Buffs' Task Is To Improve In Nation's Toughest Division

BURBANK, Calif. — The overriding consensus around the nation is that the Colorado Buffaloes will be noticeably better this year.

Make that noticeably better, but ...

But they play in the Pac-12 South, a division more than a few are calling the best division in the nation, a division that boasts five teams that won at least nine games last year and five teams in someone's preseason Top 25 this year. The group includes USC, the media's preseason pick to unseat Oregon as conference champ.

Still, predictions that the Buffs will be an improved team should come as no surprise. Coach Mike MacIntyre's third squad at CU returns 14 starters from last season's team, whose 2-10 record included two double-overtime losses and four conference defeats by five points or less. Conventional wisdom dictates that the Buffs should take advantage of that experience and turn some of those close losses into victories.

But ...

You know the drill. A home schedule that includes four teams likely to be ranked in the top 25 — Oregon, Arizona, Stanford and USC. Road trips that include Arizona State, UCLA and Utah.

“Their Pac-12 home schedule is the schedule from hell,” said Dennis Dodd, senior college football columnist for CBSSports.com. “This is one of those quintessential, 'They may be better, but it may not show in their record' situations.”

That seems to be the general thought from most corners of the college football world, and one that was echoed frequently at Thursday and Friday's Pac-12 Media Days at Warner Bros. Studios.

From Athlon's to ESPN, the preseason prognostications are calling for the Buffs to be improved. Phil Steele's preseason “Power Poll” even placed the Buffs at No. 46 in the nation, ahead of Pac-12 cohorts Washington State (65), Washington (70) and Oregon State (84). Most folks seem to believe there are brighter days ahead for the Buffs.

And how closely are the Buffs paying attention to the prognostications? Zero. Zilch. They've had an entire offseason to digest last year's near-misses, and they've used a strong offseason conditioning program as their antacid. Anything else is just outside noise to be ignored.

“Last year, we saw what we were capable of at certain points,” said Buffs linebacker Kenneth Olugbode. “We know we can play with anybody in the Pac-12, so we're not too worried what anyone else thinks. We know what we can do.”

Added Buffs offensive tackle Stephane Nembot: “We believe. We know we can compete with everybody.”

Other players around the conference are aware of the Buffs. UCLA center Jake Brendel, who was part of the Bruins squad that slipped away from Folsom Field last year with a double-overtime squeaker of a win, said no one in the Pac-12 South can be overlooked.

“The division is just getting better and better,” Brendel said. “Everyone is progressing. Look at Colorado — they're pushing. They're competitive, a good team. It's just a good division, from top to bottom.”

If there's anyone in the conference who can identify with the Buffs' situation, it is Utah. Just two years ago, the Utes finished 5-7 (2-7 Pac-12) before bouncing back to a 9-4 finish last season, which included a resounding 45-10 win over Colorado State in the Las Vegas Bowl

Of course, CU fans will also remember the Utes' visit to Colorado a year ago, a game Colorado led late in the fourth quarter before an interception return for a touchdown left the Buffs with another close loss.

“We snuck away with one,” said Utah linebacker Jared Norris. “It seems like every year, it's just a dogfight with them. They had all those close games last year, they remind me of where we were two or three years ago — so close. You just need that little extra to get over the hump.”

Reporters who cover the Pac-12 on a regular basis are also convinced the Buffs are an improved team. They're aware of the Buffs' close misses a year ago, they know MacIntyre has veteran experience at key positions and they like the offseason addition of defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt. It all adds up to a better season.

“I think the Buffs would be a bowl team if they played in the Pac-12 North,” said Ryan Thorburn of the Eugene Register-Guard. “Unfortunately, they play in the best division in college football. I think they are definitely going to be better, but it might not show up in the win column.”

With 13 games on the schedule — and no bye week — the Buffs will need seven wins to become bowl eligible. At the minimum, that means at least three conference victories.

“They're getting better,” said veteran Los Angeles Times college football reporter Chris Dufresne. “I listened to their game last year against UCLA (a double-overtime defeat) and they sounded better. They should be improved this year. But there's a possibility that you can get better and nobody knows it.”

USA Today college football writer Dan Wolken agreed.

“It's going to be difficult for them to show improvement in that division,” Wolken said. “I don't envy Mike MacIntyre. He's a good coach and headed in the right direction, but everyone else in that division got a head start on him. It's not an easy situation. He's shown he can do it before, but it's not going to be easy for him to catch up.”

The best news for the Buffs is that the offseason is over. The Buffs report for fall camp Tuesday and begin practice Wednesday. One month later, they'll open their season at Hawai'i (Sept. 3, 11 p.m. kickoff).

Thursday afternoon, MacIntyre was asked whether it was more important to win non-conference games against some lesser opponents or pick up a big win against a high-profile Pac-12 foe.

“Both,” MacIntyre said. “We want to do both. We want to beat everybody we play.”