Depth Chart Deep Dive – Defense

Will Year Two of the Tyson Summers’ defense be a significant upgrade on Year One? (96th in scoring defense; 104 in total defense) … Who will join Nate Landman on the All-Pac-12 team this fall? How many freshmen defensive backs will play? …

CU is 2-5 on 10/25 … CU has five losses on this date to ranked teams, but the one win over a ranked team – No. 3 Nebraska in 1986 – is, in my 40+ years of being a CU fan, THE game … 2019: CU blows two-score lead against USC – Essay: “Loyalty: What it Means to be a CU fan” …

CU is 1-3-1 on 10/23 … Games of Frustration … 1982: 14-14 game at halftime becomes a 31-14 loss to Iowa State … 1993: No. 16 CU forced to settle for 16-16 tie with Kansas State on last second field goal … 1999: Gary Barnett’s first road win at CU is a tough 16-12 win at Iowa State …

CU is 3-3 on 10/22 … 1981: No. 1 Nebraska plays like it, taking out CU, 69-19 … 1994: No. 2 CU sets up showdown with Nebraska with 35-21 win over No. 19 Kansas State … 2016: Buffs become bowl-eligible for the first time since 2007 with 10-5 road win at Stanford …

Finally! After 11 months, we get a chance to talk – really talk – about CU football … The Podcast is a unit-by-unit preview of the CU offense … Brendon Lewis not an option at QB? (But Sam Noyer is?) … Who will be the new star wide receiver? … Will CU (finally) use its tight ends? …

CU has a 2-3 record on 10/21 … 1989: Senior tailback J.J. Flannigan ran for 178 yards and three TD’s, leading No. 3 CU to a 49-17 rout of Kansas … 1995: No. 9 CU rallies to take out Iowa State, 50-28 … 2000: A 23-15 loss to Kansas – Gary Barnett: “We just didn’t have it in us” …

CU has a 1-5 record on 10/20 … 1984: Buffs lead No. 5 Nebraska 7-3 after three, but can’t hold lead (a portend of the ’86 game) … 1990: Buffs dominate Kansas, 41-10 … 2012: Matt Barkley throws for six touchdowns in USC’s 50-6 laugher over the Buffs …

CU is 5-1 on 10/19 … Buffs were undefeated on this date – until they were routed by Washington State last year … 1991: No. 22 CU uses two 99-yard drives to top No. 12 Oklahoma, 34-17 … 1996: No. 9 Buffs take out Kansas, 20-7 … 2002: No. 23 CU routs Baylor, 34-0 …

CU is 3-3 on 10/18 … 1986: 1-4 CU rolls 4-1 Iowa State, 31-3, setting up the epic 20-10 win over Nebraska a week later … 2008: Freshman QB Tyler Hansen tears off his red-shirt in late October to lead Buffs to a 14-13 win over Kansas State …