Colorado Buffaloes Football Predictions (Games 7-12)

Granted, there are other games of interest for CU fans involving Iowa State: Can the Cyclones avoid another upset at the hands of Northern Iowa? Can the Cyclones upset Iowa again? Who will win the battle of the presumed cellar dwellers when ISU faces off against Baylor?

But the UNLV game will be a good yardstick of how far the Cyclones have come under Chizik in year two. Iowa State’s last non-conference road win? Try 2005, and that was against Army. If ISU is going to be a threat in Boulder, they need to win against on the road against an inferior Rebel team.

My thoughts: If you were going to rank the schedule for Colorado in 2008, this game would fit in as No. 3 in the "most winnable" category, behind Eastern Washington and Colorado State. If the Buffs lose this one, you will be able to google "Dan Hawkins" and "hot seat", and get too many hits to count.

Nov. 15: Oklahoma State

Fast facts: Oklahoma State finished off a 7-6 2007 season (4-4 in Big 12 play) with a 49-33 win over Indiana in the Insight Bowl. Nothing unusual about those numbers.

In the Mike Gundy era, the records have been average (18-19 overall under Gundy), with the Cowboys trying to out-score an opponent with an explosive offense offset by a porous defense.

Need more numbers? Try these. In 2007, Oklahoma State was seventh in the nation in total offense. Wow. In 2007, Oklahoma State was 101^st in total defense. Ick.

The Cowboys cannot stop anyone; they have to try and outscore them. It works out for Gundy and his crew about half the time.

Look for more of the same in 2008. Zac Robinson may be the best quarterback in the nation no one is talking about. Robinson set a school single season record last season for total offense (3,671 yards), and did so despite not playing until game three.

Four full-time starters are back on the offensive line to make sure Robinson sets new records this fall, and there is plenty of talent at the skill positions.

Now, about that defense... Last season, Oklahoma State gave up 562 yards of total offense to Troy (in a 41-23 loss). The Cowboys beat Texas Tech last season, 49-45, but not without trying to lose.

OSU surrendered a mind-boggling 718 yards of total offense to Texas Tech, and still won the game. In order to try and make the defense decent, coach Gundy imported six junior college defensive players.

How well the imports improve the OSU defense will go along way in determining the fate of the Cowboys in 2008.

Why Buff fans should look forward to this game with optimism:

1) Poor man’s Texas Tech. Oklahoma State is the Rodney Dangerfield of the Big 12 South. They can’t get no respect.

Despite the efforts of Gundy (and the millions of dollars donated by T. Boone Pickens), the Cowboys cannot escape the shadow of Oklahoma (or Texas, or Texas A&M, or even, lately, of Texas Tech).

Since the inception of the Big 12, Oklahoma has made six Big 12 title game appearances (winning five), while Oklahoma State has yet to win a division title.

In fact, the last title the Cowboys won was the 1976 Big Eight title, shared with Colorado and Oklahoma. OSU’s reward? A date with BYU in the Tangerine Bowl while the Buffs went to the Orange Bowl.

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