Colorado Buffaloes 2008 Preview

Coach: Dan Hawkins (8-17) Third Year
Last Year: 6-7, 4-4 Big 12 North, third of six 
Returning Starters : Offense 7*, Line 2 | Defense 8, Line 3

Three Things You Should Know
1) The word is that Cody Hawkins is having a great training camp and playing with a lot of confidence. Last year the 5-11/190 QB put up 3,015 yards and 22 TD passes vs 17 INTs. Despite the lack of size and maybe not the strongest arm, a lot of the "deep thinkers" are thinking he might have a big year.
2) Two other guys you should know about are incoming RB Darrell Scott and DT George Hypolite. As the #1 rated RB in the 2008 class by Rivals, Scott (6-2/215) is no secret. Phil Steele has him as second team All-Big 12. Reports have him currently listed as third on the depth chart, but the theory is that Hawkins is just trying to scale back the expectations. On the other side of the ball and career spectrum is Hypolite. The 6-1/285 senior DT led CU with 6.5 sacks last year. Pretty impressive from the DT position. The CU d-line will likely start four seniors and should be the Buffs strongest unit in 2008.
3) Colorado's schedule is insane. Seriously, W. Virginia, FSU in Jacksonville, Texas and then KU in Lawrence. How is that for an early four-game stretch (9/18 - 10/11).

Trends
CU is 4-11 the last three years on the road while KU is 18-2 at home since 2005 ... KU will be going for three-in-a-row vs the Buffs. The last and only time that occured was during 1962-1964.

The Game
The toughest home game in Lawrence since Kansas State 2006? Should be a decent crowd on hand and could be insane if the Jayhawks come in with a win over USF under their belt. You could say that KU might overlook Colorado with OU coming up the next week, but the Hawks always play tough at home. If CU comes in with a 3-2 record, we'll know we're in for a dogfight.

2008 Colorado Schedule
Aug. 31, 2008 Colorado State  
Sept. 6, 2008 E. Washington
Sept. 18, 2008 West Virginia 
Sept. 27, 2008 at Florida State 
Oct. 4, 2008 Texas 
Oct. 11, 2008 at Kansas 
Oct. 18, 2008 Kansas State 
Oct. 25, 2008 at Missouri 
Nov. 1, 2008 at Texas A&M 
Nov. 8, 2008 Iowa State  
Nov. 15, 2008 OK State 
Nov. 28, 2008 at Nebraska

2007 Results
W Colorado State 31-28
L at Arizona State 33-14
L Florida State 16-6
W Miami-OH 42-0
W Oklahoma 27-24
W at Baylor 43-23
L at Kansas State 47-20
L Kansas 19-14
W at Texas Tech 31-26
L Missouri 55-10
L at Iowa State 31-28
W Nebraska 65-51 
L Alabama 30-24