Colorado Daily

—

Colorado Daily – Cincinnati Week

—

October 23rd

… CU in a few minutes … 

*Meet the Press: Edge rusher Arden Walker/RB Isaiah Augustave*

🦬 EDGE Arden Walker (@walker_arden) addressed the media for the first time this season.

The Legacy Buff spoke on playing for Coach Lew, Sapp and Dancy, fitting the run better, getting after the QB, and more. pic.twitter.com/GERiQAjJQW

— Mat Smith (@RealMatSmith) October 23, 2024

–

Isaiah Augustave on what drives him as a football player:

“I got a little girl at home. I just want to be able to provide for her.” pic.twitter.com/AKkPOdM5PA

— DNVR Buffs (@DNVR_Buffs) October 23, 2024

–

—

*John Snelson’s Arizona game video*

Colorado vs Arizona#GoBuffs pic.twitter.com/1oLeuzpvGU

— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) October 23, 2024

–

—–

October 22nd 

… CU in a few minutes … 

Coach Prime: “We could be in a much better place, but we control our own destiny, and we like that”

From CUBuffs.com … Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes know very well what’s at stake over the last five games of the season.

The Buffs, 5-2 overall and 3-1 in Big 12 play, currently sit in a four-way tie for third place in the conference standings, just one game behind co-leaders BYU and Iowa State. That puts Colorado squarely in contention for a Big 12 championship game berth and the College Football Playoff bid that goes to the winner.

Thus, every game has the feel of an elimination game, beginning with Saturday’s nationally televised 8:15 p.m. matchup with Cincinnati (5-2, 3-1) at Folsom Field (ESPN).

“We could be in a much better place, but we control our own destiny, and we like that,” Coach Prime said Tuesday at his weekly press conference. “So we’re going to apply pressure not only to our own team, not only to the coaches, but we’re going to apply pressure to the opposing teams, because we want to win out, and we cannot do that without winning Saturday.”

The Bearcats, one of the surprising teams thus far in the Big 12, have been playing solid football. They boast a balanced offense (172 yards rushing, 279 yards passing per game) and a stingy defense that has been yielding less than 20 points per game. Their only losses came by one point, 28-27, to unbeaten Pitt and by three to Texas Tech in a wild 44-41 shootout.

“They’re playing really good football,” Coach Prime said. “If you match up statistically, we’re kind of right there with one another. Our defense may have the edge a little bit, but offensively, they have a lot more balance with running and passing the football. I like what they’re doing. They’re not flashy and it’s not a sexy thing, but they get the job done, and I love the way they attack.”

 But the Buffs have been crafting their own attack style in recent weeks on both sides of the ball.

Offensively, CU is averaging 31 points and almost 400 yards per game. The Buffs are second in the Big 12 in passing with 324 yards per game, with quarterback Shedeur Sanders leading the league in touchdown passes (19), completion percentage (72.2) and passing efficiency (161.6).

But the big story for the Buffs in recent weeks has been the emergence of an opportunistic, attacking defense. Colorado has recorded 16 sacks in the last three games and now leads the conference in total sacks for the season with 21. CU also leads the league in red zone defense with just 17 opponent scores in 25 opportunities and the Buffs have now forced 13 turnovers, which they’ve converted into 38 points.

… Continue reading story here …

–

—

*Coach Prime Weekly Press Conference* 

At 1:28 mark – DL Keaton Wade … At 9:41 mark – OL Jordan Seaton … At 45:20 Coach Prime … 

… “Travis is better than last week. He’s feeling much better than last week. A little more pep in his step. He will certainly contribute more this week, because he’s healthier” …

–

—–

October 21st 

… CU in a few minutes … 

5430 Alliance announces partnership with Taco Bell

Press Release from 5430 Alliance … Boulder, CO (October 21, 2024) – 5430 Alliance, the official NIL Collective for CU Athletics, is thrilled to announce an exciting new partnership with Taco Bell. This collaboration aims to engage the local community while supporting University of Colorado athletes in their quest for excellence both on and off the field.

As part of this unique partnership, Taco Bell will host a special event at participating locations on October 22, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Every customer visiting the drive-thru will receive a free Cantina Taco during this hour. CU Buffs Football athletes LaJohntay and Jaylen Wester will also attend as special guests at the Baseline Road location, bringing energy and fun to Buffs fans driving through. In addition, Taco Bell will donate $50 for each transaction made during this period to the Taco Bell Foundation, reinforcing its commitment to community engagement and educational initiatives.

5430 Alliance is excited to align with a brand as iconic and community-focused as Taco Bell. This partnership will directly benefit CU athletes as the 5430 Alliance continues its mission to empower student-athletes, retain top talent, and help CU compete at the highest levels of collegiate sports.

“This collaboration with Taco Bell represents a significant step in our efforts to engage with our community and enhance support for our athletes,” said Natalie Sharp, Executive Director of the 5430 Alliance. “We are grateful for Taco Bell’s support and are proud to partner with a brand that shares our values of excellence and community impact.”

The funds generated through this initiative will not only support the Taco Bell Foundation but will also directly benefit the student-athletes at CU, helping to ensure they have the resources and opportunities necessary to excel in their collegiate sports careers. By fostering this partnership, we are cultivating a culture of support that extends beyond the field, creating lasting benefits for both our athletes and the Boulder community.

For more information about the event or the 5430 Alliance, please visit www.5430alliance.com or contact us at natalie@5430alliance.com.

–

—

Alejandro Mata named Big 12 Special Teams Player-of-the-Week

Press release from the Big 12 …

IRVING, Texas – The Baylor tandem of Sawyer Robertson (offensive) and Bryson Washington (newcomer), Kansas’ Cobee Bryant (defensive) and Colorado’s Alejandro Mata (special teams) received the Conference’s weekly honors after helping guide their teams to wins on Saturday.

Mata was perfect on all six of his kicks in Colorado’s win at Arizona, accounting for 10 points. The junior connected on field goal attempts from 28 and 34 yards and was a perfect four-for-four on extra points. Mata’s six makes helped Colorado win a second consecutive road game by 27 or more points for the first time since 1987 while aiding the Buffaloes to become the first Big 12 team to win back-to-back conference road games by 27 or more points since Oklahoma in 2015.

–

—

CU moves up to No. 32 in CBS 1-134 rankings

From CBS Sports … If you look at the logos on the helmets or the names in the rankings it can be difficult to describe what we have in college football this season as “parity,” but with another changing of the guard at No. 1 there is definitely more uncertainty than usual regarding the very best teams in the sport.

As we prepare to enter Week 9  the latest update of the CBS Sports 134 — our comprehensive ranking of every FBS team as voted on by experts from CBS Sports and 247Sports — shows not only another change at No. 1 but a new team taking over that top spot. With Texas’ loss to Georgia on Saturday night in Austin comes a shake-up for the entire top five, and the result is Oregon taking over at No. 1 for the first time this season.

Our voters have reacted to eight weeks of college football and in doing so have collectively switched out the No. 1 team four times. And while no one should be surprised the likes of Georgia, Texas, Alabama or Oregon are competing for those top spots, the fact that all have made such a strong impression early in the year sets up well for the title race that’s in our future. When you add in Ohio State, Penn State, Miami and others — all teams that have been near the top of the rankings for weeks just not in the No. 1 spot — and what we have is a robust set of contenders for the sport’s top prizes in 2024. Again, it’s not parity as much as it is intrigue, since we know the stakes are higher and the field is larger in this new playoff era.

Biggest movers

• No. 35 Cincinnati (+19): The Bearcats haven’t logged enough top-end wins to really build a case for the top 25, but keep your eye on this group in the weeks ahead. Cincinnati is 5-2 on the year and the only losses have been to Pitt by one point and at Texas Tech by three points. Up next is a great test case for the team’s newly-acquired top 40 status, as they’ll be facing Colorado late Saturday night in Boulder.
• No. 32 Colorado (+10): Two times this season Colorado has gone on the road in conference play as an underdog and brought the hammer in a statement win. First it was a 48-21 win at UCF and on Saturday it was a 34-7 trouncing of Arizona that keeps the Buffs right in the thick of the Big 12 title race.
• No. 42 Texas Tech (-13): A four-game winning streak was snapped over the weekend by Baylor, and so now the Red Raiders team that had just moved up seven spots gets yanked back down outside the top 40. At 5-2 overall with a 3-1 conference record many of Texas Tech’s goals are still in play, but getting thumped 59-35 by the Bears (at home, no less) is going to require an adjustment in the rankings.
• No. 55 Utah (-17): A home loss to TCU has really put the nail in the coffin for Utah’s Big 12 title and College Football Playoff hopes. The Utes are not only 1-3 in conference play but look so offensively inept (prompting Sunday’s resignation of offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig) it seems unlikely even the strongest defensive performances could spark a miracle run in the back half of the season.

From the Big 12 … 

• No. 9 … Iowa State … down one spot from last week
• No. 10 … BYU … up one spot
• No. 16 … Kansas State … up three spots
• No. 31 … Nebraska … down eight spots
• No. 32 … Colorado … up ten spots
• No. 35 … Cincinnati … up 19 spots
• No. 36 … Arizona State … down nine spots
• No. 42 … Texas Tech … down 13 spots
• No. 46 … Georgia Tech (2025 opponent) … down six spots
• No. 54 … TCU … up 19 spots
• No. 55 … Utah … down 17 spots
• No. 61 … Arizona … down 16 spots
• No. 64 … Baylor … up 17 spots
• No. 65 … West Virginia … down seven spots
• No. 71 … UCF … down one spot
• No. 74 … Oklahoma State … down 12 spots
• No. 82 … Kansas … up four spots
• No. 87 … Colorado State … up three spots
• No. 93 … Houston … down 11 spots
• No. 128 … Wyoming (2025 opponent) … down four spots

–

—

Coach Prime: “We want to make sure we get Peggy to a nice bowl; not just any bowl”

From the Daily Camera … For months, Colorado head football coach Deion Sanders has made it clear that his goal for the Buffaloes in 2024 is to get to a bowl game for super fan Peggy Coppom, who is a month away from her 100th birthday.

With five games to play, the Buffs are one win away and Coach Prime altered that goal just a bit on Saturday following a 34-7 beat down of Arizona.

“We still ain’t got Peggy straight yet,” Coach Prime said after his Buffs (5-2, 3-1 Big 12) secured a better record than last year’s 4-8. “Yeah, we gotta get Peggy straight. Now, we don’t just wanna get Peggy to a bowl. Peggy’s got great taste. Peggy’s sophisticated. She’s a lady, so we want to make sure we get her to a nice bowl; not just any bowl.”

The way the Buffs are playing lately, they’re on track for a nice bowl game.

In the last five games, the Buffs are 4-1, coming up just a play or two short against then-No. 18 Kansas State in a 31-28 loss at home on Oct. 12. (The Wildcats moved up to No. 16 in Sunday’s Associated Press poll.)

This is arguably the best CU team since 2016, when the Mike MacIntyre-coached Buffs went 10-2 in the regular season and won the Pac-12 South division. There are a lot of differences in how the 2016 and 2024 Buffs play, but one similarity in the two teams is that there was belief from the start, yet a tangible growth in confidence with each result.

“I think everybody’s been bought in since I got here in the summer,” said senior receiver Will Sheppard, a transfer from Vanderbilt. “There’s never really been any doubt in what we have. We know what we have as a team. We know where we can go and where we’re trying to go. I think it’s just these wins are just instilling more confidence every week.”

… Continue reading story here …

–

—

Neill Woelk: Coach Prime Rebuilding Program is Working

From CUBuffs.com … Our weekly takeaways:

1. The Big 12 is still a wonderful jumble of parity. Yes, there is slowly some separation being created, but there are still at least a half-dozen teams — maybe more — who are legitimate contenders for a title game berth.

Saturday saw one more conference unbeaten take a tumble as Texas Tech was walloped by Baylor, 59-35.

That leaves two teams — BYU and Iowa State — with 4-0 league marks, followed by Kansas State, Cincinnati, Colorado and Texas Tech with 3-1 records. Right behind are ASU, TCU and West Virginia at 2-2.

And those teams who were preseason favorites? Of the five teams that received at least one first place vote in the preseason media poll, four of them — Utah, Oklahoma State, Kansas and Arizona — have combined to post a 3-13 league mark thus far.

Since BYU and Iowa State don’t meet in the regular season, those two teams could ostensibly run the table and meet in the conference title game. But it’s rather difficult to see anyone in the league not having at least one stumble before the season’s end.

Iowa State almost had that stumble Saturday, needing a last-minute touchdown to beat UCF — the same UCF squad that Colorado demolished, 48-21, just three weeks ago. BYU also needed a last-minute touchdown to squeak by Oklahoma State on Friday.

The simple truth is that nobody in the league is immune to a slip-up — and whoever continues to improve down the home stretch has a very good chance of advancing to the championship game.

The Buffs are certainly a strong candidate for that group.

2. Colorado’s defense continues to improve. Coordinator Robert Livingston‘s defense is becoming the kind of unit that gives opposing coaches nightmares. They attack from all angles, they force mistakes and they capitalize on those errors.

CU has 16 sacks in the last three games, including seven against Arizona, with 12 different Buffs with at least one sack. They have forced eight turnovers in the last three games, with seven different Buffs with either an interception or fumble recovery. Colorado is tied for 19th in the nation in tackles for loss, averaging 7.0 per game.

And perhaps most importantly, the Buffs are terrific in the second half. Colorado has outscored opponents 107-43 after halftime this year. The defense is giving up just a shade over six points per game after the break, meaning if the contest is close, the Buffs love their chances in the second half.

… Continue reading story here …

–

—–

This post, about the Cincinnati game, from the 2024 Season, is filed under Article.
You can follow any comments to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment.