Nicholls State @ Colorado preview
Folsom Field
Colorado’s non-conference finale Saturday at home against struggling FCS member Nicholls has “trap game” plastered all over it. The Buffaloes are coming off an emotional come-from-behind overtime win over rival Colorado State and open Pac-12 play the following week against perennial-power Oregon.
Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre entered the week with the same thoughts but said his fears quickly faded Monday when he met with his 12-player leadership council. Several upperclassmen at the meeting urged MacIntyre to show lowlights of the Buffs’ 30-28 loss in 2012 to visiting Sacramento State which set the tone for a 1-11 season. "I went and showed about a minute clip of the Sac State game of them beating us (three) years ago,” MacIntyre told reporters at his weekly news conference. “I think that might have been worth a million words. That’s all I needed to say.” Nicholls was outscored 67-10 in a pair of losses to open its season.
TV: 1:30 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network. LINE: NL
ABOUT NICHOLLS (0-2): The Colonels, based in Thibodaux, La., entered the season with an 18-game losing streak, and it has grown to a program-worst 20 with defeats against Louisiana (47-0) on Sept. 12 and Incarnate Word (20-10) last week in its Southland Conference opener. Quarterback Tuskani Figaro was benched in the third quarter last week after throwing his second interception of the game, but is expected to start his third straight contest. Nicholls is a young team which has played 17 freshmen in first two games, including three in the defensive backfield.
ABOUT COLORADO (2-1): The Buffs have bounced back nicely from their season-opening 28-20 loss in Hawaii with victories over Massachusetts (48-14) and Colorado State (27-24) and now are seeking their first three-game win streak since the opening games of the 2008 season. Colorado ranks third among Pac-12 teams with 243.3 rushing yards per game, but two of its top three tailbacks – including leading rusher Michael Adkins II – left the last game with injuries and the Buffs have moved slot receiver Donovan Lee to the backfield behind starter Christian Powell. Colorado’s defense is coming off a game of big plays with none bigger than linebacker Kenneth Olugbode’s 60-yard interception return for a touchdown which broke a 17-17 tie in the fourth quarter.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Colorado is 3-2 all-time against FCS opponents, losing to Sacramento State in 2012 and Montana State (19-10) in 2006.
2. With 2,490 receiving yards, WR Nelson Spruce currently ranks fourth on the Buffs’ all-time list but is only 59 yards away from overtaking Michael Westbrook for the top spot.
3. Nicholls beat host Western Michigan 27-23 in its second game of the 2013 season but has since dropped five straight games to FBS opponents, getting outscored by a combined margin of 311-33.
PREDICTION: Colorado 52, Nicholls 7