Baylor and RG III – The End of an Error?

Colorado drove as far as the Baylor 19-yard line in the final minute, but a desperation pass from Tyler Hansen to Toney Clemons fell incomplete, preserving a 31-25 victory for the Baylor Bears in Boulder. The loss left the Buffs with a 3-3 record for the 2010 season, with bowl hopes, so much in view after Colorado upset Georgia to run its record to 3-1, suddenly fading.

The game started well for the Colorado offense, as the Buffs took the opening kickoff and marched from their 20-yard line to the 34-yard line of Baylor. The optimism which permeated through the sun-drenched crowd of 48,953 quickly dissipated, though, when junior quarterback Tyler Hansen was intercepted on a first-and-ten at the 34 by Baylor safety Byron Landor.

Setting up shop at the Colorado 46-yard line after Landor’s 32-yard return, Baylor quickly returned the favor of a turnover. On the Bears’ second play from scrimmage, running back Jay Findley fumbled, with junior safety Patrick Mahnke recovering for the Buffs at the Colorado 26-yard line.

The End of an Error?

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Will the loss to Baylor be the final straw?

Will this be the game which finally brings to an end the all too frustrating Dan Hawkins’ era?

Well, “no” … and “yes”.

Dan Hawkins will be on the sidelines for the Texas Tech game next weekend. In all likelihood, Hawkins will be patrolling the sidelines at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln the day after Thanksgiving.

But that should be it.

Six weeks from now, the 31-25 loss to Baylor will be looked as being the turning point of the 2010 season.

A win over the Bears would have given the Buffs a 4-2 record at the midway point. With three winnable home games left on the calendar (plus a winnable game on the road against hapless Kansas), the Buffs would have been on their way to a winning season, or at least a 6-6 record and a bowl game. With his first winning season still a possibility, Dan Hawkins might have found a way to save his job for yet another year.

Can the Buffs out-score the Baylor Bears’ high-powered offense? This week’s “T.I.P.S.” provide an answer …

Fearless Forecasts … Circle November 6th on your calendar …