When will CU football be able to compete against the nation’s elite?
Saturday, the Buffs earned their second victory of the season, crushing Miami (Ohio) 42-0.
Last year, it took the Buffs 11 games to get their second victory. Four games into the 2007 football season, and CU has already matched that total.
It’s a good start. The passing game is firing on all cylinders, and CU’s stingy defense is creating havoc for opposing teams.
But the Buffs will kick off Big 12 Conference play against Oklahoma on Saturday in a game they will more than likely lose. Oklahoma is just too good this year.
Looking to the game after Oklahoma, the Buffs will have the chance to win their first road game in nearly two years. The last time the Buffs won a road game was Oct. 29, 2005 against Kansas State. The Buffs were 6-2 after beating the Wildcats in Manhattan, Kan.
Not counting games at Invesco Field at Mile High, the Buffs are 0-7 in regular season away games since beating Kansas State in 2005.
On Oct. 6, the Buffs have the chance to get that much-needed road victory against Baylor. If the same CU team that showed up against Colorado State and Miami (Ohio) shows up against Baylor, the Buffs should win the game. The team could potentially be looking at a 3-3 record through the first six games of the 2007 season.
Coming off a 2-10 season, a potential 3-3 start would be good. Is it great? Not really.
This program is slowly losing its prestige in the world of college football. Sure, the Buffs can blow out a team like Miami (Ohio) but in the games that really mater, like Florida State, this team will fall up short.
The loss against Florida State was much bigger than most people played it off to be. There was electricity at Folsom Field that night that wasn’t there at all last season. The students and fans were so pumped up for that game only to watch CU lose in a miserable showing, 16-6.
That game was a must win. If there was a game where a win could have revitalized this program, the Florida State game was it.
It’s great to know that the team brushes it off like it was a game they could have potentially won but didn’t. CU’s loss against Florida State and its blowout win against Miami (Ohio) tell a lot about this team. It gives Buffs’ supporters a glimpse into what the future could look like for this program.
For the rest of the season, students and fans will see this team win games. The Buffs will win games that have little effect on this program. But in the games against teams like Florida State, Oklahoma and Nebraska–the games where a win could potentially change the fortune of this program–this team will come up short.
And it’s not too demanding to hold this program to a high standard. The football program at CU was once stellar.
Yes, a 2-2 start is fine, and to be fair, it is Dan Hawkins second season with the Buffs and every coach deserves a few years to bring some of his recruits into the program. The real concern with this football team is when the Buffs will be ready to compete again with the powerhouses in college football.
Contact Campus Press editor Kyle McDaniel at kyle.mcdaniel@thecampuspress.com.
