Colorado site hits back at ESPN reporter for dismissive Buffs take

The staff of Colorado football news site BuffsBeat hit back at ESPN reporter Mark Schlabach for his dismissive Buffs prediction for the September 2 season-opener against TCU, one in which the journalist claimed the Horned Frogs would hang 50 on CU’s defense — with the FanNation site’s staff reminding Schlabach that A). Colorado’s defense has improved significantly, B). TCU has lost most of the players that made them great, and C). a College Football Playoff runner-up TCU team couldn’t even hang half a hundred on Karl Dorrell’s lifeless squad in 2022.

“While it’s popular to play to the ‘Dislike Deion’ crowd, at some point, reality is going to kick in for the haters,” BuffsBeat wrote. “Colorado is better than last year with a team built of top recruits, especially on defense. Not discrediting what Shedeur Sanders or the Buffs offense is capable of in the slightest.

“Sonny Dykes’ TCU team lost 40 percent of last year’s starters, including Heisman finalist Max Duggan. The assessment of a Frogs beatdown would be more accurate with last year’s squad. But, let’s not forget, TCU lost by 58 points at the hands of Georgia in the National Championship. And just to be clear, last year’s TCU team didn’t even hang “Half-a-hundred” on the “Beans and Frank” Buffs. No, thank you. We’re not buying it.

What Mark Schlabach said about the 2023 Colorado football season

Schlabach’s words have fired up much of the Colorado football fanbase, and rightfully so. While the ESPN reporter acknowledged that the eyes will be on “Prime Time,” he also somehow justified a poor prediction for the upcoming season based off the departing players from last season; completely ignoring the fact that the program had the No. 21 recruiting class in the country because of a No. 1-ranked transfer haul.

“The Buffaloes are going to be one of the most compelling teams in the country, but they’re not going to be very good,” Schlabach said. “Colorado went 1-11 last season, 1-8 in the Pac-12. Sanders and his staff tried to trade out beans and franks ingredients for beef Wellington overnight, but it won’t make much of a difference. It wouldn’t be surprising to see TCU hang half-a-hundred on the Buffaloes in the Sept. 2 opener.”

What would be less surprising is seeing this prediction — every single aspect of it to be clear — go up in smoke this fall.