Intro to the Pac-12: Colorado

As of July 1 the Pac-10 officially became the Pac-12, adding two new teams and ushering in a new era in major college sports in the West.  A football conference championship, division races, and monstrous television contracts with Fox and ESPN that will pay each team in the conference $21 million annually. This is a huge increase from the approximately $11.5 and 9 Million respectively USC and UCLA received in recent years and an even huger bump for teams at the low-end of the revenue split (Washington State, Stanford) who took in between $6.5 and $8 Million per year from the Pac-10’s TV deals.

We know that things are changing off the field, but what about on it?  Both of the new entrants to the Pac are coming to the South Division to join USC and UCLA. With that in mind, here is an introduction to the Pac-12’s new teams, Colorado and Utah, and a look at the state of their football programs. Today: Colorado,  Friday: Utah

Colorado
Location: Boulder
Founded: 1876
Enrollment: 32,751 (2010)
Colors: Silver, Black and Gold
Nickname: Buffaloes
Sports Offered: M Basketball, W Basketball, M Cross Country, W Cross Country, Football, M Golf, W Golf, Skiing, W Soccer, W Tennis, M Track/Field, W Track/Field, W Volleyball
Football/Basketball Venues: Folsom Field (53,613), Coors Events Center (11,064)

Colorado has a proud football history, but you wouldn’t know it if you just looked at the last 7 years. In the 90’s The Buffalos produced such stars as Quarterback Kordell Stewart, receiver Michael Westbrook, and running backs Eric Bieniemy and Rashaan Salaam. The Buffs even won a national championship in 1990 after defeating Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl and finishing 11-1-1.

Colorado was also nationally prominent in the early 2000s. The Buffalos won the Big XII in 2001 and finished the regular season ranked #3. They never won the Big XII again, but were always contenders under Gary Barnett, winning the North Division 4 times in 5 years from 2001-2005.

However, the Program suffered a serious blow in 2005 when Barnett was asked to resign amid a storm of allegations ranging from financial improprieties, to recruiting violations, to seeking to influence sworn testimony of subordinates.

It was an ugly scandal that shamed the program, and six years later, CU is still trying to get its football team on track. Coach Dan Hawkins replaced Barnett and went to only one bowl in five seasons in Boulder.

The coach took a lot of flak for starting his son at quarterback for four years (’07-’10). You’d have never known it with all the complaints of nepotism coming from Boulder, but Cody Hawkins actually finished his career as CU’s all-time leading passer, throwing for over 7,700 yards.

The defense though, allowed 30 points per game with Hawkins at the helm. The Buffalos went 19-39 during the Hawkins years, and never had a winning record.

This season Head Coach Jon Embree takes over at Colorado in what looks like a rebuilding year in Boulder.  Guard Ryan Miller is the top rated OG in the country and will be on the pre-season All-Pac 12 First team. Miller(right) will pave paths for an excellent tailback in  Rodney Stewart, but the rest of the skill positions look thin for the Buffalos and the defense has long been a problem.

In the last 10 years Colorado has played 9 games v. Pac-10 teams with a 3-6 record, but the last win was v. Washington State in 2004. Since 2006, the Buffalo’s are 0-3 v. Pac-12 teams, losing the three games by a combined score of 24-106.

USC does have to travel to Boulder in November when average low temperatures are in the low 20s, but in spite of USC’s recent struggles in inclement weather, it’s hard to see CU as favorites in that or any other Pac-12 game other than Washington State.

Combine that with a tough non-conference schedule that includes a trip to Ohio State, and a previously scheduled  game with Cal that won’t be counted as a Pac-12 game, and it looks like a tough year for the Buffalos.

Colorado may be excited to be moving into the Pac-12, but it looks like their first home  in the Pac is going to be in the conference basement.