Washington vs. Colorado: Buffaloes Back To Being Bad

Oct 26, 2013; Boulder, CO, USA; Arizona Wildcats linebacker Scooby Wright (31) hurries Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Sefo Liufau (13) in the second quarter at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Colorado started the season 2-0 under first year Coach Mike MacIntyre and it seemed like a Coach Sarkisian-type step. No, not multiple seven win seasons in a row. I’m talking about Sark’s first year, when he took a downtrodden program and scraped out five wins to inject a sense of optimism and hope into Husky football. Since that second win over Central Arkansas Colorado has gone 1-5 with the lone win coming against lowly Charleston Southern (lowly in that they play in the Big South; the team is actually 9-1 on the year). They have been outscored 254 to 132 over that six-game stretch. They have yet to notch their first conference win of the year, though their best chance will come on November 16th when they host one-win Cal at home.

For Washington this means that Colorado isn’t as far removed from last year’s basement-dwelling team as it may have seemed back in September. They are not ready to win a game at Husky Stadium, and a loss would be squarely on Washington. This also means that no matter how many points Price and Co. pile on Saturday, it will do little to alter the negative perceptions of this team established in the horrific loss to ASU. Just like the Cal game, a blowout win is expected. Sark can be hurt by a close game, or of course a loss, but he can’t really be helped in any way by a win.

That means this game is only about notching a sixth win in preparation for next week’s trip to #19 UCLA and the road game at Oregon State a week later. The Huskies should in no way look past Colorado, but excuse me as I do.

The loss of Kasen Williams against Cal also makes this game an important tune-up, a chance for the receiving corps to adjust to in-game life without an important cog in the passing game. The other primary challenge will be on the Husky defensive backs, primarily Marcus Peters. Colorado wide receiver Paul Richardson has already totalled 57 catches for 984 yards and eight touchdowns despite the overall struggles of his team and a switch at quarterback from Connor Wood to Bellarmine Prep graduate and true freshman Sefo Liufau. His performance last week was one of his weakest of the year, yet he still notched 70 yards and a score. If Peters can shut Richardson down, you can bet NFL scouts will take notice.