Colorado University Athletics
BUFFS PREPARE FOR THE NATION?S BEST
BOULDER ?As the University of Colorado football team (3-4, 1-2 Big 12) continues its preparations for this weekend’s visit from the nation’s top-ranked team Oklahoma (7-0, 3-0), the Buffs are prepared to welcome the national spotlight and the chance that comes with it.
“It’s a great opportunity and I, for one, am looking forward to it,” head coach Gary Barnett told the media earlier this week. “I know our coaches are (looking forward to it) " that’s why you come to Colorado, for the chance to play this game and these games. It’s going to be right here on Folsom Field on national television, and it can’t get any bigger or better than this.”
The Buffs will have a big challenge awaiting them on Saturday (5:10 p.m., MDT, TBS), as the Sooners arrive in Boulder as the No. 1 team in the nation in both the AP and ESPN/USA Today Coaches polls, and is also atop the season’s initial BCS Standings. That notwithstanding, Oklahoma has already all but secured a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game with an unblemished record of 7-0 as well as a 3-0 conference mark.
“Everybody in the nation knows what they’re capable of on offense, defense and special teams,” quarterback Joel Klatt said on Tuesday. “Our goal is to go out there and play with some great intensity and get in a good fist-fight with them. When they get on the bus after the game, we want them to say, ?wow, they came out and really battled.’ Our goal is to get bowl eligible and we’ll have a big stepping stone in that direction this weekend.”
“You only get 12 chances to play the No. 1 team over the season and we have to take this as a great opportunity,” said defensive coordinator Vince Okruch. “Everybody has done some good things against them, but they have done some great things to beat those teams. In order to win we have to do the great things in this game.”
Standing in the Buffs’ way to victory is the nation’s third-ranked defense that is only allowing a mere 14.4 points and 260 yards of total offense per game. Led by junior defensive tackle Dusty Dvoracek’s six quarterback sacks, the Sooners have accumulated 24 QB sacks through seven games, and 17 of those have come from the starting front four. The secondary, meanwhile, has not slacked off as sophomore free safety Brodney Pool’s four interceptions lead a talented secondary that owns 10 of the squad’s 12 picks on the year. Senior linebacker Teddy Lehman leads the team with 57 tackles (28 solo), including six for losses.
As if the task for the Buffs on the offensive side of the ball is not daunting enough, Oklahoma also boasts the nation’s No. 2-ranked scoring offense (45.71) and 15th-ranked offense overall. Led by Heisman candidate quarterback Jason White, the Sooners are averaging 315.57 passing yards per game ? good for ninth place in the country. White, who is hitting on 67.4 percent of his passes, leads the nation in passing efficiency (174.2), but does so on a team that has multiple weapons and a fairly balanced offensive attack. The backfield-by-committee tandem of Renaldo Works (93-482) and Kejuan Jones (97-392) has piled up 884 yards out of the backfield, while junior wide receiver Mark Clayton leads the squad with 38 catches for 689 yards (18.1) ? the next closest is Brandon Jones with 30 receptions for 375 yards.
“They recruited well, they’re playing well, they’re coached well, they’re playing with a great deal of energy and they are a hard working group,” said Barnett. “There is nothing in any phase of the game where you can criticize anything that they do. They play with class, they play hard, they play fast and they’re playing the whole game.”
Wednesday Practice Notes: Senior tailback Bobby Purify did not practice today and will not be available to play in this weekend’s game against Oklahoma. Barnett said of Purify, “We’ll wait until next week to see if he is ready, but he may have to have surgery at some point. Bobby wants to play, but right now he just can’t.” Redshirt freshman wide receiver Blake Mackey, who has been out since August camp with a lower leg injury, returned to practice this week and is listed as probable for the Oklahoma game.