Tag: Colorado Buffaloes

Colorado Reportedly To Hire Karl Dorrell As Head Coach. Can The Buffs Start Winning Again?

Colorado appears to have found its man. It’s being reported that Karl Dorrell will be the next head coach. What does it mean?

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Colorado appears to have found its man. It’s being reported that Karl Dorrell will be the next head coach. What does it mean?

Karl Dorrell? Uhhhhhhh, okay.

The base desperately wanted Colorado to somehow lure away former star running back and current Kansas City Chief offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy to be the head man, but it didn’t work out. Instead …

Colorado appears to have wanted a head coach with NFL experience at some level, but unlike previous hire Mel Tucker – who bolted after one year at the gig for Michigan State – we’ve seen what Karl Dorrell could do as a head coach.

It was whatever, but now it’s clean slate time for Colorado football as well as its new head coach.

The former UCLA head man is being hired away from his job as the Miami Dolphins’ receivers coach to take over a Colorado program that has a whole lot of potential, but needs a jump-start.

Dorrell seemed like the right hire at the right time for UCLA in 2003. The former Bruin wideout was a rising coaching prospect with time logged in after various Pac-12/Pac-10 schools – including Colorado for two different stints as the receivers coach – and it’s not like he was awful.

He led UCLA to five bowl appearances in five years, finished with a 35-27 record, and he even looked like he was about to make something special happen after building things up to a big 10-2 third year. Along the way, his 2006 team shocked a loaded USC squad 13-9.

But the program wanted more, Dorrell was fired in 2007, and he bounced around the NFL as a key assistant and spent a year as the Vanderbilt offensive coordinator.

And now he gets another shot.

It really is possible to win in Boulder.

After three straight 5-7 seasons, Colorado football has been the master of teasing everyone to think something big could get started, and then … pffffffft. The air keeps coming out of the balloon.

Even when it went to the Pac-12 Championship in 2016, that was a bit of an aberration – the schedule wasn’t anything great and the South tripped over itself. But a ten-win season is a ten-win season, especially when it’s the only winning campaign since 2005.

Good luck, Coach Dorrell.

It’s been over 15 years since Colorado was a superpower – in the Big 12. But in the Pac-12, it’s had one winning season in nine years, and a whole generation of fans have no idea what happened back in 1989 and 1990 – by the way, there was a tie in 1990 along with a split national championship; that’s how long ago it’s been since the program was a killer.

Fortunately for Dorrell and the Buffs, the South is gettable right now.

It’s just not happening so far at UCLA under Chip Kelly and Arizona under Kevin Sumlin, USC is in limbo, Utah is fine to a point, and Arizona State is fine, but whatever.

Dorrell has to ramp up the offense. He has to come up with a style of football that can at least start winning again, and then hope things fall into place and the South continues to struggle.

Was this the home run hire that’s going to freak out the rest of the Pac-12? Nah, but win eight games in Boulder on a regular basis, and build the thing up over the next three years, and Dorrell can make the program his.

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Vic Fangio, Phillip Lindsay and John Elway attended CU basketball game Thursday

Broncos coach Vic Fangio went to a college basketball game with running back Phillip Lindsay on Thursday evening.

Broncos coach Vic Fangio, general manager John Elway and running back Phillip Lindsay were in attendance when the Colorado Buffaloes defeated the USC Trojans 70-66 in a college basketball game at the Coors Events Center on Thursday evening.

Fangio had a busy day leading up to the game.

Broncos fans loved seeing the coach and player attend the game together.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a picture of a head coach and player at a non-football event together,” one fan commented on Instagram. “This is great!”

“This is wholesome,” another fan commented on Instagram.

Lindsay played running back for the Buffaloes from 2014-2017 before signing with Denver as a college free agent in 2018. After rushing for more than 1,000 yards in his first season, Lindsay became the first offensive undrafted rookie to make the Pro Bowl.

Lindsay topped 1,000 yards again in 2019 and he has now totaled 2,485 yards from scrimmage and 17 touchdowns in two years in the NFL.

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USC at Colorado college basketball odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Thursday’s USC Trojans at Colorado Buffaloes betting odds and lines, with college basketball betting picks.

The USC Trojans (19-7, 8-5 Pac-12) head to Boulder, Colo., for a 9 p.m. ET tip-off against the Colorado Buffaloes (20-6, 9-4) at the CU Events Center. We analyze the USC-Colorado odds and betting lines, with college basketball betting advice and tips around this matchup.

USC at Colorado: Three things you need to know

1. Colorado steamrolled USC 78-57 in Los Angeles in the first head-to-head meeting this season. In fact, the Buffaloes have won and covered three straight against the Trojans.

2. USC enters on a two-game win streak, taking home games vs. the Washington State Cougars 70-51 Saturday, and vs the Washington Huskies 62-56 Feb. 13.

3. The Buffaloes are ranked No. 17 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll  and are on track for their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2016.

Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM! 

USC at Colorado: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 4:10 p.m. ET.

Prediction

USC 68, Colorado 64

Moneyline (ML)

USC (+350) has six top-100 RSCI recruits on its roster compared to just one for Colorado (-455). It’s not like the Buffaloes are a more experienced squad than the Trojans: Colorado had four upperclassmen in its starting lineup last game, while USC had three upperclassmen, and they both have 1.7 years of average experience on their rosters. Place a small wager on USC (+350).

New to sports betting? Bet $50 on USC to profit $175 if the Trojans win outright.

Against the Spread (ATS)

This number is kind of confusing to me. Sure, Colorado -9.5 (-106) blew out USC +9.5 (-115) in their first meeting of the season, but USC has the best ATS winning percentage of any Pac-12 team. The Trojans have covered four straight games since their Feb. 4 outright and ATS loss to the Buffaloes. USC is 5-0 ATS in its last five games as an underdog and 4-0 ATS in its last four games overall. Plus, the road team is 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings in this series. Bet USC +9.5 (-115).

New to sports betting? Bet $115 on USC +9.5 to earn a $100 profit if the Trojans lose by 9 or fewer points or win outright.

Over/Under (O/U)

The Under has cashed in back-to-back Colorado games, and six out of seven USC games, including three straight. More importantly, the O/U record is 0-7 for the last seven USC-Colorado meetings. The Trojans have the most Unders in the Pac-12 this season, so back the UNDER 137.5 (-115) since it correlates with our USC ATS/moneyline handicaps. 

Want some action on this matchup? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @Geoffery_Clark and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Colorado at Oregon college basketball odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Thursday’s Colorado Buffaloes at Oregon Ducks sports betting odds and lines, with college basketball betting picks, tips and bets

The Oregon Ducks (18-6, 7-4 Pac-12) host the first-place Colorado Buffaloes (19-5, 9-3 Pac-12) at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene at 9 p.m. ET Thursday. We analyze the Colorado-Oregon odds and betting lines, while providing college basketball betting tips and advice on this matchup.

The Buffaloes are ranked 15th in the USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll. The Ducks are ranked 18th.

Colorado at Oregon: Three things you need to know

1. Colorado heads into this one with a 1.5-game lead for first place in the Pac-12 conference standings ahead of Oregon, and two games ahead of Arizona. A win by the Buffaloes won’t clinch anything but will put them in commanding position for the regular-season conference title.

2. The Buffaloes are an impressive 19-5 straight up this season, but they’re just 5-3 SU in their eight true road contests, including losses in two of the past three away from home. They thumped USC 78-57 in their most recent road outing, Feb. 1.

3. Oregon will be looking to return the favor after losing 74-65 in Boulder back on Jan. 2, as the Buffs covered a two-point number with the Over (137) hitting.

Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM!

Colorado at Oregon: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 11:45 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Oregon 75, Colorado 71

Moneyline (ML)

Colorado (+165) is a tempting play at this price level, especially given the fact they won the previous matchup outright. Oregon (-200) should be able to scratch out a win on their home court and keep the Buffs from running away with the Pac-12. AVOID, due to the chalky odds returning a profit of just $5 on a $10 bet.

Against the Spread (ATS)

COLORADO (+5.5, -128) is worth a small-unit play, although the Buffaloes’ Jekyll and Hyde performances at home, as opposed to the road, should give bettors some pause. Still, Oregon (-5.5, +105) has covered just one of the past five games overall, and the Ducks are 1-4 ATS in their past five games against teams with a winning percentage over .600.

Over/Under (O/U)

OVER 136.5 (+100) might be a nice little parlay with the Buffs against the spread. The Over is 4-1 in Colorado’s past five games while hitting in each of their past four following a straight-up win. The Over has connected in six in a row at home for Oregon, and the Over is 13-6-1 in the past 20 overall for the Ducks.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Michigan State Reportedly Hires Mel Tucker

Mel Tucker has been a head coach at any level for all of 17 games. Five of those came as interim head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2011 before spending last year at Colorado where he went 5-7.

The surprising news last week of Mark D’Antonio stepping down as Michigan State’s head coach led the Spartans on a wild goose chase to find their replacement.

A week later seemingly everyone Michigan State had approached responded with a “thanks, but no thanks”.

Former Spartans defensive coordinator under D’Antonio turned Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi wasn’t interested.

San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh declined.

Luke Fickell was the show pony but cited “family reasons” for staying at Cincinnati instead of return to the Big Ten East.

I get why it’s so tough to fill – just look at your immediate competition in the area: Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Penn State are all right there competing for the same talent while those three have a clear step ahead. Then factor in the timing of the opening being about as bad as possible and the hesitation to take the job is even more understandable.

Finally overnight Tuesday into Wednesday it appears they’ve found their replacement, one that has had some success as a coordinator but has had an extremely limited sample as head coach.

Mel Tucker has been a head coach at any level for all of 17 games. Five of those came as interim head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2011 before spending last year at Colorado where he went 5-7.

Maybe they’re famous last words but some people are head coaches while others are excellent coordinators. Not that anything is wrong with that, but I’m hard pressed to get too excited for Tucker leading the charge if I’m a Michigan State supporter.

Tucker’s greatest accomplishments as a coordinator come from 2002 when he helped guide Ohio State to an unlikely national title and 2015 when he helped Alabama win it all in the middle of their dynasty as an assistant head coach/defensive backs coach.

I’m not knocking what he did at Alabama but am I to supposed to think it was the defensive backs coach that was so responsible for that year of success?

Tucker had a stop at Georgia where he ran the defense and coached the defensive backs from 2016-18.

Perhaps it’s because I saw his defenses up close in covering the disasters that were the 2013 and 2014 Chicago Bears, but I’m not sold on Tucker in charge.

Perhaps he steps in and ups recruiting at Michigan State, something they’ve regressed on a bit of late. But will he be able to improve and modernize an offense that largely looked out of 1991 the last five seasons?

I suppose Michigan State doesn’t have to panic and promote an assistant to save face and Tucker’s hiring does at least help that. But it’s hard to see this being a knock out hire for a mostly career coordinator who hasn’t coached in the Big Ten since 2004.

For a guy with such little head coaching experience, entering a division already home to Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan feels like he’s entering a Blackjack table that has a stacked deck against him.

Michigan State and Notre Dame are scheduled to briefly renew their rivalry with a home-and-home in 2026/2027. Time will tell if Tucker can essentially upset the house and be around for those.

Colorado at USC college basketball odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s Colorado Buffaloes at USC Trojans sports betting odds and lines, with college basketball betting picks and tips.

The Colorado Buffaloes (16-5, 6-3 Pac-12) and USC Trojans (17-4, 7-2 Pac-12) square off at Galen Center at 10:30 p.m. ET Saturday. We analyze the Colorado-USC odds and betting lines, while providing college basketball betting tips and advice on this matchup.

Colorado at USC: Three things you need to know

1. USC picked up a win last time out, while Colorado is coming off a Thursday loss, putting the Buffaloes one game back of the Trojans for second place in the Pac-12.

2. Colorado owns a 9-4 straight up record in 13 meetings since moving to the Pac-12 conference before the 2011-12 season. The Buffaloes swept the season series last year, winning by four points in L.A. and by 11 at home.

3. The road team has connected in five of the past seven meetings in this series.

Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM!

Colorado at USC: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 12 p.m. ET.

Prediction

USC 68, Colorado 63

Moneyline (ML)

USC (-115) is the play at home, but we can get even better value on the spread.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Trojans to win outright returns a profit of $8.70.

Against the Spread (ATS)

USC (-1.5, +100) is playing much better than Colorado (+1.5, -121) at the moment, and the Trojans will be looking to avenge the season sweep from a year ago. The big man for USC, Onyeka Okongwu, is averaging 17.0 points per game, 9.1 rebounds and 3.2 blocked shots per game while leading the team with a 61.5 field-goal percentage, too. He’ll be the difference in this one.

Over/Under (O/U)

UNDER 135.5 (-110) is worth a small-unit play, as that’s been the trend for both sides lately. The Under is 7-3 in USC’s past 10 overall, and 20-7 in its last 27 home games. The Under is also a perfect 6-0 in the Trojans’ past six games against winning teams. For Colorado, the Over is 8-3 in the past 11 games overall, but the Under is 5-0 in their past five games against teams with a winning overall mark. The Under is also a whopping 25-9 in the past 34 on the road for CU.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Oregon at Colorado odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Thursday’s Oregon Ducks at Colorado Buffaloes sports betting odds and lines, with NCAA basketball betting picks.

The Oregon Ducks (11-2) and Colorado Buffaloes (11-2) square off at the CU Events Center at 9 p.m. ET Thursday. We analyze the Oregon-Colorado odds and betting lines, while providing college basketball betting tips and advice on this matchup.

Oregon at Colorado: Three things you need to know

1. Colorado has picked up 11 victories in 13 games to date, including an 81-71 win over Arizona State Nov. 8 in Shanghai (the game did not count in the Pac-12 standings as the contest was part of the conference’s Global Initiative). However, the Buffaloes rank a dismal 251st with a 42.3 field-goal percentage.

2. Oregon is quite a bit more efficient offensively, ranking 33rd in points scored (80.3 PPG), ninth in field-goal percentage (49.7%) and fifth in 3-pointer percentage (41.7%).

3. Ducks G Payton Pritchard leads the team in points (18.5), assists (6.2) and steals (1.8) per game.

Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM!

Oregon at Colorado: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:10 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Oregon 78, Colorado 69

Moneyline (ML)

No moneyline was available at the time of publishing.

Against the Spread (ATS)

OREGON (-1.5, -115) heads to Boulder looking to make team history against Colorado (+1.5, -106), as the Ducks are 0-8 SU all time in Colorado. The Buffs spanked them 73-51 last season Feb. 2. However, the shooting woes of CU, and the hot shooting this season of Oregon, should result in the first-ever Ducks win in Boulder.

Over/Under (O/U)

OVER 138.5 (-106) is the way to go, as Oregon’s offense has been red hot. The Ducks post over 80 points per game, and even if they’re slightly below their average, the Over is looking mighty tasty in this one.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Dayton vs. Colorado odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s Dayton Flyers vs. Colorado Buffaloes sports betting odds and lines, with NCAA basketball betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Dayton Flyers (9-1) and Colorado Buffaloes (9-2) will tangle Saturday evening at 6:30 p.m. ET in the Chicago Legends showcase at the United Center in Chicago. We analyze the Dayton-Colorado odds and betting lines, while providing college basketball betting tips and advice on this matchup.

The Flyers are ranked No. 12 in the  USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll.

Dayton vs. Colorado: Three things you need to know

  1. Colorado defeated Dayton in NIT action last spring. That contest – won by the Buffs, 78-73 – was held in Boulder on Colorado’s home hardwood. UD returned the bulk of its key players and has won nine of 10 games – losing only to No. 1 Kansas in overtime – to start the 2019-20 campaign. Kansas is actually a common opponent for the Flyers and Buffaloes: the Jayhawks beat UD 90-84 Nov. 27; they beat UC 72-58 Dec. 7.
  2. The Flyers are averaging 84.8 points per game which ranks sixth in DI hoops. UD is 3-1 against the spread in neutral-site games; Colorado is 0-2 ATS in such contests.
  3. There is a 21% gap in the early-season inside-the-arc field-goal shooting between these teams. Dayton is shooting a DI-best 65% on 2-pointers, while Colorado has languished with a 44% mark (300th). The Flyers have shot 39% from 3-point-land (17th); they’ve allowed a figure near that (which tends to be more of a random stat upon which to play or fade).

Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM!

Dayton vs. Colorado: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 10:15 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Dayton 73, Colorado 65

Moneyline (ML)

The moneyline wasn’t posted at the time of publication.

Against the Spread (ATS)

This line has a lower spread figure but a premium on the Dayton side. The value is still there and we’ll take DAYTON (-4.5, -121).

Since both teams played Kansas back-to-back, the Flyers went on to beat a top-40 team in St. Mary’s by 10 (in a game under heel all the way), while the Buffs struggled to beat 50th-ranked Northern Iowa (in a contest mostly controlled by NIU). Look for Dayton to win the turnover battle by a substantial margin and control this one by three scores.

New to sports betting? Every $1.21 wagered on Dayton will profit $1 if the Flyers win by 5 points or more.

Over/Under (O/U)

Both sides play at an average tempo. PASS on the 139.5 figure.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Colorado vs Colorado State: Game Preview, TV & Radio Schedule, Livestream, Odds, More

The Colorado State Rams host the #24 Colorado Buffaloes in the Rocky Mountain Showdown, basketball edition. Can the Rams pull of the upset?

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Colorado vs Colorado State: Game Preview, TV & Radio Schedule, Livestream, Odds, More

Rocky Mountain Showdown: Basketball Edition

Contact/Follow @J0shFr3d & @MWCwire

Can the Rams get a resume building win?

WHO: #24 Colorado Buffaloes (7-2) vs. Colorado State Rams (7-5)

WHEN: Friday, December 13 — 6:00 PM MT/5:00 PM PT

WHERE: Moby Arena; Fort Collins, Colorado (8,745)

TV: CBS Sports Network

STREAM: Get a one-week trial of FuboTV.

RADIO: Colorado | Colorado State

SERIES RECORD: Colorado leads 90-38

ODDS: Colorado -4.5

The Colorado State Rams host the Colorado Buffaloes in the basketball edition of the Rocky Mountain Showdown. The Rams are having their White Out game and will be wearing throwback uniforms.

The Rams are looking to build off of the momentum of a last second win over South Dakota State, while the Buffs are looking to stop a two game losing streak. CU lost to #2 Kansas and Northern Iowa this past week.

Three things the Rams need to do to get a win over the Buffs are contain Tyler Bey, keep up the defensive intensity, and get the seniors going. If the Rams can accomplish these things, they have a chance to send CU back to Boulder with a third loss.

Tyler Bey is the Buffaloes all around player. He leads the Buffs in points, rebounds, steals, and blocks. Bey is also second on the team in assists. The Rams will need to be careful with Bey, as he is very efficient from the field (averages close to 50%) and he gets to the line a lot.

The Rams tend to get lackadaisical on defense, especially in transition. This has cost them wins and has come close to costing them wins. The Rams also need to communicate on defense. Sometimes this young team has a tendency to follow the ball to closely and they forget about the man they are supposed to guard. This upperclassman led Buffs squad will pick this young Rams squad apart if they aren’t careful.

The senior Rams on this team need to calm down a little. They look like antsy freshman out there at times. Nico Carvacho, Hyron Edwards, and Kris Martin are a big part of this squad, but they need to slow it down sometimes and try not to force things. The Rams play best when these guys are all on the same frequency.

There is no question that this Rams team is a young team. They look like that at times, but they also look like a team that has the ability to play with anyone in the country. The Rams will surprise some people this season and this looks to be an opportunity for them to do just that.

CSU 72-65 Colorado

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Colorado’s newest football recruit is an uber-athlete named Mister Williams. Yes, Mister.

The newest member of Colorado’s recruiting Class of 2020 has a unique name and the skills to go with it, all from the toniest part of Los Angeles.

What’s in a name? If there’s something to it, Colorado fans have to be excited about the Buffaloes’ latest football recruit.

On Tuesday, three-star California linebacker Mister Williams committed to Colorado. The Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Calif.) star picked the Buffs ahead of scholarship offers from in-state California, Kansas State, LSU, Nebraska and more.

A dynamic 6-foot, 218-pound athlete, Williams is the kind of player who could have a larger influence than his recruiting ranking, and sooner than some might expect, particularly because of the top end speed he has honed as a star running back on the offensive side of the ball for Oaks Christian.

The most intriguing part of Williams’ commitment, besides his name? He’s an LSU legacy (his father Bruce was a linebacker for the Tigers) who picked Colorado ahead of a return to the Bayou.

As for that name, Williams told the Los Angeles Times that his father named him Mister so that others would always have to respect his name, though it does often present interesting fodder for the first day of school.

“Teachers who first see my name, they say, ‘Mister? That’s a very unique name.’ Or they’ll be like, ‘Oh, give me your real name.’ I’m like, ‘That is my real name, madam,’ ” Williams told the Times.