Colorado University Athletics
Colorado Vs. Northern Colorado: What You Need To Know
September 03, 2021 | Football, Neill Woelk
COLORADO (0-0)
vs. NORTHERN COLORADO (0-0)
KICKOFF: 7:07 p.m, Folsom Field (50,183)
TV, RADIO: Pac-12 Networks will televise the game with Guy Haberman and Shane Vereen. KOA (850 AM, 94.1 FM) will carry the broadcast with Voice of the Buffs Mark Johnson on play-by-play, Gary Barnett providing color commentary and Andy Lindahl from the sidelines.
ON THE INTERNET: The game can be heard on the internet at CUBuffs.com or via the KOA Radio website (850KOA.com). Live statistics and a continuously updated in-game blog will also be available at CUBuffs.com.
THE COACHES: Colorado head coach Karl Dorrell is in his second year at the Buffs' helm. Last year's Pac-12 Coach of the Year, Dorrell is 4-2 at CU and 39-29 overall as a head coach. UNC's Ed McCaffrey is making his college coaching debut.
THE SERIES: Colorado leads the all-time series, 10-2, with all but one of the games coming before 1935. CU won the most recent meeting, a 41-21 decision in Boulder in 2017.
WHAT'S AT STAKE: A victory would give the Buffs their sixth straight season opening win. UNC, meanwhile, which has not played a game in 650 days, is looking for its first victory since Nov. 2, 2019.
LAST OUTING: The Buffs last played in last December's Alamo Bowl, when they dropped a 55-23 decision to Texas. UNC's last game was a 28-21 loss to Cal Poly to end the 2019 season.
TEAM LEADERS: The Buffs have a host of returning starters on both sides of the ball. Offensively, reigning Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year Jarek Broussard returns at running back for the Buffs while All-Pac-12 linebacker Nate Landman leads the defense.
The Bears' offense is led by Michigan transfer Dylan McCaffrey while defensive back Jerone Jackson (second on the team in tackles in 2019) returns for UNC.
KEY MATCHUP: Colorado offensive line vs. UNC defensive line. The Buffs have a pair of returning starters up front on offense while the Bears return all three of their starting defensive linemen from 2019. The Buffs will want to get their run game off on the right foot and will need their O-line to control the line of scrimmage to make that happen.
Defensively, CU's front seven will be tasked with making UNC quarterback McCaffrey as uncomfortable as possible throughout the evening.
KEY DEBUT: The game will mark the first appearance of CU mascot Ralphie VI.
UP NEXT: The Buffs make the short trip to Denver on Sept. 11 to play host to Texas A&M, ranked sixth in the preseason polls, in a 1:30 p.m. game at Empower Field.
