USA Today's Brent Schrotenboer is a believer in the Buffs. After Colorado football's 48-21 rout of UCF, Schrotenboer sent a warning to the Big 12: CU has arrived and could not only be a threat to the conference, but to the entire country as well.
"The win effectively puts the Big 12 Conference on notice," Schrotenboer wrote. "The Buffs are hot, on the move and might even come close to cracking the national Top 25. The Buffs led 27-14 at halftime and held the nation’s No. 1 rushing offense to 177 rushing yards, nearly 200 under UCF’s season average before Saturday."
Talk about a narrative switch.
Many were willing to write off Colorado after barely beating North Dakota State. They effectively did after Nebraska destroyed them 28-10 in Week 2. Knocking off CSU 28-9 barely made any believers out of the public, and needing to come back against Baylor with the help of several miracles still had many skeptical.
That's out the window. CU was so thorough in decimating UCF at the Bounce House that the Buffs are getting respect.
The kind of respect where media members are now viewing Colorado as a contender. Not a six-win team barely getting to a bowl game. A contender.
Deion Sanders is becoming a coach of the year contender
Coach Prime is doing the impossible right now. After an offseason marred by rumors that the locker room was engulfed with gun-toting and fighting, followed by The Denver Post's Sean Keeler's incessant whining to anyone who'd listen about how he can't ask a question at any CU football event -- he is still allowed to attend, mind you -- Sanders has the Buffs winning most of their games in the early going.
Massey Ratings still project a losing record for Colorado by season's end, but you have to think that might've been done for clicks. *winks*
At this rate, Coach Prime could be coach of the year. And no one would bat an eye if the Buffs keep looking like the bona fide contenders they have been through the campaign's first five weeks.