Would love a CU Buffs’ victory against Nebraska. Five wins during Deion Sanders’ first season would make me smile. Four W’s would make me content. More than five and I would be a Prime believer for the few years he will be in Boulder.
Scott, Boise, Idaho
Kiz: College football ain’t what it used to be. Maybe a good indicator of that fact? Sanders is widely regarded as temporary help, and CU fans seem more than fine with the arrangement. The amateur oddsmakers here at Kickin’ It Headquarters put the over/under of Coach Prime’s stay in Boulder at 20 victories and three seasons. And here’s betting the long-suffering CU faithful would gladly take it.
People sleeping on how good CU quarterback Shedeur Sanders is. I expect the Buffs to be bowl eligible with home wins against the Cornhuskers and USC Trojans!
Dan, masters runner
Kiz: Careful what you wish for. If CU beats both the Huskers and Trojans on their way to a bowl berth, Sanders will be named national Coach of the Year and the job offers to leave Boulder will deluge his email box.
Outside of quarterback Russell Wilson, the Broncos player with the most pressure on him is receiver Jerry Jeudy. He needs to prove it to earn a new contract. And the Broncos need a legit No. 1 receiver, with 90-plus catches and 8-plus touchdowns.
Kevin, stat tracker
Kiz: Jeudy has sweet football skills. But not every man matures at the same rate, no matter how well he might catch a football. At age 24, is Jeudy finally ready to be THE man for the Broncos. His development, as a person as well as a player, is one of the most crucial challenges for new coach Sean Payton.
The pressure is on Brett Maher. Every kick will be a make-or-break for fans skeptical of dumping Brandon McManus.
Zach, Colorado native
Kiz: I’m not certain Maher will even be the field-goal kicker on the opening night of the season, let alone by Thanksgiving.
I’m watching Garett Bolles and the entire Denver offensive line along with him. We have a decent shot at a wild-card playoff spot if that unit holds up. If not, it’s a repeat of the last six years.
Aaron, Pueblo
Kiz: At an average salary of $17 million, Bolles makes way too much money to be an average NFL left tackle. While there has been loose talk about Payton possibly parting ways with Wilson if the expensive quarterback bombs this season, it says here that Bolles should approach every snap in 2023 as if he’s playing for his job.
And today’s parting shot compares the joys of futbol with the boredom of football.
Having immersed myself in the flow, tears and joys of men’s and women’s World Cup soccer, tuning in on the Bronco’s preseason games feels like hitting a rocky, rutted road, with jolt after jolt to my eyes and brain. Action on the NFL field comes in brief intervals lof live action and replays, with mostly dead air between snaps. Visually and mentally, the experience is painful.
Bob, Boulder
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