Cal 2021 Football Opponent Previews: Colorado Visits Berkeley in Week 7

Bears and Buffaloes haven't squared off since 2018; Cal is unbeaten at home vs. CU.

GAME 7: COLORADO AT CAL

Date: Saturday, Oct. 23

Colorado 2020 record: 4-2 overall, 3-1 in the Pac-12/2nd in Pac-12 South. The Buffaloes lost 55-23 to Texas in the Alamo Bowl.

Series record: Cal leads 6-4. The Bears won 33-21 in the most recent meeting in 2018 at Berkeley. Cal is 4-0 vs. CU at home.

Buffaloes coach: Karl Dorrell (4-2, 2nd season at Colorado39-29 in 6 seasons overall)

Running back Jarek Broussard / Photo by Kirby Lee, USA Today

Top players: Sophomore RB Jarek Broussard (Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year after leading the conference with 895 rushing yards on 5.7 yards per carry with 5 touchdowns in 6 games as a redshirt freshman); Senior LB Nate Landman (Two-time first-team All-Pac-12; 284 career tackles); Senior LB Carson Wells (second in the Pac-12 with 6.5 sacks; first with 16 tackles for loss); Junior RB Alex Fontenot (Missed most of last season with an injury, but rushed for 874 yards and 5 TDs in 2019); Sophomore OT Frank Fillip (Honorable mention All-Pac-12); Sophomore WR Dimitri Stanley (20 receptions, 16.8 yards per catch in 2020).

Strengths: Colorado ranked third in the Pac-12 in rushing offense last season (212.3 yards) and returns star running back Jared Broussard and much of its offensive line. Also worth keeping an eye on: redshirt freshman RB Ashaad Clayton, the team's top recruit in 2019. . . . The Buffs’ ground game helped make them one of the most efficient red-zone offenses in the Pac-12, converting 21 of 23 chances into scores, with 17 touchdowns. Fifteen of those TDs came on the ground. . . . CU was second in the conference in sacks with 15 (2.5 per game) and tied for third in fewest sacks allowed with 7 (1.17 per game).

Weaknesses: The Buffaloes ranked 10th in the Pac-12 in passing yards per game (201.5) last season, ahead of only Arizona State and Cal. QB Sam Noyer threw more interceptions (7) than touchdowns (6). . . . Colorado has won the turnover battle in just 3 of its past 12 games, including only once last season. . . .  The defensive line has depth but is largely inexperienced and unproven and will miss Mustafa Johnson, who bolted for the NFL.

What you should know about Colorado: Picked fifth in the Pac-12 South in last year’s media poll, the Buffaloes were a surprise in Karl Dorrell’s debut season, earning him Pac-12 Coach of the Year honors. Colorado had its first winning season since 2016. The Buffs won their first four games by an average margin of 10 points before losing their final two by an average of 24.5. . . . Broussard rushed for at least 100 yards in each of his first four games as a redshirt freshman, the first CU player to accomplish that. . . . Cal backup quarterback Zach Johnson and Colorado quarterback J.T. Shrout both attended Hart High in Santa Clarita. . . . Opponents converted just 1 of 10 fourth-down tries against the Buffaloes defense last fall. . . .

Colorado spring football status: The Buffaloes wrapped up spring ball with their Spring Showcase on April 30. Coach Karl Dorrell said he was “encouraged” by the team’s performance throughout spring practice. "They worked hard,” he said. “Our young guys have a good feel of what we're doing on offense and defense. Now, we need a lot of summer work to put all the icing on the cake.” Returning starter Sam Noyer, who earned second-team All-Pac-12 honors last season despite modest statistics, missed spring ball after undergoing shoulder surgery. He began his CU career at quarterback, moved to safety for the 2019 season then considered transferring before Dorrell convinced him to stay by returning him to QB for last season. Noyer is expected to duel freshman Brendon Lewis and sophomore J.T. Shrout, a transfer from Tennessee, in fall camp.

Colorado 2021 season projection: The Buffaloes won’t sneak up on anyone this season but they are deeper, thanks to the return of several players who either were injured or opted out a year ago, plus some transfers from Power 5 programs. Still, it remains to be seen if Noyer (shoulder surgery) and Landman (torn Achilles tendon last Dec. 11 vs. Utah) are fully healthy. Plus, the schedule is tough: Non-conference games against Texas A&M (neutral) and Minnesota (home) and a Pac-12 slate that includes games against Arizona State, USC, Cal and Oregon before the end of October.

Cal-Colorado game prediction: Cal 27, Colorado 24

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Cover photo of Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux is by Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports

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Click here for preview of Game 2: TCU

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Cover photo of Colorado coach Karl Dorrell by Kirby Lee, USA Today

Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo