Sanders delivered against Baylor, but next four games will tell the story for Buffs

Colorado prepares for multiple factors in upcoming Big 12 schedule

Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

Your scribe was standing just a few feet from the 1994 “Miracle at Michigan” moment when Kordell Stewart flung a football close to 70 yards, receiver Blake Anderson tipped it and Detroit native Michael Westbrook cradled the precious pigskin. The Big House in Ann Arbor went silent. One of the most memorable moments of years covering the Buffs. Unbelievable.

Almost 30 years to the day, Shedeur Sanders and receiver LaJohntay Wester worked their magic in similar fashion to force overtime where the Buffs held off Baylor 38-31. Watching the latest from the comforts of a dear friend’s basement, our hosts immediately shared a memory of the latest against the infamous. “We were watching the game at a bar. Our son was just months old. When Westbrook caught that pass? Lou (father) leaped to his feet and forgot Louis (now 30) was in his lap. Louis went airborne. Thank goodness Lou caught him.”

Great memories with good outcomes. One for the ages. The latter? A good omen for the remaining eight games of CU’s regular season? The 2024 edition now wanders into Florida to play a new conference opponent, UCF. The first question that comes to mind? Weather. More specifically, soon-to-be Hurricane Helene expected to cut through Sunshine State before Saturday's contest.

A quick check of the forecast for Orlando this weekend calls for hot and muggy conditions with a decent chance of rain and thunderstorms. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 ET, the first day game this season for Coach Prime’s players. Can they handle the heat and humidity Mother Nature will deliver? More importantly, can they handle the style of undefeated Central Florida? Fast-paced with lots of running. The Buffs defense must rise to the occasion.

FOX will carry the game and is hosting its “Big Noon Kickoff” pregame show from the land of Disney World. It’s the Buffs fifth straight network TV appearance, a school record. The Knights are 3-0 with easy wins over New Hampshire and Sam Houston then a nail-biting comeback triumph on the road against TCU last week.

Central Florida has an experienced coach in Gus Malzahn and audacious dreams of becoming a factor in the wide-open Big 12. The Knights entered the conference last season, waxed then 15th-ranked Oklahoma State and went to a bowl game. Of the four Big 12 newcomers in 2023 - Cincinnati, BYU and Houston the others - the Knights were the only rookie program to earn a postseason bid. The Knights are no slouch.

The Buffs next four games could certainly dictate whether this second season under the NFL Hall of Fame player turned coach is on the verge of creating something on the gridiron matching the hysteria surrounding a program 7-9 since Prime arrived.

Four games in? It’s obvious what the Buffs possess: Unique talents at quarterback and wide receiver but many questions elsewhere. Prime himself confessed, “We have got to run the ball better, protect better and stop folks on defense.” No kidding? The shortcomings are obvious. Can they improve through the middle of a schedule that has, after Central Florida, an open date, nationally-ranked K-State at home, Arizona on the road and Cincinnati in Boulder?

The wildcats from Manhattan are good. No question. But the other three opponents? Much like the Buffs, plenty to prove before skeptics are convinced there’s relevance emerging. These thoughts make your correspondent think of former CU head coach Rick Neuheisel. As host of his television show long ago, when the conversation shifted into “If this would have happened” the popular CBS studio analyst would always joke, “If ‘if’s and buts’ were candies and nuts? We’d all have a Merry Christmas.” Amen brother.

I know, one game at a time. Regardless of how the Buffs have gotten to 3-1, the next four games present the program an opportunity to walk its talk. The final four games of the regular season are against quality teams. The good news? The best teams - Utah and Oklahoma State - are at Folsom Field while Texas Tech and Kansas are away in less-than-hostile environments. In fact, KU’s at Arrowhead in Kansas City.

Neuheisel always warned against playing the “If” game. Guilty as charged. Opportunity knocks. Can the Buffs deliver?