Connect with us

Denver, CO

Ducks prove CU Buffs still far off college football’s blue bloods

Published

1 year ago

on

Ducks prove CU Buffs still far off college football’s blue bloods


The Colorado Buffaloes just don’t have what it takes to be College Football Playoff contenders—at least not yet—and that much was proven true by the 42-6 pounding put on by the Oregon Ducks on Saturday.

The Buffs just don’t beat the Ducks, not in Boulder or Eugene as the team has won nine of the last 10 matchups, so a big loss to Oregon isn’t new. It’s not necessarily even a litmus test, only if CU had won would it really be noteworthy. That’s not what the national headlines will say as Deion Sanders likely will get dragged and the Buffaloes free fall in the rankings.

And it’s fair for a day or so given Colorado didn’t just lose, they got embarrassed. The Buffaloes gained 199 yards on the day—93 of which were on a garbage time touchdown drive—and were penalized for 103 yards. They only picked up 13 first downs and never even had more than a five or so percent chance of winning according to ESPN.

Son and starting quarterback Shedeur Sanders had his worst game thus far in Black and Gold, held to 159 yards and a touchdown. He was pressured and hit all afternoon, sacked seven times. Sanders’ Heisman hopes for sure took a hit given Bo Nix outplayed him head to head, with 276 yards in the air and four touchdowns combined.

Advertisement

But Coach Prime was starting from nearly zero in Boulder and losing to the Ducks doesn’t derail the process at all. What Sanders was shown by Dan Lanning’s Ducks is what it will take to go from being a solid Power Five team to a great one.

Sanders knows as much, saying last week that Colorado is at least seven to eight guys away from truly being at the level it’ll take to make that jump. Luckily the Buffaloes will have more of a chance next year with the CFP expanding to 12 teams. And maybe the Ducks showed Deion it’s going to be far for more than seven or eight players with the Buffaloes lines absolutely crushed.

Still, that’s all future—all. 2024. In 2023, Colorado is 3-1, with an incredible chance to make a bowl for just the second time in a full season since 2007. Getting the world reinterested in the Buffaloes and being decent was the first massive step taken by Sanders, the next and maybe even bigger step is getting to where Oregon has been for years.

“You better get me right now. This is the worst we’re going to be,” Sanders said postgame.

Sadly for Prime, he won’t get a shot back at Lanning, and his talk, with the Ducks headed to the Big Ten and the Buffs going to the Big 12 next year, unless CU somehow makes it to the Pac-12 Title Game. So it may be personal now for the two of them, given the pregame speech and the team running it up but it just won’t matter this time around.

Advertisement

Colorado hosts USC next week in Boulder, in a game that will again have the sport’s spotlight.

***





Source link

Advertisement
Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Denver, CO

Denver area events for Nov. 25: Pop-up holiday lounge at Union Station and more

Published

4 hours ago

on

November 25, 2024

By

Denver area events for Nov. 25: Pop-up holiday lounge at Union Station and more


If you have an event taking place in the Denver area, email information to carlotta.olson@gazette.com at least two weeks in advance. All events are listed in the calendar on space availability.

Monday

Sipping N’ Painting Hampden — “Alaska Night,” 6:30-8:30 p.m., Sipping N’ Painting Hampden, 6461 E. Hampden Ave., Denver, $35. Registration required: sippingnpaintinghampden.com.

Advertisement

Brazilian Zouk Classes and Social Dance — 7-11:30 p.m., Mercury Café, 2199 California St., Denver, $20 class and social, $15 social only; mercurycafe.com.

Cloud Nothings — With Armlock, Famers Wife, 8 p.m., Bluebird Theater, 3317 E. Colfax Ave., Denver, $25. Tickets: axs.com.

Mile High Holidays Drone Show — 7 p.m. through Dec. 31, Denver skies; denver.org/milehighholidays.

“American Dreams” Exhibit — Through Dec. 31, Molly Brown House Museum, 1340 Pennsylvania St., Denver, go online for prices. Tickets: mollybrown.org.

“Shadow and Light: Patrick Marold” — Through Jan. 5, Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St., Denver, go online for prices; botanicgardens.org.

Advertisement

Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.

Advertisement

“Vanity & Vice: American Art Deco” — Through Jan. 12, Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art, 1201 Bannock St., Denver. Go online for prices. Tickets: kirklandmuseum.org.

“Dawoud Bey: Street Portraits” — Through May 11, Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway, Denver, go online for prices: denverartmuseum.org.

Monday-Dec. 28

Miracle at Union Station: Buddy’s Bar — Pop-up cocktail lounge featuring holiday décor, cocktails and a designated Hanukkah table, 4-p.m.-midnight, Galley Bar on lower level, Union Station, 1701 Wynkoop St., Denver. Reservations: denverunionstation.com.

Monday-Dec. 30

Advertisement

Free Downtown Trolley Rides — See the downtown Castle Rock decorations, 5-7 p.m. Mondays-Tuesdays, no rides Dec. 24, pickup/drop-off points Encore Garage Entrance on South Street between Wilcox and Perry Street and Douglas County School District Parking Lot Entrance on 6th Street Wilcox and Perry Street, Castle Rock; crgov.com/2622/season-of-the-star.

CARLOTTA OLSON, The Denver Gazette



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Denver, CO

PHOTOS: Denver Broncos beat Las Vegas Raiders, 29-19, in NFL Week 12

Published

12 hours ago

on

November 24, 2024

By

PHOTOS: Denver Broncos beat Las Vegas Raiders, 29-19, in NFL Week 12




Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Denver, CO

Raiders HC Sounds Off on Broncos QB Bo Nix’s Rapid Rise

Published

20 hours ago

on

November 24, 2024

By

Raiders HC Sounds Off on Broncos QB Bo Nix’s Rapid Rise


On Sunday, fans will be treated to a head-to-head contest between two rapidly emerging offensive powerhouses, both of whom are bonafide Rookie of the Year contenders. Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix and Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers found new homes with consecutive picks during last April’s NFL draft, and since then, they’ve performed exceptionally well in the pro ranks.

Nix is firmly on the radar of Raiders head coach Antonio Piece, but that’s even more true after yet another award-winning performance last week.

“He was a winner as a freshman. He was a winner as a six-year player,” Pierce noted of Nix. “All he does is win, come in the league. Won the quarterback battle there in Denver. Maybe they were keeping them tight on the leash early on, and now they’re not. He has full control that offense. You can see that Sean Payton gives him opportunities to audible and make some adjustments. He’s making throws, he’s running with his legs, he’s taking care of the football, and he’s winning. That’s all you can ask for from a rookie.”

What happens next on the Broncos beat? Don’t miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

Advertisement

Nix presents a clear and present danger to the Raiders’ chances of squeezing out what would be only their third win of their massively disappointing season. Stopping the impressive rookie is proving to be another matter entirely for NFL defenses, especially one with a badly beaten-up roster like the Raiders.

“This is crazy,” Raiders linebacker Divine Deablo said via ESPN‘s Paul Gutierrez. “I’ve never seen this amount of injuries on any team I’ve been on.”

This week, Broncos head coach Sean Payton has pumped the brakes a little on the burgeoning hype exploding around Nix. That being said, you get the distinct feeling that Payton is more than comfortable unleashing Nix’s full array of talents at his disposal. Confidence is growing in Nix, and that’s been reflected in how Payton has opened up the playbook for his first-year signal-caller.

The juices are flowing, and Payton may have found an answer in dynamic second-year receiver Marvin Mims Jr. The mystical “joker” role within the Broncos offense seems to have been filled.

“I think we always gotta be saying, ‘Hey, are we doing everything we can to highlight his strengths?’ And so, yeah, I don’t know if he’s got the ‘joker’ tattoo, but he might be invited to the club,” Payton said via Andrew Mason.

Advertisement

When push comes to shove, if Nix plays lights out again, an easy win might come Denver’s way, but stopping Bowers would also ensure the victory and help in the race for Rookie of the Year honors. Payton is already on high alert, but it was also tinged with a bit of football envy when he illustrated Bowers’ “joker” abilities.

“Someone had a really good vision for him and you see all the ‘Joker’ traits, means and change of direction,” Payton said of Bowers. “It can’t be a little. It’s a high-end receiving trait and he can move, he can be outside and he can run a route tree maybe different than most tight ends.” 

Follow Denver Broncos On SI/Mile High Huddle on X and Facebook and subscribe on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!





Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending