Colorado Buffaloes 2016 NCAA Football Preview
COLORADO BUFFALOES
PAC-12 Conference – North Division
2015 Record – 4-9
ATS – 7-5-1
2016 MEGALOCKS Opening Power Rating Rank
South Division #6
Conference #11
2015 Recap
The Buffaloes only managed to win four games last season, but if you look closely at their performance, they deserve some credit for the way they played down the stretch. In their last five games (all losses) they played really well against UCLA, USC and Utah. In fact, they were huge underdogs in all three of those contests and only lost by a combined 13 points.
2016 Preview
OFFENSE
QB Sefo Liufau will become the Buffs all-time leading passer this season and looks to add to the collection of 75 school records that he currently holds. Colorado was only ranked 11th in the PAC 12 in passing efficiency last season and that was with leading WR Nelson Spruce who is not back for the 2016 season. Liufau missed spring ball but appears healthy heading into his senior season which is great news for Colorado. Reports from August camp are promising.
The running game has the potential to be very good this season. They have a sneaky-deep group of running backs and a large and experienced offensive line. They have to cut down on the sacks allowed (41 last season) but should be able to do some damage with the running game. As noted, #1 WR Nelson Spruce is gone but they have a lot of young talent on board, and it is just a matter of finding a couple solid options. TE Sean Irwin averaged over 16 yards per catch last season.
DEFENSE
Colorado made nice strides last season allowing only 27.5 points per game and 57% completions while registering 27 sacks. Not epic statistics to be sure, but there is definite improvement being made in Boulder. The Buffs return 9 starters from last year’s defense including six of their top seven tacklers and should be good again in 2016. Especially with DC Jim Leavitt back for a second season.
The return of DL Josh Tupou (6-3 330) after missing the 2015 season due to suspension should help the run defense and allow other guys to get pressure on the QB. 2nd Team PAC 12 DB Chidobe Awuzie leads an experienced secondary.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Buffs have a new ST coordinator after allowing six blocked kicks last season (FBS rank #125) and playing mediocre special teams overall. PK Diego Gonzalez is back but he was pretty erratic in 2015. Nothing special to see here but we would not be surprised to see them find a decent return man given the young talent on hand.
MEGALOCKS ATS Value Rating (10) 8.5
MEGALOCKS says:
Can they survive the schedule ? Back-to-back road games early on against Michigan and Oregon (!) are going to be a treat, and then shortly after that, more fun on the road with USC and Stanford on the docket. The Buffs will have to take care of business in the games they are supposed to win and then pull an upset or two in order to make a bowl game. Tough. But not impossible.
Overall, we give the BUFFALOES a 8.5 ATS Value Rating (Average) this season. Colorado has been a decent team against the point spread (20-16-1; 56%) under HC Mike MacIntyre’s watch and this is despite the fact they won just 10 games over that time period. We like the momentum the Buffaloes carry into the season, combined with the experienced roster, as well as improving defense. We have Colorado on our radar as a team to consider almost every week especially as big underdogs.
Want more Colorado Buffaloes Football ?
Website
http://www.cubuffs.com/index.aspx?path=football
Forum
http://www.allbuffs.com/forums/colorado-football-message-board.3/
http://chat.colorado.sportswar.com/message_board/netbuffsfootball/
http://www.scout.com/college/colorado/forums/2899-no-holds-barred
News
http://www.buffzone.com/football-cubuffs
http://bleacherreport.com/colorado-buffaloes-football
http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/colorado-buffaloes
https://twitter.com/RunRalphieRun @RunRalphieRun
https://twitter.com/BrianHowell33 @BrianHowell33 Brian Howell