SF Husky Wrote:After watching WVU, I am not so confident of their chances on the road against Colorado. I hope they come through.

Colorado struggled to beat Colorado State, who Syracuse could match up with easily, before pulling away late (38-17). They also struggled against FBS opponent Eastern Washington (31-24). WVU should easily handle Colorado, even if the defensive problems aren't ironed out. Villanova might be a better team than the Buffs this year. Hawkins' team isn't as improved as everyone thought. Here's the proof...

The Denver Post Wrote:CU's late plays save nail-biter
Contest was too close for comfort
By Woody Paige
The Denver Post
Article Last Updated: 09/07/2008 12:09:50 AM MDT

BOULDER — The source of that sudden late-afternoon airstream across the Flatirons was 46,417 men, women and Buffaloes exhaling simultaneously at Folsom Field.

Gasp. It wasn't a breather.

Eastern Washington University, which plays in Eastern Washington and obscurity, was about two minutes, two interceptions and two major penalties away from achieving the biggest upset in the team's 100-year football history.

"Whew," said Colorado coach Dan Hawkins.

CU has to quit scheduling schools from the Championship Football Subdivision (the NCAA's fancy way of describing the former Division I-AA) or start playing more like a team from Division I in home openers — or Hawkins will be coaching intramurals.

In Hawkins' first game as the Buffs coach in 2006, he and they lost to Montana State 19-10. Saturday, Colorado was losing to Eastern Washington 21-7 in the third quarter, and 24-17 with 2:06 to go.

Seldom was heard an encouraging word on a day that felt like autumn. And the Buffs were riding for the fall. They were booed as they departed for the locker room at halftime. At the end, with most heads bowed, the players looked as depressed as the guys from Cheney, Wash. The sizable crowd let the air out and went home unimpressed.

As did Eastern Washington defensive back Ryan Kelly.

"I don't like to talk bad about teams, but (the Buffs) aren't going to get that far in the Big 12. They aren't playing like a Big 12 team. They're playing like a Big Sky team."

Kelly could wind up as a sports columnist. The Eagles are from the Big Sky, as is the aforementioned Montana State, Sacramento State (which almost beat CSU on Saturday) and Northern Colorado.

The Buffs also should avoid UNC in the future.

This was supposed to be a cupcake-eating contest before the struggle with West Virginia — which had its own serious problems Saturday, being throttled by East Carolina 24-3.

But in the first half, it was Eastern Washington doing the cake-walking. The Buffs were outpassed by the Eagles (179-97) and outrun by the new Ralphie mascot (200-66).

The students and alumni who chose football-viewing over rock-climbing and tree-hugging gathered at intermission and wondered aloud why Colorado had two ugly turnovers, five ugly penalties, 163 measly yards, seven measly points and a senseless spike.

Here's an example of CU nonsense Saturday:

With the clock running down to 1 minute in the first half, the Buffs picked up a first down on a Cody Hawkins pass play at the Eastern Washington 16-yard line. The clock is automatically stopped on first downs, but under a new rule, will be started again before the snap. Nonetheless, there was plenty of time for several pass plays.

But Hawkins, oddly enough, spiked the ball to stop the clock again, and wasted a play.

Maybe the Buffs believed the officials would give them a fifth down reminiscent of 1990. They didn't.

On second down, a pass was incomplete, and, on third down, a pass resulted in a 2-yard loss. The Buffs then missed a 35-yard field goal, and Eastern Washington got the ball — with 25 seconds still left.

If Eastern Washington is in the "Championship Football Subdivision," Colorado acted like it belonged in a Broomfield subdivision.

Sure, the Buffs won, but . . . "I told the players you don't get caught up in the decal across the side of the helmet," the elder Hawkins said. (Just for the record, Eastern Washington does have a weird helmet logo.)

The Buffs don't play Central Washington or Western Washington next season, do they?

After several "buts" about it, the Buffs did win — on a Hawkins' 2-yard scoring pass to tie at 2:05, a 27-yard interception return by cornerback Cha'pelle Brown for the (first) go-ahead touchdown at 1:44 and an interception by safety D.J. Dykes in the end zone with 3 seconds to play.

In the second half, CU dropped as many as eight players in pass coverage, and Hawkins did end up completing 28-of-38 attempts for 261 yards, but the Buffs should have run it more often at the Eagles from the beginning, particularly with the freshman S's — Darrell Scott and Rodney Stewart. And the Eagles destroyed themselves with a ridiculous personal foul on their final field goal and an even more ridiculous unnecessary roughness penalty later — and the two ridiculous, foul, unnecessary interceptions.

"Fortunately, we came out with a 'W,'" Dan Hawkins said.

And rather fortuitously, too.

Breathe deep, Buffs.

Woody Paige: 303-954-1095 or wpaige@denverpost.com.

So I figure the Mountaineers should get back on track in short order...

rferry Wrote:ACC: 2-5 vs. BCS (Baylor, Bama, South Carolina, USC, Miss, Northwestern, Florida)

Wow! Baylor and Ole Miss, worst teams in their respective conferneces. And it took a last-second FG to take care of Ole Miss. IMPRESSIVE!

Shannon Panther Wrote:I misread your post, my bad on the math.What we had here was a failure to communicate, or me to exercise reading comprehension.

You have 1/3 more members than the BE and thus more opportunity. So 4 games against ranked teams vs 3 for the BE is right in line, we're even. We have the same winning percentage in those games, we're even. No matter how you slice it you are arguing that you are the taller midget. This week we play each other twice, UConn - VA & Rutgers-UNC. This can be settled on the field, but I suspect we will split the two games and the debate will rage on. Lets see where we both end up at the end of the year. Nobody cares who is winning the Kentucky Derby after a few furlongs, but rather when they cross the finish line.

BTW, what the heck happened to the Terps? I live in Nashville and considered going to the game but given the whooping Troy laid on MTSU I passed figuring it would be a blowout.

All very great points. A few clarifications:
- My purpose here is not to represent the ACC or Maryland, but merely to discuss the Big East. It's an interesting conference with a number of challenges ahead (and luckily behind it, such as the BCS question following Miami's departure).
One of its biggest challenges is its reputation as the worst (or one of the worst, with the ACC) BCS football conference.
The other is its reputation as lacking solid top tier teams. The perception around the country is the league is just West Virginia. Louisville (boy, is that BCS win losing some value), USF, Rutgers and other Big East members are lucky to have a chance to be #2 in a conference. 6 winnable conference games and many OOC games can get a mediocre team get a winning record and in the polls. It does not help that these programs can not sustain the success. Louisville won a BCS game 2 years ago and is now letting Kentucky embarrass them on their home turf. As you know, Pittsburgh was in 4 years ago and followed that up with a losing record and has nothing since (except play spoiler last year, which somehow along with expectations they'd pass through an easy schedule, got them ranked this year). The list of Big East schools to have one or two good years and sink back into mediocrity goes on and on. It is not parity bringing everyone up and some down, it's looking like many of these programs never really rose beyond mediocrity. They merely benefited from easy schedules and the perception that being #2 in the Big East is meaningful.

Pitt didn't deserve to be in 4 years ago, and it showed...

rferry Wrote:All very great points. A few clarifications:
- My purpose here is not to represent the ACC or Maryland, but merely to discuss the Big East. It's an interesting conference with a number of challenges ahead (and luckily behind it, such as the BCS question following Miami's departure).
One of its biggest challenges is its reputation as the worst (or one of the worst, with the ACC) BCS football conference.
The other is its reputation as lacking solid top tier teams. The perception around the country is the league is just West Virginia. Louisville (boy, is that BCS win losing some value), USF, Rutgers and other Big East members are lucky to have a chance to be #2 in a conference. 6 winnable conference games and many OOC games can get a mediocre team get a winning record and in the polls. It does not help that these programs can not sustain the success. Louisville won a BCS game 2 years ago and is now letting Kentucky embarrass them on their home turf. As you know, Pittsburgh was in 4 years ago and followed that up with a losing record and has nothing since (except play spoiler last year, which somehow along with expectations they'd pass through an easy schedule, got them ranked this year). The list of Big East schools to have one or two good years and sink back into mediocrity goes on and on. It is not parity bringing everyone up and some down, it's looking like many of these programs never really rose beyond mediocrity. They merely benefited from easy schedules and the perception that being #2 in the Big East is meaningful.

The reason some of this stuff is happening is because BE is going through some coaching changes.

- WVU, UL and Syracuse.

USF is building a solid program and is getting plenty of attention nationwide. They just need to win some big games like this FRI.

UCONN is building a solid program but no one is willing to give it credit. Edsall is not about flash. He is building a program based on the Tom Coughlin philosophy. Defense, defense, run, run and some pass. It might not be flashy, but it is designed for the Northeast in cold winters. Last I check Giants won a super bowl so this style is working at some place. UCONN has improved steadily. UCONN has kept the coach for 10 years now.

Cincy is also a rising program with a good coach. If they can keep him, they will be good.

Pitt and Cuse need to fire their coach cause they both suck. RU got a lot hype but Schiano to me is another lousy coach who can recruit but always get out coached on game days.

Who cares about reputation? We keep winning bowl games, that's what matters.

To the rest of the nation, reputation guides perception. But perceptions can be changed. Winning will do that...

stpnum4 Wrote:Who cares about reputation? We keep winning bowl games, that's what matters.

Your #2 beating the #3 of another conference or #3 vs. #6, #4 vs. #9, etc. don't really help improve the situation.

njndirish Wrote:Of course ESPN's darling, the ACC, hasn't been thrown under the doesn't belong bus yet. How many straight years have they lost in the BCS?

Are you surprised? Disney likes the ACC and owns ESPN!

rferry Wrote:

mlb Wrote:Give us a call when you guys finally win a BCS game.

Give us a call when some one credible joins the conference of unwanted leftovers. Being the league of West Virginia and lucky #2s won't last for long. Even in something as prestigious as the race for worst BCS conference.

Yawn, Maryland and BCS Bowls, NOT!!!

rferry Wrote:

stpnum4 Wrote:Who cares about reputation? We keep winning bowl games, that's what matters.

Your #2 beating the #3 of another conference or #3 vs. #6, #4 vs. #9, etc. don't really help improve the situation.

True, but our #1's beating the #1's of the SEC, Big 12, and - gasp - the ACC sure as hell do

After getting owned by Omnicarrier I am surprised that rferry is still here.

I mean is it coincidence that he shows up again when the BE has started pretty poorly this year?

Hoquista Wrote:After getting owned by Omnicarrier I am surprised that rferry is still here.

I mean is it coincidence that he shows up again when the BE has started pretty poorly this year?

One will lead to the other, it seems...

Jose_Jalapeno_on_a_Stick Wrote:

rferry Wrote:

stpnum4 Wrote:Who cares about reputation? We keep winning bowl games, that's what matters.

Your #2 beating the #3 of another conference or #3 vs. #6, #4 vs. #9, etc. don't really help improve the situation.

True, but our #1's beating the #1's of the SEC, Big 12, and - gasp - the ACC sure as hell do

I believe you mean your one #1, West Virginia.
Louisville having one great season and beating the worst ACC champion in years isn't very impressive. It merely plays into the stereotype that there's no other credible program in the Big East.

rferry Wrote:I believe you mean your one #1, West Virginia.
Louisville having one great season and beating the worst ACC champion in years isn't very impressive. It merely plays into the stereotype that there's no other credible program in the Big East.

Well, following your logic then the Big East still has 1 more credible program than the ACC has. When was your last BCS win?

mlb Wrote:

rferry Wrote:I believe you mean your one #1, West Virginia.
Louisville having one great season and beating the worst ACC champion in years isn't very impressive. It merely plays into the stereotype that there's no other credible program in the Big East.

Well, following your logic then the Big East still has 1 more credible program than the ACC has. When was your last BCS win?

Rferry, your like a soldier who goes into a battle with what he thinks are superior weapons, but your enemy keeps taking your weapons from you and using them against you.