Official 2014 Buffs Prediction Thread (this thread will be bumped)

[8Jah]

Most Surprising Player: Samson Kafovalu-May be low on depth chart but has pass rush ability sorely needed

Kafovalu would have been high on the depth chart. Unfortunately he is gone due to academics. In the vast majority of academic leaves the athletes never come back.

 

[BuffWarHog]

There has seldom been a conference like the 2014 PAC12

2013 Pac-12


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[Shldr2Shldr]

There has seldom been a conference like the 2014 PAC12

In 1980 Chuck Fairbacks, arguably the worst coach in the history of Colorado football, even managed to win a game in the Big 8. A year that the Big 8 was #2 in terms of S.O.S., at one point had 4 teams in the top 25 and ended up with the #3 team, and #7 team.

Us going winless in Pac-12 play with teams in similar boats like Utah and Cal on our schedule is highly unlikely.

 

[Burrito]

Kafovalu would have been high on the depth chart. Unfortunately he is gone due to academics. In the vast majority of academic leaves the athletes never come back.

That's why it's going to be so surprising!

 

[sackman]

There has seldom been a conference like the 2014 PAC12

The SEC from about 1995 to today.


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[8Jah]

The SEC from about 1995 to today.

The SEC, though very strong at the top and moderate in the middle, is not strong from the top to bottom. It never has been though it has given the illusion of being deep to many because SEC schools have rotated into and out of mediocrity so rapidly (see Florida recently). Utah would beat half the SEC right now. CU would handily beat Vandy, Arkansas and Kentucky in 2014...but I don't think it can beat anyone (save Cal at Folsom) in the Pac12.

 

[BuffsNYC]

In 1980 Chuck Fairbacks, arguably the worst coach in the history of Colorado football, even managed to win a game in the Big 8. A year that the Big 8 was #2 in terms of S.O.S., at one point had 4 teams in the top 25 and ended up with the #3 team, and #7 team.

Us going winless in Pac-12 play with teams in similar boats like Utah and Cal on our schedule is highly unlikely.

I don't see any 1980's KSU, ISU, or KU teams in the Pac 12. Still, I think we win more than one conference game.

 

[Daaah]

The SEC, though very strong at the top and moderate in the middle, is not strong from the top to bottom. It never has been though it has given the illusion of being deep to many because SEC schools have rotated into and out of mediocrity so rapidly (see Florida recently). Utah would beat half the SEC right now. CU would handily beat Vandy, Arkansas and Kentucky in 2014...but I don't think it can beat anyone (save Cal at Folsom) in the Pac12.

Pac 12 is not exactly strong at the bottom either.

 

[Shldr2Shldr]

I don't see any 1980's KSU, ISU, or KU teams in the Pac 12. Still, I think we win more than one conference game.

I will give you KSU and KU, but ISU was #19 in the nation until they went on some weird losing street to end the season.

 

[8Jah]

Us going winless in Pac-12 play with teams in similar boats like Utah and Cal on our schedule is highly unlikely.

It was always easier for us to win a game or two in the Big8/12; despite the typical strength at the top, there was always an ISU, Kansas or the MIZU of old. Notice those wins went away when we went to the PAC. The modern PAC hasn't a weakness. Even lowly Cal almost beat a ranked NorthWestern this year and hung with Ohio State. CU would lay waste to Purdue and Illinois in the Big10. We would dominate the MAC and be in the top three in the Mountain West.

 

[Shldr2Shldr]

It was always easier for us to win a game or two in the Big8/12; despite the typical strength at the top, there was always an ISU, Kansas or the MIZU of old. Notice those wins went away when we went to the PAC. The modern PAC hasn't a weakness. Even lowly Cal almost beat a ranked NorthWestern this year and hung with Ohio State. CU would lay waste to Purdue and Illinois in the Big10. We would dominate the MAC and be in the top three in the Mountain West.

6posts and all very negative of the CU program, I am wondering where you came from.


At any rate, I think we would likely win the MWC, might have trouble with BSU but who knows how they do with a new coach.
The PAC does have weaknesses. That was evident in bowl season last year. We would beat WSU, we did beat Cal, we should have beat Utah, we hung with Oregon longer than any other team had, Arizona got out of hand because we forgot about their QB.

CU has not been good for the last decade, but we are finally, finally on our way up.

 

[CUwhit21]

It was always easier for us to win a game or two in the Big8/12; despite the typical strength at the top, there was always an ISU, Kansas or the MIZU of old. Notice those wins went away when we went to the PAC. The modern PAC hasn't a weakness. Even lowly Cal almost beat a ranked NorthWestern this year and hung with Ohio State. CU would lay waste to Purdue and Illinois in the Big10. We would dominate the MAC and be in the top three in the Mountain West.

Despite our struggles, we've still found at least one win against PAC teams just like we used to find that win or two in the Big 8/12 (Wazzou, Utah, Arizona, Cal). We have yet to go winless in Pac 12 play.

And Cal is absolutely awful or at least they were last year.

Cal lost to Northwestern by 14 at home. Northwestern didn't make a bowl game.
Cal lost to Ohio St by 18 at home. Braxton Miller didn't play.

They nearly gave up 100 points in those two games. Sweet moral victories I guess.

 

[Shldr2Shldr]

Despite our struggles, we've still found at least one win against PAC teams just like we used to find that win or two in the Big 8/12 (Wazzou, Utah, Arizona, Cal). We have yet to go winless in Pac 12 play.

And Cal is absolutely awful or at least they were last year.

Cal lost to Northwestern by 14 at home. Northwestern didn't make a bowl game.
Cal lost to Ohio St by 18 at home. Braxton Miller didn't play.

They nearly gave up 100 points in those two games. Sweet moral victories I guess.

That OSU game wasn't a home game.

It was a buckeye game that happened to be played at Memorial Stadium.

 

[Daaah]

That OSU game wasn't a home game.

It was a buckeye game that happened to be played at Memorial Stadium.

Jesus. That's sad.

 

[Shldr2Shldr]

Jesus. That's sad.

I remember watching game this waiting on a CU game on Pac-12 Net and immediately feeling embarrased for them.

 

[TimmyDUBs]

I remember watching game this waiting on a CU game on Pac-12 Net and immediately feeling embarrased for them.

So overall it was a pretty embarrassing day?

 

[Shldr2Shldr]

So overall it was a pretty embarrassing day?

Probably

 

[8Jah]

6posts and all very negative of the CU program, I am wondering where you came from.

Long time fan. 95 Graduate. but new to these boards. I got so sick drinking koolaide the past 12 years that I now have koolaide resistance. I see genuine progress at CU, but it is more sober to think progress is incremental. I'll change my outlook a little if we wallop CSU, UH and, say, take ASU into overtime.

Right now I don't see us having the caliber of players the other PAC12 schools have (our secondary is the exception). MM can be a genius at getting one or two overlooked 2-stars like Gillam every year...and that may get us to were SJSU got...but that won't get us far in the PAC12. SJSU would have never been ranked if it played a power-5 schedule. It will take three or four years to get an entire team of Gillams and we need to do a better job of recruiting.

 

[Darth Snow]

Long time fan. 95 Graduate. but new to these boards. I got so sick drinking koolaide the past 12 years that I now have koolaide resistance. I see genuine progress at CU, but it is more sober to think progress is incremental. I'll change my outlook a little if we wallop CSU, UH and, say, take ASU into overtime.

Right now I don't see us having the caliber of players the other PAC12 schools have (our secondary is the exception). MM can be a genius at getting one or two overlooked 2-stars like Gillam every year...and that may get us to were SJSU got...but that won't get us far in the PAC12. SJSU would have never been ranked if it played a power-5 schedule. It will take three or four years to get an entire team of Gillams and we need to do a better job of recruiting.

I like the new guy. He subscribes to my newsletter, or I subscribe to his.

 

[Quattro]

Long time fan. 95 Graduate. but new to these boards. I got so sick drinking koolaide the past 12 years that I now have koolaide resistance. I see genuine progress at CU, but it is more sober to think progress is incremental. I'll change my outlook a little if we wallop CSU, UH and, say, take ASU into overtime.

Right now I don't see us having the caliber of players the other PAC12 schools have (our secondary is the exception). MM can be a genius at getting one or two overlooked 2-stars like Gillam every year...and that may get us to were SJSU got...but that won't get us far in the PAC12. SJSU would have never been ranked if it played a power-5 schedule. It will take three or four years to get an entire team of Gillams and we need to do a better job of recruiting.

Stop, people aren't drinking Kool Aid because we 're saying we're not going winless in conference play


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[8Jah]

If I recall they lost to NW after a turnover and then a turnover on downs due to desperation aggressiveness. The OSU game was also closer than the score.

I'll note that on the SB Nation prediction page for CAL they have the bears beating SAC state and us for two victories in 2014. They also feel that Cals problems last year, though severe, have simpler solutions than ours:

http://www.sbnation.com/college-foo...tball-2014-preview-schedule-roster/in/5665288

 

[TimmyDUBs]

If I recall they lost to NW after a turnover and then a turnover on downs due to desperation aggressiveness. The OSU game was also closer than the score.

I'll note that on the SB Nation prediction page for CAL they have the bears beating SAC state and us for two victories in 2014. They also feel that Cals problems last year, though severe, have simpler solutions than ours:

http://www.sbnation.com/college-foo...tball-2014-preview-schedule-roster/in/5665288

Cal has already had some injuries this off season. I don't know if we'll beat them in an away game, but I feel like the line should be a push.

 

[Buffnik]

Long time fan. 95 Graduate. but new to these boards. I got so sick drinking koolaide the past 12 years that I now have koolaide resistance. I see genuine progress at CU, but it is more sober to think progress is incremental. I'll change my outlook a little if we wallop CSU, UH and, say, take ASU into overtime.

Right now I don't see us having the caliber of players the other PAC12 schools have (our secondary is the exception). MM can be a genius at getting one or two overlooked 2-stars like Gillam every year...and that may get us to were SJSU got...but that won't get us far in the PAC12. SJSU would have never been ranked if it played a power-5 schedule. It will take three or four years to get an entire team of Gillams and we need to do a better job of recruiting.

In all honesty, I over-do the positivity at times somewhat to generate discussion on the board and mostly because I have more fun if I say "**** it, I'm going to roll with hope that it's all going to break the best possible way for the Buffs".

If I was a national writer, I'd probably predict 4 wins. 3-0 in the non-conference and a 1-8 conference record with a puncher's chance of going 3-6 in the Pac-12 to make a bowl game. I'd also have a very hard time trusting the Buffs against CSU, in a road game - especially traveling east, or against a running QB versus Hawaii. None of those games are being looked at as auto-losses by their fan bases.

And I get that a lot of CU fans have taken the attitude of: prove it before I give you my heart again. It's simple self preservation to expect the worst and then enjoy any sliver of good that might happen.

I do believe, though, that when we look at all the things that have happened at CU in the past 18 months it all points to very positive things going on everywhere. But it's damn hard to wrap our heads around that.

 

[Quattro]

If I recall they lost to NW after a turnover and then a turnover on downs due to desperation aggressiveness. The OSU game was also closer than the score.

I'll note that on the SB Nation prediction page for CAL they have the bears beating SAC state and us for two victories in 2014. They also feel that Cals problems last year, though severe, have simpler solutions than ours:

http://www.sbnation.com/college-foo...tball-2014-preview-schedule-roster/in/5665288

I'm not sure if you understand how bad Cal was last year. Dumpster fire is a good word to describe that program right now.

Also,
"X game was closer than the score"

-Signed me circa 2011 and 2012


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[Burrito]

I'm not sure if you understand how bad Cal was last year. Dumpster fire is a good word to describe that program right now.

Also,
"X game was closer than the score"

-Signed me circa 2011 and 2012


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Quit poking the new guy.

 

[CUwhit21]

If I recall they lost to NW after a turnover and then a turnover on downs due to desperation aggressiveness. The OSU game was also closer than the score.

I'll note that on the SB Nation prediction page for CAL they have the bears beating SAC state and us for two victories in 2014. They also feel that Cals problems last year, though severe, have simpler solutions than ours:

http://www.sbnation.com/college-foo...tball-2014-preview-schedule-roster/in/5665288

To refer to Northwestern as a ranked team is spin though. They went 4-7 after beating Cal.

OSU led by 25 during that game. Out gained Cal by 100 yards with their backup QB.

And they may very well beat us, but I think last year was a coaching issue more than a talent issue. I don't think the solution is simple when you have a coaching issue. Anyway, I just took exception to saying there are no weaknesses in the PAC. Cal was a very bad football team last season.

 

[8Jah]

Nearly a decade of torture and then 2012 just put a cold stake through my heart. I am like some kind of battered Yazidi refuge in survival mode...no hope or emotion, just cold reason.

The cold reason would have us the underdogs in every pac12 game. This is reflected in analyst reports and in the Vegas books (heck we are only at -2.5 over CSU right now). MM plays a style of football that takes care of business with the teams we are better than, but doesn't give us gimmicky chances against superior opponents, and I love that about him (see mike leach, sonny dykes and richRod for the opposite). Now we can always win a game or two if the ball bounces our way (especially if we bring down our differential), and with 9 chances it very well could one or two times. So it is reasonable to think that we could be 5-7. ...but on paper, looking at each game I think we are 3-9 and two of those three aren't going to come easy.

That said we are moving in the right direction and we need to stay the course. The new facilities are a great start but we need to continue to point out the recruiting gap.

 

[SINKRATZ]

I'm not sure if you understand how bad Cal was last year. Dumpster fire is a good word to describe that program right now.

Also,
"X game was closer than the score"

-Signed me circa 2011 and 2012


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What makes Cal such a dumpster fire? I keep hearing this. I know they were bad last year, but are they a program in turmoil or just a team coming off a ****ty season with a new coach? They had a coach in his first year with the program (just like us), and had a tougher OOC schedule with Portland St, Ohio St, and NW (versus CSU and two FCS schools). On paper they are having a decent recruiting class, and have a returning starter at QB, so I'm not ready put them in the category of the 2012 Buffs.

 

[somebody]

4-8

+1

 

[Quattro]

Nearly a decade of torture and then 2012 just put a cold stake through my heart. I am like some kind of battered Yazidi refuge in survival mode...no hope or emotion, just cold reason.

The cold reason would have us the underdogs in every pac12 game. This is reflected in analyst reports and in the Vegas books (heck we are only at -2.5 over CSU right now). MM plays a style of football that takes care of business with the teams we are better than, but doesn't give us gimmicky chances against superior opponents, and I love that about him (see mike leach, sonny dykes and richRod for the opposite). Now we can always win a game or two if the ball bounces our way (especially if we bring down our differential), and with 9 chances it very well could one or two times. So it is reasonable to think that we could be 5-7. ...but on paper, looking at each game I think we are 3-9 and two of those three aren't going to come easy.

That said we are moving in the right direction and we need to stay the course. The new facilities are a great start but we need to continue to point out the recruiting gap.

First, get over 2012. There is a reason why that staff is gone and that season was an anomaly. Also seems like you're jumping to a conclusion that you have no idea if it's true or not, regarding the gimmicky chances. We're not going 0-9 in conference play, we're just not.

What makes Cal such a dumpster fire? I keep hearing this. I know they were bad last year, but are they a program in turmoil or just a team coming off a ****ty season with a new coach? They had a coach in his first year with the program (just like us), and had a tougher OOC schedule with Portland St, Ohio St, and NW (versus CSU and two FCS schools). On paper they are having a decent recruiting class, and have a returning starter at QB, so I'm not ready put them in the category of the 2012 Buffs.

Both

As for the 2012 comment...

All Buff fans need to know about the Cal Bears in 2013 is that they looked a great deal like the CU Buffs of 2012.Yes … they were that bad.

Cal went 1-11 last season, the 11 losses being the most in school history. The one victory came over Portland State from the Big Sky Conference, and even that was a 37-30 struggle. Every team the Bears went up against scored at least 30 points, with five teams (including Colorado with 41) posting their highest or second-highest point total of the season. Every team except Portland State posted at least 448 yards of total offense (CU had 485), with seven opponents going for over 500 and three over 600 total yards.

More numbers? Cal allowed 7.08 yards per play, last amongst major-college programs (CU surrendered 7.11 in 2012, but dropped to 6.08 in 2013). The defense gave up 6,355 in total yards (CU gave up 5,862 in 2012). In the last eight games of the 2013 season, opposing quarterbacks completed 68% of their pass attempts against Cal, with 24 touchdowns to only two interceptions.
And one last stat … opposing teams had 61 fourth quarter pass attempts – all season.

In the 2013 season finale, in the Big Game against rival Stanford, the Bears were embarrassed, 63-13.

Yes … they were that bad.

http://www.cuatthegame.com/2014/no-10-california/