GBMWolverine
Fansided

Michigan Football: What We Do (And Don’t) Know About Colorado

By Tyler Fenwick

Sep 10, 2016; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Jordan Gehrke (7) attempts to pass during the second half against the Idaho State Bengals at Folsom Field. The Buffaloes defeated the Bengals 56-7. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 10, 2016; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Jordan Gehrke (7) attempts to pass during the second half against the Idaho State Bengals at Folsom Field. The Buffaloes defeated the Bengals 56-7. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Saturday’s game against Colorado caps off an incredibly weak slate of non-conference games for Michigan football. Here’s what we know about the Buffaloes.

If you knew next to nothing about Michigan football‘s first two opponents this season—Hawaii and Central Florida—you’re probably not going to be in any better shape for this week’s game against Colorado.

Related Story: Speight proved he can ball against UCF

Why? Well, partly because it’s Colorado, a team that’s finished dead last in the Pac-12 South since joining the conference before the 2011 season. The Buffaloes won two conference games that year, but they’ve only managed a victory a season since then. It hasn’t been good.

So if you’re mentally prepping for this week and don’t have the slightest clue what to expect from Colorado, you’re in really good company. I’ll try to help fill you in on what you need to know.

First off, Colorado’s competition thus far—Colorado State and Idaho State—makes it very difficult to get a good read on where this team is right now. The Buffaloes won those games pretty easily by a combined score of 100-14 (Michigan’s combined score is 114-17), and two wins puts them halfway to last season’s total.

Colorado got those wins with a combination of a high-powered offense and opportunistic defense that’s forced five turnovers already.

The Buffaloes’ offensive attack is led by dual-threat quarterback Sefo Liufau, who’s completed nearly 75 percent of his passes so far for 522 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. He’s also added 120 yards on the ground, five short of the leader, running back Phillip Lindsay.

Colorado’s whole existence as a viable football team basically relies solely on the play of Liufau at quarterback. If he’s making plays—and avoiding interceptions like the 15 he threw in 2014—then the Buffaloes are likely in decent shape there. Liufau has been a staple in the Colorado offense since the 2013 season; his up-and-down career has no shortage of dramatic highs and lows.

Michigan occasionally had trouble keeping track of mobile quarterbacks last week against the Knights, so maybe there’s some hope for Liufau.

On defense it’s all about creating turnovers, but as is the case with the offense, it’s really hard to say just how good the Buffaloes are at doing that because of the level of competition. (I understand the irony, given Michigan has only played Hawaii and UCF.)

On one hand, Colorado has only given up one play this season of more than 20 yards, and they’re not shy about taking the ball away with three interceptions and two fumble recoveries. On the other hand, it’s not like we can say this was expected. The Buffaloes ranked No. 85 last season in total defense (416.9 yards per game), No. 70 in scoring defense (27.5 points per game), and No. 94 in 3rd down defense (42.2 percent).

Next: Top 10 running backs in Michigan history

The extended track record isn’t promising for Colorado, but the immediate track record is. It’ll be interesting on Saturday to see how the Buffaloes try to defend Michigan, after UCF’s plan to stop the run failed in the form of 51 points given up.

Home/Michigan Football