[FONT=arial, helvetica][SIZE=-1][h=2]Larry Ness' Weekly Wipeout Winner-CFB (Blowout alert!)-Thursday[/h]My 9* Weekly Wipeout Winner is on Hawaii at 11:55 ET Thursday.
Colorado’s last winning season came back in 2005 (just barely at 7-6), although third-year coach Mike MacIntyre remains optimistic. Why? The Buffs went 0-9 in the Pac 12 last season and with EACH of the other five teams in the Pac-12 South Division winning at least nine games last season, it should come as no surprise that Colorado was picked to finish last in the South Division and received the fewest votes among the 12 teams in the Pac-12 preseason poll. MacIntyre has gone 6-18 over his first two years in Boulder and opined to the Denver Post, “I don’t look at things concerned about what other people think. I need to do what I feel is best for our team and treat young people the right way and the correct way, set the right foundation, the right basis and the right culture, and move forward.”
< Bottom line is this. The Buffaloes are 4-32 in the Pac-12 since joining the conference in 2011, although they do have some key players returning at the skill positions, including junior QB Sefo Liufau (28-15 TD/INT ratio in 2014). However, Colorado must first improve a defense which allowed 39.0 PPG in 2014 (43.0 PPG in Pac 12 games). As for the Rainbow Warriors, they’ve been picked to finish fifth in the six-team West Division of the MWC. Hawaii head coach Norm Chow is CLEARLY on the hot seat, as his teams have gone just 8-29 in his three seasons in ‘paradise.’ After decades of success as an offensive coordinator, Chow hasn’t done much in Hawaii and the time is NOW!
However, there is reason for optimism as the 2015 season dawns. Hawaii’s defense improved last season, allowing 26.8 PPG, down from 38.8 PPG in 2013. What’s more, the offense became more balanced with less reliance on the pass and more help from the running game. Hawaii averaged just barely over 100 YPG rushing the previous six seasons (103.3 to be exact) but last year’s team averaged just barely under 150 YPG on the ground (149). More good news comes in senior QB Max Wittek, a transfer from USC. Most believe he has an opportunity to thrive in coach Norm Chow's pro-style offense. "We need each other equally as bad - he needs a quarterback like myself, that style, and I need a coach like him," Wittek told reporters. He sure has to be happy that Hawaii returns its top-two wide receivers in junior Marcus Kemp (56 receptions, 14.2 YPC & 3 TDs) and senior Quinton Pedroza (59, 11.4 YPC & 3 TDs).
Hawaii lost SIX games by 10 points or fewer in 2014, including 21-12 at Boulder in late September. Hawaii trailed 21-6 at the half but held the Buffs scoreless in the second half, in their home stadium. Colorado is just is just 7-46 SU on the road the last 10 years (stretches back to its last winning season of 2005) and in the EIGHT times during that span the Buffs have been favored, they are 2-6 ATS. I will SURELY take the TD or more in this one but I expect an OUTRIGHT Hawaii win!
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Colorado’s last winning season came back in 2005 (just barely at 7-6), although third-year coach Mike MacIntyre remains optimistic. Why? The Buffs went 0-9 in the Pac 12 last season and with EACH of the other five teams in the Pac-12 South Division winning at least nine games last season, it should come as no surprise that Colorado was picked to finish last in the South Division and received the fewest votes among the 12 teams in the Pac-12 preseason poll. MacIntyre has gone 6-18 over his first two years in Boulder and opined to the Denver Post, “I don’t look at things concerned about what other people think. I need to do what I feel is best for our team and treat young people the right way and the correct way, set the right foundation, the right basis and the right culture, and move forward.”
< Bottom line is this. The Buffaloes are 4-32 in the Pac-12 since joining the conference in 2011, although they do have some key players returning at the skill positions, including junior QB Sefo Liufau (28-15 TD/INT ratio in 2014). However, Colorado must first improve a defense which allowed 39.0 PPG in 2014 (43.0 PPG in Pac 12 games). As for the Rainbow Warriors, they’ve been picked to finish fifth in the six-team West Division of the MWC. Hawaii head coach Norm Chow is CLEARLY on the hot seat, as his teams have gone just 8-29 in his three seasons in ‘paradise.’ After decades of success as an offensive coordinator, Chow hasn’t done much in Hawaii and the time is NOW!
However, there is reason for optimism as the 2015 season dawns. Hawaii’s defense improved last season, allowing 26.8 PPG, down from 38.8 PPG in 2013. What’s more, the offense became more balanced with less reliance on the pass and more help from the running game. Hawaii averaged just barely over 100 YPG rushing the previous six seasons (103.3 to be exact) but last year’s team averaged just barely under 150 YPG on the ground (149). More good news comes in senior QB Max Wittek, a transfer from USC. Most believe he has an opportunity to thrive in coach Norm Chow's pro-style offense. "We need each other equally as bad - he needs a quarterback like myself, that style, and I need a coach like him," Wittek told reporters. He sure has to be happy that Hawaii returns its top-two wide receivers in junior Marcus Kemp (56 receptions, 14.2 YPC & 3 TDs) and senior Quinton Pedroza (59, 11.4 YPC & 3 TDs).
Hawaii lost SIX games by 10 points or fewer in 2014, including 21-12 at Boulder in late September. Hawaii trailed 21-6 at the half but held the Buffs scoreless in the second half, in their home stadium. Colorado is just is just 7-46 SU on the road the last 10 years (stretches back to its last winning season of 2005) and in the EIGHT times during that span the Buffs have been favored, they are 2-6 ATS. I will SURELY take the TD or more in this one but I expect an OUTRIGHT Hawaii win!
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