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Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
The Battle of the Bovidae.
Game / History
The Colorado Buffaloes kick off their 2024 season this Thursday, August 29th, at 6:00 P.M. against FCS powerhouse North Dakota State. Expect Folsom Field to be packed and “striped-out” in black and white, as the hype surrounding the Buffaloes has reached new heights with the program entering its second year under Deion Sanders.
This will be Colorado’s first-ever matchup against the Bison, who have a history of toppling FBS teams with a total record of 7-4 against them. Despite that record, NDSU hasn’t upset an FBS program since 2016. With a brand new coaching staff, led by former Wyoming offensive coordinator Tim Polasek, the Bison will look to capitalize on the media attention surrounding this revamped Buffaloes program and steal a win on the road.
What To Look For From The Buffs
Coming into this game Colorado is looking to snap a six game losing streak that concluded the 2023 season, however many of the starters are transfers so don’t expect any negative momentum to carry over. This offseason we saw the addition of important transfers on the offensive side of the ball such as the electric receiver LaJohntay Wester from FAU, a true outside threat in the receiver Will Sheppard from Vanderbilt, and the Ohio State transfer Dallen Hayden at running back. Colorado is also expecting significant improvement at O-line, with a completely new group expected to start. These improvements could allow Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter to take this offense to new heights, as the talent around them only got better.
This offseason, Deion also relied on the transfer portal to rebuild a defensive front that struggled to get to the quarterback and stop the run last season, so expect to see new faces at nearly every position. One of Colorado’s biggest additions defensively is Pitt standout rusher, Dayon Hayes. Hayes should generate pressure in passing down situations from the outside, with Arizona State transfer B.J. Green on the opposite side of the new defensive line. In total, Colorado added 42 transfers, and many of these players will start Thursday in the season opener. Colorado has to have bowl game aspirations this season after starting out 3-0 last season, and we’ll need to see these transfers step-up if Colorado expects to play into December.
What To Look For From the Bison
North Dakota State’s team and coaching staff don’t come into this game feeling like the underdogs. They are led by 4th year starter Cam Miller at quarterback, and newly signed head coach Tim Polasek, who has spent 10 years with NDSU’s program in the past and recently had success as an offensive coordinator in 2023 at Wyoming. Last year Polasek’s offense led the Cowboys to a 9-4 record, their best since 1996. This team expects to be stronger offensively this season, however there are no guarantees for NDSU especially after losing their standout receiver, Eli Green, who transferred to Iowa State.
Schematically this is a team who looks to out-pace you, out-work you, and wear you down with body blows. They play a physical style of football seldom seen anymore, leading tempers to flare. When playing at a high level, this team expects the quarterback to lead the team with his misdirection and his game knowledge. Experienced quarterback Cam Miller will most likely continue to have success. Miller has played well three straight seasons for NDSU and always protects the football in big moments. This team feels confident that Cam Miller will be able to lead them to another FBS upset.
Match-Ups
The high-powered Buffaloes offense is going to look to score as often as possible as they believe their talent outside the numbers is far superior. They will utilize four and five wide sets, where body blows are executed through the quick passing game. The knockout punch, so-to-speak, could come in many forms. Expect to see Will Sheppard on back shoulder fades against man coverage, Jimmy Horn on deep posts or corners against softer zones, and Travis Hunter anywhere and everywhere. Just like last season, the running back position will probably be done as a committee with Charlie Offerdahl and Dallen Hayden leading the way. Defensively, expect to see lots of cover 1 and cover 3, with Shilo Sanders as the focal point playing a metaphorical center field. This unit expects to generate turnovers, making the Buffs must watch football.
NDSU’s offensive scheme will ensure that your defensive coaches stay on their toes. Big plays come from everywhere. This is a fast paced offense that relies on run-pass options, option runs, and backfield misdirection to generate big plays. Expect six to seven guys to touch the ball frequently offensively, as this offense is anything but one-dimensional. Coaching changes will make offensive schemes tougher to predict for the Buffs, so Colorado needs to be ready for anything from NDSU’s offense. Defensively, NDSU is mostly a smaller, scrappier team. Colorado will most likely still score points in bunches as this is where the true mismatch lies. The Buffaloes are bigger and faster, don’t be shocked if the Buffs drop 40 points on the Bison.
Prediction
CU: 41
NDSU: 24
by Jacob.Thompson
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