This week on the Daly Dose, we discuss a very wild Rocky Mountain Showdown and we provide some very helpful advice for the University of Colorado as they find themselves in an unfamiliar position!
Michigan State is beginning the firing process for head football coach Mel Tucker, and we have a disturbing mystery coming out about a former NFL player that you may be able to help solve!
Then, we are releasing our latest edition of our Daly Dose Power Rankings!
With the Major League Baseball playoffs quickly approaching, who are the top five teams to watch?
The College Football season is now about a month in, and we rank the best five teams that we have seen so far.
Finally, with the NFL completing their second full week, we reveal our pick for the Bottom 5 worst teams as well as the Top 5 teams in the league! Who makes our lists?
This week on the on the Daly Dose YouTube video, we discuss a very wild Rocky Mountain showdown and we provide some very helpful advice for the University of Colorado, as they find themselves in an unfamiliar position!
College football kicked off across the nation over a week ago, but this past weekend was the opener for most of the schools in the Rocky Mountain region. So who were the biggest winners and losers from the start of the season?
Winner: Colorado head coach Deion Sanders
The new Colorado coach got the nation’s attention when his Buffaloes pulled off their 45-42 upset of No. 17 Texas Christian on Saturday. Sanders had his team ready to go from the opening kickoff. He also managed to completely outcoach Horned Frogs coach Sonny Dykes, who took his team to the College Football Playoff a year ago. Coach Prime didn’t just bring more talent to the field on gameday, he and his coaching staff made the correct adjustments all day, and put his talented players in the best positions to be successful. On the day, the Buffs committed just six penalties for 35 yards.
For as prepared and in-control as his team was on Saturday, Coach Prime was as emotional as a little league parent in his postgame press conference. Sanders took much of the media to task for doubting his newly revamped team. When asked about the incredible performance of his son, starting quarterback Shedeur Sanders, he interrupted the question saying “Shedeur? From the HBCU? The one you asked me why I gave him the starting job? I got receipts.” Deion can act like his son was a huge underdog, but he was recruited by the likes of Alabama, Georgia and LSU before deciding to follow his dad to HBCU Jackson State. Deion Sanders has always been outspoken and brash, but this is a long season, and there is a ton of football to still be played.
Winner: Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders and WR/DB Travis Hunter
Sanders was highly impressive in his Power 5 debut, throwing for 510 yards and four touchdowns, as the Buffs rolled to their upset win. The junior seemed to make the correct decisions on nearly every play, and showed a highly accurate touch on his deep passes, despite a few drops. On a day that most expected the best quarterback in the game to be TCU QB Chandler Morris, Sanders nearly doubled his yardage (279 to 510) and touchdowns without throwing a single interception.
Meanwhile Travis Hunter showed why he was the top high school recruit in the country in 2022. Hunter played on both sides of the ball on Saturday, logging over 120 snaps on the day. He finished the game with 11 catches for 119 yards on offense, and three tackles and an interception on defense.
Travis Hunter had all these white boys sick talkin about “throw it to hunter” yeah throw it & watch what happens 🤣🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/X26L9QiYeP
— Shannonnn sharpes Burner (PARODY Account) (@shannonsharpeee) September 3, 2023
Loser: The Colorado defense
Yes, Shedeur Sanders and the Buffs offense showed more electricity than we have seen from a Buffalo team since the days of Kordell Stewart and Michael Westbrook, but the defense was another story. Poor tackling and blown assignments were a theme for this unit on Saturday, as TCU racked up 541 yards themselves in the loss. Horned Frogs running back Emani Bailey rushed for 164 yards and his teammate Trey Sanders scored three touchdowns. With teams like Oregon, USC, and Utah still on the schedule, this defense needs to improve. Quickly.
Winner: Wyoming runners by committee
It wasn’t just Colorado that pulled off an upset against a Texas school on Saturday. The Wyoming Cowboys knocked off Big 12 school Texas Tech 35-33 in double-overtime, despite being a 13 point underdog. Head coach Craig Bohl used six different runners in the game, compiling 171 yards on the ground. When sophomore Sam Scott burst into the endzone, on a two point conversion, the Pokes faithful stormed the field. Starting quarterback Andrew Peasley accounted for 68 yards, Scott had 44, D.Q. James had 38 rushing yards, Jamari Ferrell picked up 21 yards. The Cowboys ran the ball effectively, and it earned them the win.
When a LB turned RB runs in a 2-point conversion in the 2nd OT to upset a ranked team, of course the fans are gonna rush the field. That’s @wyo_football Sam Scott for the win over Texas Tech. pic.twitter.com/BH1XfqcZKD
While Wyoming used their running game to grind out time of possession and rack up yardage, it wasn’t all good news. Pokes runners coughed up the football three different times on Saturday, and lost two of those fumbles to the defense. The turnovers helped Tech get out to a 17-0 lead, before the Cowboys managed to storm back. If this team is going to take on a rushing identity, they can’t drop the ball.
Winner: The Air Force offense
Last season, the Air Force Academy had the best rushing offense in the country, averaging 326 yards per game. In their 42-7 victory over Robert Morris on Saturday, the Falcons seem to be picking up right where they left off. New quarterback Zac Larrier rushed for 99 yards and two touchdowns, and threw for another, as the offense posted 380 yards on the ground. Sure, the competition wasn’t top notch, but Troy Calhoun’s squad is still going to be a problem for opposing defenses this season.
Zac Larrier puts up 6 on the board for @AF_Football 🏈
Poor Robert Morris didn’t just travel from Pennsylvania to Colorado to get whipped by 35 points, they also forgot their game jerseys. The Colonials were forced to wear Air Force practice jerseys for the first half. The jerseys arrived at halftime, and the equipment managers were off the hook.
Winner: Colorado State opening opponents
The Colorado State Rams opened their 2023 season in familiar fashion. They lost their opener for the sixth season in a row. Washington State rolled into Fort Collins and walked away with a 50-24 victory thanks to their quarterback Cameron Ward throwing for 451 yards and three touchdowns. The Cougars add their name to a list including Michigan, South Dakota State, Fresno State, Colorado and Hawaii who have beaten the Rams to start their season. The last time CSU opened a season with a win was back in 2017.
Loser: CSU head coach Jay Norvell
Coach Norvell took on a monster rebuild job when he came to Northern Colorado from Nevada. It is apparent that he needs more time. This roster needs to be upgraded in a number of positions and while a loss to Washington State isn’t an embarrassment, the Rammie faithful were hoping to at least compete against them. The Cougars led 36-3 before they called off the dogs. Norvell and his staff now have two weeks to try to get this squad ready for what should be a very confident Colorado team on September 16th. It might take his best coaching effort to just keep the game close.
The Rocky Mountain region is one of the most beautiful areas in the world.
Over the past couple of decades, the same area of college football has been mostly unwatchable.
In the past 23 seasons the University of Colorado has been invited to just seven postseason bowl games. The University of Wyoming has only been to eight. Colorado State University has played in only 11 bowl games, and the Air Force Academy has played in 14.
This has truly been an era of forgettable college football in this part of the country.
Hopefully this era is about to end. We actually have some hope for the coming season. Will any of our local teams be contending for a title? Of course not, but they could still be somewhat interesting.
University of Colorado Buffaloes (2022 record: 1-11)
Outlook: From the moment that he accepted the job, the hype in Boulder has been through the roof. Deion Sanders comes to Colorado from HBCU Jackson State, where he had some moderate success. Sanders has immediately upgraded the Buffs roster, and has given this program a much needed shot of energy. QB Shedeur Sanders, and possible two way player Travis Hunter provide some immediate excitement. Now the work begins. Not only does Coach Prime have to mold this group of individuals into something resembling a team, but he also has to get them ready to face some very talented teams, both inside and outside of the Pac 12 conference. The future could be very bright, but this isn’t an easy job by any means.
Verdict: Coach Prime will have to do the best coaching job of his young career. Yes, he has the fan base excited, but the schedule will be challenging, and the lack of depth may come into play. Sanders has shown that he can recruit some of the top talent, but will he be able to keep them motivated if things don’t go well? Five wins for this group might be asking too much, but at least it should be intriguing to watch.
Colorado State Rams (2022 record: 3-9)
Colorado State wide receiver Tory Horton (14) runs back a kick against Nevada in the second half of an NCAA college football game in Reno, Nev., Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Tom R. Smedes)
Outlook: Head coach Jay Norvell is hoping that he can make another big jump in his second season on the job. While serving at the University of Nevada, Norvell improved from a 3-9 record in his first season, to an 8-5 record and a bowl game win, in his second. His first order of business will have to be repairing a very poor offensive line. QB Clay Millen showed some promise last season, when he completed a conference leading 72% of his passes, but he can’t complete those throws on his back. A running game would be a massive upgrade too. RB Kenward Edwards comes to Fort Collins from the transfer portal, and could help immediately. Norvell also gets eight starters back on a defense that was beginning to come together last season.
Verdict: This roster is still young and inexperienced, but they seem to be showing signs of improvement. A win in the opener at home against Washington State could be too much to ask, but if the Rams could somehow beat Colorado, the fan base would be ecstatic. If the offensive line improves, and the defense continues to grow, CSU could be bowl bound this season.
Air Force Falcons: (2022 record: 10-2)
Outlook: Air Force won 10 games last season, and then capped that run with a bowl game win over Baylor. They also managed to beat both Army and Navy to bring the Commander in Chief trophy back to Colorado Springs. Head coach Troy Calhoun had the country’s best rushing offense last season, and the defense that led the league in yardage allowed returns mostly intact. The offense returns six starters, but they will need to replace a few key pieces.
Verdict: The Falcons should be a lock for a bowl game with a favorable schedule and so much returning talent. They will need to develop another QB, after losing Haaziq Daniels to graduation, but if the defense can carry the load until senior Jensen Jones comes around, this team is going to be tough. The Falcons will be the favorite to keep the CIC trophy, and they have a chance to contend for a Mountain West title and a Top 25 finish.
University of Wyoming Cowboys (2022 record: 7-6)
Outlook: While we are used to head coach Craig Bohl producing some high scoring offenses in Laramie, the Wyoming Cowboys will depend on the defense this year. Wyoming went 7-6 last season, and went to the Arizona Bowl. This year, the defense brings back 10 starters, but the offense will need to develop. If the running game can take some of the pressure off of QB Andrew Peasley, the Cowboys could be a team to watch.
Verdict: Craig Bohl has quietly turned the Cowboys into a physical team that is consistently reaching bowl games. In his nine seasons on the job, Wyoming has gone to five bowl games, and this season should produce another one. The home opener against Texas Tech will be a very stiff test, but if Peasley gets more consistent, this team could have a chance to play for a conference title.
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