My prediction and thoughts on CU's upcomnig 2008 season.

After an offseason that had a few high moments and a few regretable moments I'm sure Coach Hawk and co. are ready for the season to begin. The arrests of Riar Geer, Lynn Katoa, the academic ineligibility of a few others, the injury to top recruit Jon Major and the red-shirting of Ray Polk and Brian Lockridge will all prove to be blessings in disguise down the road. By all accounts the fall camp has been one of the best in recent memory and there is noticable improvement in the size, quickness, knowledge and overall confidence after Hawk's 3rd fall camp.

The Buffs should take down CSU in the opener without too much trouble, but the game is usually closer than the teams' talent levels would suggest. For this year's game the gap will be much more noticable than it has been over the past two years.

After the opener CU's schedule gets brutal. It is also the most 'glamorous' stretch in recent CU history. This gauntlet begins with West Virginia coming to Boulder for a Thursday night game on national TV. The Buffs then travel to Jacksonville to play Florida St. After the FSU game the Buffs begin Big 12 play. The strength of the Big 12 never allows 'gimmes' for a team of CU's ability, experience etc. but the early portion of this year's schedule is against the best of the Big 12. CU opens with Texas at home, then play in Lawrence against KU, followed by Kansas St in Boulder and then Missouri on the road. That is as tough a schedule (out of conference and in conference) as there is in the country before November 1st.

Realistically the Buffs will compete in - and have a chance to win - every game in that stretch except the game at Missouri. The Tigers are the best team in the Big 12 north and one of the best seven or eight teams in the country. Frankly CU is a much-improved team this year, but the Tigers are on a whole other level.

So my guess is that CU will get to Nov. 1 and have a respectable record of 4-4.

This would mean the Buffs would beat Eastern Washington on Sep. 6 (not as easy a task at is sounds) moving them to 2-0. I also think the Buffs will win the game against Kansas State at home on Oct. 18. making them three-for-three in games they 'should win'.

The four-game stretch against Top 25 teams (WVU, FSU, UT, KU) will set the tone for this season and maybe the next two.

I don't see CU winning the game in Jacksonville against FSU on Sep. 28th, or the game against Texas on Oct. 4th but both will hopefully be closer games than they would have been in the past two seasons.

I think CU will either beat West Virginia or KU in Lawrence. Both will be close games, but WVU has the talent to pull away from the Buffs, whereas KU has a ton of talent but the game will be similar to last year's which was low scoring and very physical.

If the Buffs get through that stretch at 4-4 according to my logic it will mean wins in the games the Buffs were 'supposed' to win (CSU, EWU and KSU) and upsets of either A: a Top 25 team on the road (FSU or KU) , or B: a preseason Top 10 team at Folsom (WVU) . If they could somehow squeak out another win and come through at 5-3, this would have the makings of a special season. CU fans could also rejoice at that point about the prospects of the 2009 season, a much more favorable schedule for the Buffs.

On November 1st the Buffs will play at Texas A&M in College Station. CU has played well against A&M recently, going 1-1 in 2004 and 2005 including a great OT game in College Station in '04 and a blow-out upset in Folsom in '05. That all being said, I think the Buffs will fall to the Aggies and drop to 4-5. This is a very winnable game for CU, but A&M is a one of the toughest places to play in the country. A tall task for a young CU squad to say the least.

After falling below .500 the I think the Buffs can rebound and finish the season with three wins against Iowa St, Oklahoma St and Nebraska. The young Buffs may slip in one or both of the games against Oklahoma St and/or Nebraska (both very good and very under-rated teams) but I will give them CU the benefit of the doubt. Coach Hawk heavily preaches the importance of what he calls 'finishing strong in life and on the field'. I think this philosophy will play out on the field this seaon.

So when the season is said and done I think the Buffs will finish at 7-5, a very respectable record given the strength of schedule and young roster. A 7-5 record would get the Buffs into a decent bowl game against a fellow powerhouse football school in a favorable destination. Hopefully a step up from last year's game against Alabama (although CU was happy to accept the invitation to that game last season). I also think the Buffs would also deserve a game that would be held in a little more glamorous location than Shreveport, LA. Say maybe Phoenix/Tempe (weather) or Dallas/San Antonio (weather/recruiting hotbed).