Central Arkansas @ Colorado preview

A coaching change isn't always the answer when trying to turn around a football program, but at the moment no one is questioning Colorado's decision to hire Mike MacIntyre. The Buffaloes will try to ride the momentum from their season-opening victory over rival Colorado State when they play their home opener against Central Arkansas on Saturday. Colorado has already matched its win total from last season, which ended with the firing of Jon Embree - 4-21 in two seasons at his alma mater.

The Buffaloes lured MacIntyre away from San Jose State, where he turned a 1-12 team in 2010 into a 10-2 squad last season. Colorado certainly looked like a different team in their 41-27 victory over the Rams on Sunday, when the only glaring problems occurred during a pair of lapses on special teams. Central Arkansas, ranked fifth in the FCS coaches' poll, rolled up 537 yards of offense in a 58-7 victory over Division II Incarnate World in its opener, but the Bears have never defeated an FBS school in nine tries.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network. LINE: None.

ABOUT CENTRAL ARKANSAS (1-0): The Bears are the defending champions of the Southland League, which produced FCS national runner-up Sam Houston State. Central Arkansas returns 11 starters from the team which lost in the second round of the FCS playoffs to Georgia Southern, but its top player could be a freshman. Jatavious Wilson, a 5-9, 171-pound receiver, had four catches for 105 yards and two touchdowns while returning a kickoff 93 yards for a TD last week.

ABOUT COLORADO (1-0): The Buffaloes struggled at the quarterback position last season, but junior Connor Wood has appeared to solidify the position. The 6-4, 225-pound Houston native was 33-of-46 for 400 yards and three touchdowns against Colorado State - with scoring tosses of 82 and 75 yards to Paul Richardson. Wood also displayed poise in the pocket and the ability to avoid trouble as the offensive line - a trouble spot last season - did an excellent job providing him time.


EXTRA POINTS

1. Richardson finished with 10 catches for 208 yards in his first game since tearing his ACL during spring practice in April 2012. The redshirt junior caught 11 passes for 284 yards and two touchdowns in a 36-33 overtime loss to California in 2011 and has recorded two of the four 200-yard receiving games in school history.

2. Colorado is 1-2 against FCS opponents - all Big Sky teams - including its 30-28 loss to Sacramento State at home in Week 2 last season.

3. MacIntyre became just the second Buffaloes coach in 81 years to win his debut.

PREDICTION: Colorado 41, Central Arkansas 27