year the Rams outgained the Buffs in yards by a 500-345 mark. I don't expect to see a particularly potent Rams offense next Friday.

3. The Buffs' offensive skill players are simply going to be too much for the Rams to handle. And going back to CSU's inexperienced secondary...I think that is going to be one of the overall keys to CU's success. And it's probably going to be determined early. I asked Chad how the loss of Nelson Spruce factors into this matchup. He commented that the Rams secondary this season would likely not been able to contain Spruce. Well, what does that say about them when they've got to cover Shay Fields and Devin Ross? Spruce is Spruce, but those two aren't guys that the Rams can afford to ignore.

Score prediction: 31-14 Buffs

Since I got to this university in 2013 I have not ever felt more sure of a CU victory in the Rocky Mountain Showdown. If the Buffs can manager jitters and execute properly, I think they've got this one in the bag.
 
Appreciate the info on the goats. Seems to be about what most around here have been saying. Execute our offense, and stuff the run with our defense and this game is an easy win.
 
If the Buffs can manager jitters and execute properly, I think they've got this one in the bag
You seem relatively new to the Buffs...this is a HUGE caveat! I do think if we can handle their run game, this will be a relatively easy win for us. Again...if...caveat...Buffs.
 
You seem relatively new to the Buffs...this is a HUGE caveat! I do think if we can handle their run game, this will be a relatively easy win for us. Again...if...caveat...Buffs.
Believe me....I hear that. But I'm sticking firm on this one. They're not going to blow it. The last three seasons of shoulda,coulda and woulda won games slipping through their fingers have led us to this upcoming Friday. I think they'd have to screw up pretty badly to lose this one.
 
Believe me....I hear that. But I'm sticking firm on this one. They're not going to blow it. The last three seasons of shoulda,coulda and woulda won games slipping through their fingers have led us to this upcoming Friday. I think they'd have to screw up pretty badly to lose this one.
I agree, we should win by 2-3 scores. Just jaded. Been a fan since late 80s.
 
Seems like every time we are supposed to win big, we end up coming out flat and get upset.

Can't have that happen this year.
 
The above is why I hate this game as the first game of the season.

There's always the pre-season jitters and mistakes by both teams, but it always seems like it hits our guys harder, plus CSU always obviously starts putting in their CU gameplan in spring ball, lol.
 
I think we WANT this team to turn the corner so badly that we're willing to look beyond our flaws. Older team, year 4, senior QB, lots of close losses the last 2 years.. it should all come together.. but we lack consistent playmakers outside of 2-3 spots.

Put this game as week 2 or 3 and I'd have little concern. Week 1 is bound to bring out some mistakes and CSU depth isn't an issue this early.

Just get the W and I'm happy. Doesn't have to be pretty.
 
Greetings Buffalunitics. Hope you all had a nice weekend. This piece right here is meant to shed some light on the CSU Rams in anticipation for the upcoming Rocky Mountain Showdown on Sept. 2. I talked with Chad Deutschman, the sports editor of the Rocky Mountain Collegiate (CSU's student newspaper) and asked him some questions about the team and the matchup. Later this week I'll post the full transcript of questions and answers but for now, here are some impressions I got from Chad's answers.

And actually...let me start with this statement: From what I have observed at CU practices this year and the way Chad described the Rams, if the Buffs can go through this game without committing their usual sins (offensive inefficiency and ineptitude in the red zone namely) I think they're going to steamroll this Rams team.

Long story short, the Rams seem to be on the come-down and the Buffs appear to be on the come-up. Here's why I think that:

1. Experience. Chad told me that CSU head coach Mike Bobo hasn't named a starting quarterback yet (that was on the 24th). Also, the Rams defense is surprisingly new. They lost a lot of kids. Out of their entire secondary, there's only one returning starter. In regards to the Rams' front seven on D, Chad told me that he doesn't expect them to put the same amount of pressure on Sefo Liufau this year. I hate to be cocky, but it seems to me that the 2016 CSU Rams are still juggling with quite a few unanswered questions regarding starters and what to expect from new players heading into September. CU is quite the opposite of that. The team has looked good in practice and I think both the offense and defense are clicking well as a unit.

With all x-factors and intangibles that a rivalry game has set aside, I don't think there's a question about it: the Buffs are the better team here.

2. The Buffs' D: I think the Colorado defense is going to shut down CSU's offense. And in terms of the secondary, if the Rams have to mix match the QB position in-game as they did last year, Chidobe Awuzie, Tedric Thompson, Ryan Moeller and CO. are going to make medium to long passes very hard to pull off. Chad did note that the Rams' O line looked good. The Buffs D line vs. the Rams O line...that matchup I am eager to see.

Chad also mentioned that running back Dalyn Dawkins (who ran for 118 yards on 20 carries against the Buffs last year) will be returning. That'll be interesting. Run D was a big problem last year. The Buffs gave up 5+ yards a carry on average. We'll see if that changes. Also, last year the Rams outgained the Buffs in yards by a 500-345 mark. I don't expect to see a particularly potent Rams offense next Friday.

3. The Buffs' offensive skill players are simply going to be too much for the Rams to handle. And going back to CSU's inexperienced secondary...I think that is going to be one of the overall keys to CU's success. And it's probably going to be determined early. I asked Chad how the loss of Nelson Spruce factors into this matchup. He commented that the Rams secondary this season would likely not been able to contain Spruce. Well, what does that say about them when they've got to cover Shay Fields and Devin Ross? Spruce is Spruce, but those two aren't guys that the Rams can afford to ignore.

Score prediction: 31-14 Buffs

Since I got to this university in 2013 I have not ever felt more sure of a CU victory in the Rocky Mountain Showdown. If the Buffs can manager jitters and execute properly, I think they've got this one in the bag.
I hope to hell you didn't just jinx the Buffs, Justin. Nice piece.
 
Bobo is sandbagging until such time that the Buffs open up a 17-point lead.

By the end of the first quarter would be a good time for this to happen.
 
I think we'll be up by 10-14 late in the 2nd quarter.

They'll get the ball and be thinking "score one here, come out after half, score another one, and we're right back in it."

Stop them going in, stop them coming out, and score one of our own sometime in there, then I'll be drinking the kool-aid.

But, what I actually expect is that we'll let them score at least once before/after half, the offense will go on a run of three and outs, and at the end of the game we'll just barely come out with a win in what should have been laugher.

Which will set us up for another year without a bowl, because until this team shows that it knows how to put away a substandard team when they're up by a couple scores, they will never be able to do it against a real team in a close game.

Tl;dr: if we "survive" this opponent, it will be a long season; if we stomp on their throats when they're down, there's hope for this year.
 
I will never not be nervous for the first game of the season. The Buffs are 1-4 in their last 5 season openers, and they have all been against either Hawaii or CSU. Also, this game has always had a penchant for dumb **** happening to the favored team.
 
I will never not be nervous for the first game of the season. The Buffs are 1-4 in their last 5 season openers, and they have all been against either Hawaii or CSU. Also, this game has always had a penchant for dumb **** happening to the favored team.
Very little on paper shows this will be a very close game...except the fact these r the Buffs and we are perennial losers. :-(
 
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