Sept. 28th – UCLA – The New Normal?

On a colder than expected Friday evening (46-degrees at kickoff), a Blackout Folsom field crowd of 46,814 was on hand to watch Colorado raise its record to 4-0 record for the first time since 1998, using a big second half to pull away from UCLA, 38-16.

Quarterback Steven Montez went 22-of-26 for 237 yards and a touchdown, with 11 carries for 81 yards and two more scores to lead the Buffs. Wide receiver Laviska Shenault had 12 receptions for 126 yards and a touchdown, also carrying the ball five time for 18 yards and another score. The rushing attack was led by Travon McMillian, who had 21 carries for 102 yards and a touchdown.

In all, Colorado out-gained UCLA, 477 yards to 289, with the Buffs dominating the second half. In the first half, the scoreboard and the stats sheet were about even, with CU holding a slight edge in total yards – 196-191 – and an even slimmer margin on the scoreboard, at 14-13. In the second half, however, the Buffs pulled away, scoring the final 24 points of the game after UCLA had taken a 16-14 lead early in the third quarter.

The last time Colorado opened a season with a 4-0 record – in 1998 – Rick Neuheisel was still at his first head coaching job.

Armageddon was the highest grossing movie of the year. Rainbow Six by Tom Clancy was the New York Times No 1 best seller.

And over half of CU’s 2018 roster wasn’t even born.

When I say that Colorado’s 38-16 win over UCLA represents “the new normal” for the Buffs, I am not suggesting that the program is at a place where going undefeated for any significant stretches in time is to be expected, much less taken for granted.

What I am suggesting is that the University of Colorado, a national punchline for six of its first seven seasons as a member of the Pac-12 conference, may have turned a page.

Grades for the Buffs for the 38-16 win over the Bruins … My Pac-12 Power Rankings: How does CU and Saturday’s opponent, Arizona State rate compared to the rest of the conference? …

CU lone unbeaten Pac-12 team … Cal defense no match for Oregon offense … No. 8 Stanford thumped by No. 7 Notre Dame, 38-17 (Bryce Love leaves with injury) … Utah 0-2 in Pac-12 play after 28-24 loss to Washington State … No. 11 Washington makes a statement with rout of No. 20 BYU …

Game Day info … Injury report: WR Jaylon Jackson; LB Akil Jones may make debuts … MacIntyre: Buffs not taking Bruins lightly … CU athletics receives a $3.1 million donation … Neill Woelk: Five Keys for Buffs v. Bruins …

Where did the term “bye” originate? … CU v. UCLA – historically and statistically … How Buffs stack up nationally … Darian Hagan’s 250th game … The last time Stanford and Notre Dame played one another when both were undefeated was …

Your “T.I.P.S.” for Friday night … CU is favored by ten points, but recent history of the hints at a close game … Who will start at running back for the Bruins as much an issue as to who will start at quarterback … If we’re going on stats alone, Buffs are the clear favorite …

Pac-12 Power Rankings has Stanford at No. 1 (I have CU at No. 6) … Bye Week Musings: Nebraska doesn’t have the Big Ten powers “running scared” … CSU had 26,259 on hand (wink, wink) for Illinois State game … Why Old Dominion’s win over Virginia Tech matters to CU …

CU is giving up only 18.3 points per game – can that success be sustained? … The defensive line play has been a pleasant surprise, and Nate Landman is a beast … But can the Buffs continue to win games with long touchdowns surrendered (and no interceptions) from the defensive backs? …

With a bye week between non-conference and conference games, it’s a good time to give out CU’s “preseason” grades … The offense exceeded expectations (41 points per game; 494.0 yards per game) … Will those numbers hold in Pac-12 play? …

No. 10 Washington holds off a late Arizona State rally to win, 27-20 … Stanford stuns Oregon in OT, 38-31 … Arizona posts 442 rushing yards in 35-21 win over Oregon State … USC holds on to defeat WSU, 39-36 …

Chip to host golf tournament to raise money for spirit squad – and a new t-shirt cannon … Mike MacIntyre post-practice talk with media (Fri.) … BuffStampede video featuring Joel Klatt …

CU over 30 points in first three games for the first time in 23 years … Both Oregon schools are home underdogs this weekend … Laviska Shenault in the top ten nationally in three categories …

How would you rate CU’s performance against New Hampshire? … With the Pac-12 South going 2-4 this weekend (and the Pac-12 North going 6-0), where would you place CU in the Pac-12 Power Rankings? …