Font ResizeIn fact, this particular contest (5:15 p.m., ESPN) might be the best gauge so far in determining exactly how much, if any, real progress coach Dan Hawkins has made in building a more competitive football program than the one he inherited in Boulder.
It was four years ago the last time the Buffs came south to face Texas in the regular season. They did so midway through the 2005 campaign under former coach Gary Barnett. CU was 4-1 and ranked No. 24 in the nation at the time. The
At that point, the Longhorns were ranked No. 2 in the nation, but it was not a foregone conclusion they would go on to win the national championship with Vince Young at quarterback and a stable of talented playmakers and future NFL draft picks surrounding him. Southern Cal was the team to beat.
The same can be said of the Longhorns this season. They are ranked No. 2 once again and considered one of the favorites to win it all with Colt McCoy, last year`s Heisman Trophy runner-up, under center and plenty of talent around him. However, Florida is the team to beat.
Colorado lost at Royal Memorial Stadium that day, 42-17. They enter tonight`s game as a 33-point underdog.
CU lost to Texas a second time 70-3 in the 2005 Big 12 Conference championship game. That result was the final straw leading to Barnett`s firing and Hawkins` hiring and the beginning of nearly 3½ seasons of "rebuilding" from Barnett taking the Buffs to four of five conference title games, including one Big 12 championship.
If the Buffs can surprise the nation by keeping things close and playing a competitive game from beginning to end, it could be used as evidence that Hawkins is on the right track, despite unexpected setbacks earlier this season against the likes of Colorado State and Toledo. If the Hawkins skeptics and Las Vegas wagering gurus are proved correct, it will undoubtedly fuel the Fire Dan Hawkins movement that began to rumble a month ago.
"I`ve never been real big believer, long term, in extrinsic motivation," Hawkins said of being such a big underdog. "I think every sports psychologist would tell you that`s not the road to go down. Ultimately at the end of the day, it`s about your own self-efficacy and being able to get your 'A` game on regardless of who you play and where you play or what the situation is. Whether you`re favored or not favored, you better have a healthy respect for the other team and yourself and understand the variables that go into it. I just think that`s what all great coaches and all great players and all great teams aspire to do."
Royal Memorial Stadium is expected to be filled with more than 100,000 tonight, which is why it is among the most intimidating settings for visiting teams in the nation. This is the fourth nationally televised game in five outings for the Buffs.
Colorado hasn`t won a true road game since late-October 2007 at Texas Tech. Texas holds a 12-game home-field winning streak and has been simply dominant at home in 12 seasons under coach Mack Brown, winning 62 of 68 homes games in that time.
Handling the imposing atmosphere is on the to-do list if the Buffs have any hope of pulling off a stunning upset.
The CU defense must play its bestgame of the year in every area, but especially when it comes to producing turnovers and limiting big plays. The story of this unit is well known now with four games under its belt. The Buffs have allowed 23 plays of 20 yards or more and 11 plays of 40 yards or more.
Those are disconcerting numbers with McCoy running the next offense up in the chute. The Texas offense ranks fourth nationally with 521 yards per game and first overall in scoring at 50 points each week.
"They`ve got the full package," Hawkins said.
McCoy continues to build on his 44 school records and is looking for his 37th victory today. He needs 123 passing yards to eclipse 11,000 for his career and is six touchdown passes shy of 100.
"He`s what you want," Hawkins said. "He`s a tough guy. He`s a smart guy. He can run and he can sling it."
The Buffs haven`t created a lot of turnovers to this point, but even when they have had success stealing the ball from opponents, the offense hasn`t come through with points. The Buffs were blessed with three first-half fumbles from the West Virginia offense last week and came away with just three points off those miscues in a 35-24 loss.
Quarterback Cody Hawkins has to be at his best tonight. He must be efficient and can`t give the ball back to the Longhorns as he has been prone to do throughout his career. He has thrown seven touchdown passes with seven interceptions in 2009 and his next pass in each of those statistical categories will put him in a tie for those CU career records. He has thrown 43 career touchdown passes and 32 interceptions.
Texas has intercepted six passes and has sacked the quarterback 13 times this season, so Hawkins figures to be under intense pressure.
Establishing a running game against the Longhorns would aid Hawkins considerably. Tailback Rodney Stewart is coming off consecutive 100-yard games against Wyoming and West Virginia and Darrell Scott, who almost decided to become a Longhorn instead of a Buff during the 2008 recruiting cycle, is as healthy as he has been since the start of fall camp. The Buffs are 109th in the nation in rushing offense, despite Stewart`s production and the Texas defense has been a brick wall for running backs this season.
The Longhorns rank second in the nation against the run, allowing 47 yards per game and 1.7 yards per rush.
The numbers are stacked heavily against the Buffs today, but they are coming off what Hawkins called the best performance of the season last week against the Mountaineers. Despite their slow start this season, the locker room has remained free of negativity. Colorado players and coaches continued this week to talk with straight faces about their preseason goal of winning the conference title still being achievable.
Still, CU has not won a road game against a ranked team since 2002.
"I think they all have a feeling that things are coming together and it`s a little closer than most think," Hawkins said of the team`s progress.
They will know more about what progress has been made late tonight in the heart of Texas.
KICKOFF: 5:15 p.m., Memorial Stadium (100,119).
TELEVISION: ESPN with Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Todd Blackledge (color commentary) and Erin Andrews (sidelines).
RADIO: KKZN (760 AM) will broadcast the game with Mark Johnson (play-by-play), Larry Zimmer (color commentary) and Charles Johnson (sidelines). The pre-game show begins at 3 p.m.
ODDS: Texas by 33.
THE COACHES: Dan Hawkins is 14-27 in his fourth year at Colorado and is 67-38 in his ninth season as a Division I head coach. Mack Brown is 119-26 in his 12th season at Texas and is 205-100-1 as a Division I head coach.
RANKINGS: Texas is ranked second in both the Associated Press and USA Today coaches` poll. The Buffs haven`t been ranked in nearly four years.
THE SERIES: This is the 18th meeting. Texas leads 10-7, including a 4-3 mark in Austin. CU hasn`t won at Texas since 1997.
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