Column: Why the CU Buffs schedule is actually good
Am I crazy or is this almost the best-case scenario for the Buffs?
They play three out of the first four on the road and that one home game is against the defending Pac-12 South champions.
That will be the toughest stretch of the schedule for the Buffs by far.
But isn't it kind of a good thing to get that out of the way early?
They have a new coach and will have a new starting quarterback. With no spring practice and not much time to be together as a team, it's impossible to imagine this team getting off to a hot start.
So the games that were already chalked up as losses in the eyes of observers (Oregon, Utah and USC), will be the early games when CU is just trying to find their groove under the new head coach.
As the season goes on, the schedule will get much easier and the Buffs should be getting better.
So let's just say they start off 1-3 or 0-4 heading into their bye week. They will have a week to work out the kinks and then will play six straight games in winnable matchups.
They will have Arizona State at home, a team they have had some success against over the last couple of years.
Then on the road at Washington, which won't be easy but many don't expect that team to be as good as year's past and they beat them last season.
And then they wrap up their season with four out of the five easiest games on their schedule.
If they beat Arizona and one of Washington or Arizona State. They will only have to win three of the next four to become bowl eligible.
The two easiest games will be the last two. Both games at home against Oregon State and Washington State.
On a basic level, to become bowl eligible, they were already granted a win in the non-conference (Fresno State) with only having to win five games, removed on the road at Texas A&M and Colorado State and replaced it with Oregon State at home. They should take that trade and run.
The schedule isn't as bad as it looks. This is a team that should get much better as the season goes on, so playing the toughest games early and the easier games later should benefit CU.
Full schedule:
Sept. 26 at Oregon
Oct. 3 vs Utah
Oct. 10 at Arizona
Oct. 17 at Southern California
Oct. 24 BYE
Oct. 31 vs Arizona State
Nov. 6 at Washington (Friday game on ESPN)
Nov. 14 vs UCLA
Nov. 21 at Stanford
Nov. 28 vs Oregon State
Dec. 5 vs Washington State
Dec. 19 Pac-12 Championship Game
