Random thoughts from the game…
Went with my girlfriend (soon to be fiancé), who is a fellow CU alum, and her parents and brother, Ducks season ticket holders (but not alums, shocker) that live in southern Oregon. Beautiful facilities and excellent pregame festivities. The significant other’s parents commented that the CU alum tent was the best alum presence they’d seen at a home game. RG needs to figure out how to upgrade Folsom. The concourses, restrooms, and vendors were incredibly easy to navigate. During a long TV break, you could take a whiz, grab a beer, and be back in your seat without missing a snap.
The gf and I had seats in what I thought was the visitor’s section. Wrong. Surrounded by the rudest and most passive aggressive fans I’ve been around. ****heads, the lot of them. There are an incredible amount of ugly and fat people in Oregon. I was expecting a crowd more akin to Boulder than Lincoln. Wrong again. In fairness, the fans are very passionate and that’s the loudest stadium I’ve been in. (I’ve been to most of the Big XII and Pac-12 venues, the old Mile High for playoff games, the new Mile High, Ball Arena, including for Nugs playoff and Finals games this year - I don’t recall anything as loud as Autzen.)
Several other Oregon fans apologized to us for the behavior of the 20 or so obnoxious assholes around us. Also good interactions pre-game with Oregon fans and vendors. So I don’t mean to indict the entire fan base. Eugene is not Lincoln.
As for the game, most of the posters here have nailed it. The lines are atrocious. Shedeur has either got to make a quicker read or take a sack. He can’t run back an 10 extra yards. It’s been alluded to already, our receivers didn’t have the speed and athleticism to create space or beat Oregon defenders after the catch. This was a glaring difference from the first three games and may show itself again next week. After that, I think we’ll see offensive success akin to the first three weeks. Unless we figure **** out quick, however, next week may be rough on the offensive side of the ball. The only thing I was disappointed in yesterday was effort. (I thought the spread was about right going in.) We had to play with our hair on fire to have any chance and we looked complacent or even lazy at times.
This is part of Coach Prime’s story. Of course I wish we won, but none of us thought we were going undefeated this year. I didn’t leave the game disappointed but hopeful. As I said to my girlfriend’s family postgame, I would not be surprised if Coach Prime pushes to get a 1:1 with Oregon on a future slate. That’s who he is. And we keep receipts. Go Buffs