The Mel Tucker Era Could Hinge on the Next 4 Weeks
It's never too early to look at the long road ahead, and as I do that, something occurs to me: The next four games could well determine how the entire Mel Tucker Era goes.
As it is, Colorado is 3-3, needing three more wins to become eligible for a bowl, which is basically the line that determines whether or not you had an acceptable football season. Making a bowl game is like the band Green Day: Any band better than Green Day is definitely good, and any band worse is definitely bad.
With six games left, you figure CU could scrounge together three more wins, but the schedule isn't so easy. Washington State (3-3) is one of the most beatable teams left on the schedule, and it's a 13-point favorite over CU this weekend.
What this really comes down to, I think, is a three-weak stretch beginning Oct. 25 in which Colorado plays USC, UCLA and Stanford. UCLA is the worst team in the league -- although it did beat Washington State. USC is a little bit better, and Stanford is going to be a tough, but winnable, game.
If CU comes out of this next month with six total wins, all the sudden you've got a first-year head coach taking a middling program back to a bowl game and building off that momentum.
If CU comes out of this next month without six wins ... you've got a team facing two ranked teams (No. 25 Washington and No. 13 Utah) to end the year. And all the sudden you may well be looking at just another losing season, another offseason with a ton of turnover (especially on offense) and another rebuild.
If that rebuild doesn't go quick, or go well, it's easy to imagine Tucker going into Year 3 with some pressure on him.
I hate to be the one to start in on this already, but this is why they get paid the big bucks.
