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Ralphie Report: Buffaloes show improvement, fall short in Tucson

NCAA Basketball: Colorado at Arizona

Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

We saw TadBall return in Tucson, but Colorado couldn’t finish the job.

The final score of 78-63 might now show it, but the Colorado Buffaloes showed improvement against the Arizona Wildcats in Tucson on Saturday.

Yes, Colorado fell short at the McKale Center, but we saw TadBall return, at least for a majority of the game. The Buffaloes’ sound 2-3 zone defense and rebounding gave Arizona some trouble early, but costly turnovers and mistakes in transition proved to be the nail in Colorado’s coffin.

The Buffs came out of the gates strong, going toe-to-toe with Arizona in the first half. We saw a version of the Buffaloes that was strong off the boards and relentless in their defensive scheme like we saw against UConn and Iowa State in Boulder.

Colorado won the first-half rebounding battle, snagging 20 boards compared to Arizona’s 18. When the Buffs rebound the way that coach Tad Boyle likes, good things tend to happen and that’s what we saw on display in Tucson in the first 20 minutes of play.

Colorado’s 2-3 zone defense confused Arizona’s shooters, leading to poor shot selection and a lackluster first-half shooting performance for the Wildcats. Arizona shot 38.2% from the field in the first frame, making only 13-34 attempts from the floor and 4-14 from three-point range. CU managed to bottle up reigning Pac-12 Player of the Year Caleb Love, as Love missed all of his first five attempts from the field.

Granted, Colorado’s first-half shooting performance wasn’t stellar either, with only 41.4% (12-29 FG) from the floor, but stellar three-point shooting from Andrej Jakimoski did just enough to keep the Buffaloes up to pace with Arizona. Jakimoski’s 10 first-half points and two triples were integral to Colorado’s offensive effort.

Headed into halftime, Colorado trailed only 31-33 and looked like a serious threat to Arizona. The Wildcats, who look to bully teams in transition and turn games into track meets, were bottled up by Colorado. Tad Boyle was forcing Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd to partake in a signature CU hard-nosed defensive battle, which was the only route to a Buffaloes victory.

The second half started as more of the game. Colorado was forcing Arizona to play their brand of ball. CU’s 2-3 zone scheme continues to clog lanes and force Arizona to put up shots and Colorado was keeping up with the Wildcats. With 12:54 to play, a Trevor Baskin layup cut Arizona’s lead to only 42-45, with an upset alert officially in effect.

With a clear path to a monumental win laid right in front of them, the Colorado Buffaloes of old made their return. Multiple turnovers in transition led to Arizona putting fast points on the board, tilting the scales in their favor. The Wildcats had officially turned the game into the track meet they wanted, which spelled doom for Colorado.

Those transition turnovers from Colorado allowed Arizona to bust the game wide open and a 10 for 12 FG shooting streak over a seven-minute span iced it for the Wildcats. In that span, Arizona guard Anthony Dell’Orso was finding constant space on the perimeter and made Colorado pay, drilling four corner threes to put the game away.

Dell’Orso’s 14 second-half points and defensive breakdowns put the game out of reach for Colorado, but turnovers once again made it an uphill battle for the Buffaloes. CU turned the ball over 15 times against Arizona, which the Wildcats were able to turn into 19 points.

Julian Hammond emerged as Colorado’s most effective scorer in the desert, finishing the contest with 19 points, four assists and two steals. Fellow guard Javon Ruffin also proved efficient in the scoring column, putting up 12 points against the ‘Cats. Andrej Jakimoski led all scorers with 10 first-half points, but was held scoreless in the second half.

Now 0-8 in Big 12 play, Colorado will return home to play a pesky Arizona State team that ran the Buffs out of the gym in Tempe earlier in January. Tipoff for that game will be at 7:00 pm MT at the CU Event Center.

by RylandScholes
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Ralphie Report: Buffaloes vs. Wildcats - Game Post

NCAA Basketball: Brigham Young at Colorado

Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Join us for the Colorado Buffaloes - Arizona Wildcats game tonight at 1:00 p.m. MT in Tucson, Arizona.

January 25th, 2025

Who:
Colorado Buffaloes vs. Arizona Wildcats

Where: McKale Center - Tucson, Arizona

When: 1:00 p.m. MST

TV: ESPN+

Radio: AM 850 KOA

Arizona Blog: Arizona Desert Swarm

Line: Colorado +5

Welcome to the Ralphie Report as the Colorado Buffaloes get ready to take on the Arizona Wildcats in Tucson, Arizona for the eighteenth game of the 2024-25 season.

No need to go anywhere else today, The Ralphie Report has everything you need and we welcome you to weigh in with your live game analysis, critiques, observations and predictions.

Check out the old game thread from the Hawaii game to see how it works. Throw all your comments about the game below and let’s get this thing rolling. If you don’t have an account, sign up here for free and enjoy all that our site has to offer.

Make sure to follow us on BlueSky, X and Facebook. Go Buffs!

by Jon Woods
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Ralphie Report: Shedeur Sanders Impresses Titans at Shrine Bowl

2025 CFP National Championship - Previews

Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images

Titans’ Brian Callahan Praises Sanders’ Toughness and Poise

With all-star games and offseason activities in full swing, a handful of Buffs were down in Texas this week for the annual Shrine Bowl. Among them was Shedeur Sanders, who made waves on Friday morning after an impactful 15-minute private meeting with the Tennessee Titans front office. The meeting seemingly left an impression, as Titans head coach Brian Callahan shared high praise about Sanders, both on and off the field.


.@ShedeurSanders just went into this interview room at the @ShrineBowl headquarters to meet with the @Titans, among others.

Chad Brinker, Mike Borgonzi, Brian Callahan and many others from Titans staff in there. pic.twitter.com/RoqxBHTzpf

— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) January 24, 2025

Shedeur’s Character and Upbringing​


“You can tell he’s been raised right,” Callahan said. “He’s mature, he has a really poised way about him, and he seems like a really good kid. I enjoyed talking to him. And you could tell he’s a guy who has been in the spotlight. He knows how to handle himself. He’s been paid money, so he has a financial perspective... It was a really good first impression.”

This endorsement highlights something that separates Shedeur from many prospects: his maturity and readiness for the professional stage.

Having grown up around the NFL spotlight and under the guidance of his father, Deion Sanders, Shedeur is no stranger to handling pressure. For teams picking at the top of the draft, this kind of poise and adaptability is often just as important as physical ability. In today’s NFL, franchises need quarterbacks who can be the face of the organization both on the field and in the locker room and Shedeur’s composure appears to be a perfect fit for that role.

On Shedeur’s On-Field Performance​


Callahan didn’t stop at praising Sanders’ character. He also dove into Shedeur’s strengths as a quarterback:

“The thing that stands out the most is his toughness. He took some pretty big shots and he kept rolling. He can stand in the pocket and deliver it. He can move and create a bit; he has some ability to move out of the pocket and he does create on his own. He’s not a high-end dynamic scrambler necessarily, but he is productive when he does. And he really has a good feel for anticipation and timing—you can tell he’s been coached in that regard. Those things show up on tape.”

This evaluation speaks volumes about Shedeur’s skill set and adaptability. While he may not be considered an elite scrambling quarterback, his ability to extend plays when needed and deliver accurate throws under pressure sets him apart. Callahan’s emphasis on Shedeur’s toughness and ability to anticipate throws also reflects what many fans and analysts have seen throughout the season. His poise in the face of a pass rush and his ability to keep plays alive are key attributes that could make him a franchise quarterback at the next level.

The Titans’ Perspective​


While these comments don’t necessarily mean the Titans will leave the Shrine Bowl with a definitive plan to select Shedeur with the first overall pick, but they do hint at strong interest. For a team like Tennessee, which is likely looking for a long-term solution at quarterback, Sanders checks many of the boxes. His experience as a leader, combined with his physical and mental toughness, positions him as one of the most polished prospects in this year’s draft.

What This Means for Shedeur​


For Buffs fans, it’s exciting to see NFL teams finally get a chance to talk to the players we’ve cheered for all year long. Moments like these highlight the tremendous growth and preparation these athletes have put in, both on and off the field. For Shedeur, this meeting with the Titans may be the first of many as teams continue to evaluate him as a potential first-overall pick.

Regardless of where he lands, one thing is certain: Shedeur Sanders has already proven that he’s ready for the next level.

by Jacob.Thompson
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Ralphie Report: Tad Boyle takes accountability for Colorado's slump

NCAA Basketball: Brigham Young at Colorado

Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Colorado’s coach addresses the media after their seventh straight Big 12 loss

It’s never a good sign when a coach opens their post-game presser by apologing to fans and former players. Yet, that’s where Tad Boyle and the Colorado Buffaloes find themselves.

“I want to start to apologizing to our fanbase and every former player to wear the Colorado uniform,” said Boyle after CU’s 83-67 loss to BYU. “We’re not living up to our end of the bargain, as a coaching staff or as players.”

Needless to say, Colorado’s not playing their best basketball right now. The Buffs have opened their Big 12 slate by going on an seven game losing streak. On top of that, CU is currently ranked 347 out of 377 DI teams in turnovers per game, averging a whopping 15.1 per game this season. Colorado has the 217th best scoring offense in the NCAA, averging 73.3 points per game, compared to their 207th ranked scoring defense, with an average of 72.2 points allowed per game.

Tad Boyle has built this program around playing “TadBall,” a brand of hoops that focuses on fundamentals, namely sound defense and rebounding. Unfortunately, what Colorado fans have been witnessing is anything but foundamentally sound TadBall hoops.

Colorado was never supposed to be a powerhouse like they were last season. The Buffs lost all of their top six rotation players after breaking for the program record in a single season with 26 last season. Three of those players went to the NBA and the other three entered the transfer portal and are playing elsewhere.

Fans expected this season to be a step back from last season, but they didn’t expect this. Now 0-7 in Big 12 play, Colorado seemingly can’t stop their own bleeding.

“When you let [BYU] shoot 67.9% from the field in your building after half, you know something’s wrong,” said Boyle. “We better fix what’s wrong or we are going to continue to get the same result.”

Whatever’s wrong, Boyle has taken full accountability for Colorado’s seven-game slump, saying he has to step up to big CU out of their currently hole.

“It’s frustrating, but I have to do a better job,” Boyle said. “I know a keep saying that and i’m not. I’m really disappointed in myself.”

Boyle hasn’t lost confidence in himself and the work he has done at Colorado. As CU’s program leader in wins, there’s no denying that, but he admits changes needed to be made.

“I’m not going to stop doing what I do,” said Boyle. “I’ve been here for 14 years, this is year 15. I haven’t lost confidence in myself, I can tell you that. I feel like I can coach this game, but I’m not doing a good enough job coaching this team and these players. I gotta go back to the drawing board and see how I can get to them, because right now I’m not getting to them.”

Something that Boyle is working to address with his team is mental toughness. When the going gets tough, the Buffaloes have cracked. Against BYU, Colorado ripped off a 14-0 run in the first half and immediately followed that up with allowing the Cougs to go on a 39-6 run, where CU shot 0-16 from the field over a 10 minute stretch.

“Here’s the thing about our team; when things go bad, we feel sorry for ourselves...” said Boyle. “Our players are feeling sorry for themselves. And that’s a problem because when you internalize “woe is me,” you’re not helping your team.”

Boyle gives an example from the BYU game, where communication broke down in the midst of the Cougars 39-6 run.

“Andrei Jakimovski is guarding [BYU’s] best player [Richie Saunders]...” Boyle explains. “[Saunders] Drives by [Jakimoski] on the baseline and we’re supposed to have three guys on the weak side with two feet in the paint. [Saunders] drives by [Jakimoski] and lays it in the goal and there’s nobody there to help him. “

In situations like that, Boyle wants to his team play less selfishly and more as a unit, like the TadBall teams before them.

“Those guys are thinking about themselves, they’re not thinking about helping Andrej,” Boyle said. “Defensively, you have to help each other if you’re going to be any good at this level. We’re not helping each other because we are concerned about ourselves and that is a problem.”

Things are going to get any easier for Colorado, either. They head to Tucson to face off against the Arizona Wildcats at McKale Center this afternoon at 1 pm, a place in which they’ve never *officially* won. If Colorado can display some new-found mental toughness, anything is possible.

by RylandScholes
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Ralphie Report: Why Travis Hunter’s Odds of Going First Overall are Skyrocketing

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: DEC 28 Valero Alamo Bowl - BYU vs Colorado

Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Hunter’s draft odds surge after Titans’ statement

How NFL general managers and organizations will view Travis Hunter come draft season is still unclear. As a two-way player with generational talent, Travis is unlike any prospect the NFL has seen in decades.

Many analysts believe he is the best overall player in the 2024 draft class, but his uniqueness has left his draft stock open to debate. Could his desire to play offense and defense sway some teams away, or will his undeniable talent make him a no-brainer at the top of the draft?

On Thursday, Tennessee Titans president of football operations, Chad Brinker, may have given fans a significant clue about their plans for the first pick in the draft.

When asked about the team’s strategy, Brinker told reporters: “We won’t pass on a generational talent with the first pick in the draft.”

While he didn’t mention Travis Hunter by name, the statement strongly aligns with what many NFL insiders are saying about Hunter’s potential. It’s rare for a player to dominate on both sides of the ball, and the Titans’ comments could indicate that they view him as the type of player who could change the trajectory of a franchise.

Following Brinker’s statement, sportsbooks took note. Odds for Travis to become the number one overall pick shifted dramatically on one platform, moving from +1400 to +140 in just a matter of hours. While nothing is set in stone, it’s clear that NFL teams—and betting markets—are starting to treat Travis Hunter as a serious contender to be the top pick in April’s draft.

Make sure to keep up with Ralphie Report for more NFL Draft news and content.

by Jacob.Thompson
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