2008 Colorado Football Picks & Predictions

The Buffs were bowl bound in just the second year of head coach Dan Hawkins’ rebuilding project. More improvement is to be expected in year three after landing a top 15 recruiting class. Find out where Jimmy Boyd has the Buffs finishing in the Big 12 North in his 2008 Colorado Buffaloes predictions and season preview.

Offense

QB Cody Hawkins improved by leaps and bounds over the course of his freshman year. I expect him to continue his progress in his sophomore season. Hawkins threw for 3,015 yards as a frosh and starred against Alabama in the Independence Bowl when he threw for over 300 yards. His 19 touchdowns were respectable, but his 14 interceptions were not. However, he threw just one pick in his final four regular season games and that is the kind of smart play I’m expecting this year. Colorado installed a shotgun dominant no-huddle offense in the spring which should make the offense even tougher to stop. The running game features Darrell Scott, the nation’s number one ranked prep running back. He appears to be the next great Colorado tailback. The wide receiver spot hasn’t been very productive in recent years, but I expect it to be a strength this season with Patrick Williams, Scotty McKnight, Josh Smith, and Markques Simas all contributing. Smith is a burner who gives the Buffs a legit deep threat. He averaged 19.6 yards per catch last season.

Defense

The Buffs were the 31st best rushing defense in the nation in 2007, and I expect them to be even tougher against the run in 2008 with all-conference caliber tackles George Hypolite and Brandon Nicolas clogging the middle. The problem is Boulder has been stopping the pass though. The Buffs managed just 19 sacks last season and they are going to have to do a better job of getting pressure in the backfield. A young group of ends will hopefully be ahead of the learning curve. A solid group of linebackers gets added depth this season with Marcus Burton coming back from being academically ineligible and Michael Sipili being reinstated after disciplinary action was taken. The Buffs lost both starting corners and will likely get picked on it the secondary again with two undersized corners filling in. The safety spot will be a strength with Ryan Walters and Daniel Dykes laying the wood, but both need to improve against the pass.

Special Teams

The Buffaloes have an All-American candidate for a punter in Matt DiLallo. There is a battle for the place kicking duties between Aric Goodman, a Wyoming transfer, and Jameson Davis, a 23-year-old true frosh back from a Mormon mission. Goodman was more accurate in the spring while Davis had a stronger leg so Goodman could handle the field goals and Davis could take the kickoffs.

Prediction – 3rd in Big 12 North

Last season was a great step in the right direction with Colorado advancing to a bowl game, but a brutal schedule could keep them from showing much improvement in terms of their record. Pre-conference play games with West Virginia and Florida State will be major tests. Those games take place in consecutive weeks and are followed by dates with Texas and Kansas. The Buffs could potentially lose all four of those games including a showdown with Missouri, but should still finish ahead of Nebraska, Kansas State, and Iowa State.

Jimmy’s college football predictions are here to give you the run down on your favorite football conferences in the 2008 season. They are also a great tool to help futures bettors pick their conference champions. It won’t take you long to realize that World Champion handicapper Jimmy Boyd is your one stop shop for all your football betting endeavors.

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