Colorado Football Schedule 2016: Game-By-Game Predictions
Colorado football schedule predictions and early game-by-game preview for 2016. Projecting how the Buffaloes will do this year.
Colorado football schedule predictions and early game-by-game preview for 2016. Projecting how the Buffaloes will do this year.
It’s a must-win season for Colorado and its coaching staff, but can the schedule work out well enough to come up with a winning campaign? Check out the preseason predictions for every game.
Sept. 3 at Colorado State (in Denver)
Preseason Prediction: Colorado 27, Colorado State 23
Sept. 10 vs. Idaho State
Target practice time. The Buffs will blast away on the Bengals in a Call Your Shot game. They’ll be able to sharpen up whatever they want to in a light and breeze scrimmage. Colorado’s third-teamers will take it easy in the fourth.
Preseason Prediction: Colorado 66, Idaho State 7
Sept. 17 at Michigan
No Kordell Stewart Hail Mary’s here. Colorado won’t be that close in the second half after Michigan rolls at will with its pounding ground game. The Buffs will sputter way too much – third down conversions will be like pulling teeth.
Preseason Prediction: Michigan 31, Colorado 10
Sept. 24 at Oregon
While the Buffs will be better this year, there will be a few games here and there when things just won’t fly. That’ll happen in Autzen Stadium with Oregon roaring right away and putting this away in the first quarter. Colorado won’t be able to keep up the pace.
Preseason Prediction: Oregon 41, Colorado 17
Oct. 1 vs. Oregon State
After getting outclassed and outplayed in every way by Oregon, Colorado will look night-and-day different at home against the Beavers. Oregon State will hit on a few big pass plays, but a few turnovers will be the difference as the Buffs bounce back.
Preseason Prediction: Colorado 20, Oregon State 17
Oct. 8 at USC
Can Colorado keep the momentum going after beating Oregon State the week before? Nope. USC will be playing its second straight home game after beating Arizona State the week before, and it’ll have few problems after a rocky start. The Buffs’ offense won’t have enough firepower.
Preseason Prediction: USC 34, Colorado 13
Oct. 15 vs. Arizona State
Arizona State will be one of the big stories of the first half of the season, and then it’ll come up with one of its weaker performances. Even so, Colorado won’t be able to capitalize on enough of its chances as the Sun Devil running game takes control in the second half.
Preseason Prediction: Arizona State 24, Colorado 17
Oct. 22 at Stanford
Stanford will be roaring after losing to Notre Dame the week before. How bad have things been for Colorado against Stanford since joining the Pac-12? It is 0-3, having lost by a combined score of 138-17. This won’t be much better.
Preseason Prediction: Stanford 40, Colorado 13
Nov. 3 vs. UCLA
Colorado comes off a desperately needed week off after struggling on a three-game losing streak. Unfortunately, UCLA got the time off, too, before diving into the Thursday night early November game. The Buffs will play well, but they won’t be able to get over the hump after being tied early in the fourth quarter. The Bruins will go on a late run of unanswered points to get out alive.
Preseason Prediction: UCLA 37, Colorado 27
Nov. 12 at Arizona
Once again, Colorado will play just well enough to hang around and make it a fight, but it won’t be able to close. Arizona will get the job done at home by answering a huge day from the Buffs’ passing game with several good scoring drives at opportune times.
Preseason Prediction: Arizona 30, Colorado 23
Nov. 19 vs. Washington State
Finally, Colorado will come up with a good, strong win playing one of its best games of the season. Washington State will come in badly needing the victory, but they’ll turn the ball over too much, and Colorado will be too solid.
Preseason Prediction: Colorado 27, Washington State 20
Nov. 26 vs. Utah
The Buffaloes will start to play their best football after bowl eligibility is gone. They’ll be terrific against Washington State the week before, and against Utah they’ll get nasty on the defensive front to win a slugfest. It won’t be a thing of beauty, but it’ll be a win.
Preseason Prediction: Colorado 29, Utah 20
2016 Prediction: 5-7
2016 Pac-12 Prediction: 3-6
