Rankings and Ratings

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Rankings and Ratings

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November 15th

Colorado up to No. 10 in the College Football Playoff Rankings

From CUBuffs.com … Another week, another move up in the rankings for the Colorado Buffaloes.

Mike MacIntyre‘s Buffs climbed to No. 10 Tuesday in the College Football Playoff rankings, marking the first time since the first week of the 2002 season that the Buffs have been in the top 10 of major rankings or polls.

Now, the newest poll makes it possible for the Buffs to play three ranked teams in the next three weeks.

Colorado opened the 2002 season ranked No. 7 in the Associated Press poll and No. 6 in the coaches poll, but slipped out of the top 10 after losing the opener. The last time the Buffs were ranked in the top 10 after playing at least one game in a season came at the end of 2001, when they finished ninth in the AP and coaches polls.

The 8-2 Buffs are currently ranked No. 12 in both the AP and coaches polls.

The CFP rankings are used to determine the four teams that will play in the national semifinals as well as to help determine bowl pairings. Colorado was ranked 15th in the initial CFP rankings, released Nov. 1, then moved up three spots to No. 12 last week.

This week, Colorado moved past Auburn and Texas A&M, both of whom suffered their third losses of the season last week. A&M dropped to No. 25 while Auburn slipped to No. 15.

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Mike MacIntyre at No. 2 in National Coach-of-the-Year rankings … Mike Leach No. 7

From CampusInsider.com .. The race for 2016 Coach of the Year was hit with a seismic quake, the result of last weekend’s shakeup in the polls. Half of the nation’s top 10 teams fell unexpectedly, with the ripple effect directly impacting the coaches leading them. So long, Jim Harbaugh, Gus Malzahn and Justin Fuente. Hello, Scott Frost, Kyle Whittingham and Mike Leach.

2. Mike MacIntyre, Colorado (5)

The Buffaloes’ improbable season continued with last week’s 49-24 rout of Arizona in Tucson. The team that was picked to finish last in preseason Pac-12 South polls now sits atop the division with two regular season games left. But those two games with Washington State and Utah, both in Boulder, will define the 2016 ceiling for the coach and his kids. MacIntyre is a top 10 finisher no matter how the year ends, but win them both and he’ll soar into championship weekend as the leading candidate for Coach of the Year.

7. Mike Leach, Washington State (NR)

There’s one Pac-12 team left that has yet to lose a conference game. Yup, it’s the Cougars, who have reeled off eight consecutive wins in the same season for the first time since 1930. Leach has Wazzu performing at heights that haven’t been witnessed in the Palouse since Mike Price was still on the payroll 14 years ago. And he’s getting it done with much more than just the prolific, Luke Falk-led passing attack. With ranked Colorado and U-Dub in the on-deck circle, Leach has considerable room for growth if the winning streak remains intact.

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November 14th

CBS 1-128 – Colorado up to No. 13 … but USC jumps up to No. 10

From CBS Sports … The most notable change in the top 10 after the shakeup weekend is the arrival of Southern California. The Trojans had the look of a Pac-12 title contender in knocking off Washington in Seattle. It makes you wonder both how far Sam Darnold can take this team in his bright future and what might have been if he took over the quarterback job earlier. USC is still mathematically in the hunt for a Pac-12 title but needs Utah and Colorado to each lose once to make the conference title game.

The Pac-12:

No. 30 – Stanford

No. 63 – Arizona State

No. 66 – UCLA

No. 73 – California

No. 88 – Oregon

No. 105 – Arizona

No. 106 – Oregon State

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ESPN … CU No. 2 in the Pac-12 Power Rankings; No. 10 in the country

From ESPN … Welcome to the Week 11 Pac-12 power rankings. You can see last week’s rankings here. If you don’t like where you’re ranked, play better.

1. Washington State 8-2, 7-0 (No. 2 last week)

The Cougars have ripped off eight straight wins and sit alone atop the Pac-12 North standings. No team has gone undefeated in conference play since the league expanded. Following Washington’s loss to USC, the Cougars carry the banner. After dispatching Cal 56-21 Saturday, a showdown in Boulder looms next week against Colorado. Then the much-ballyhooed Apple Cup.

2. Colorado 8-2, 6-1 (No. 3 last week)

A very no-nonsense performance in a week where nonsense was par for the course. Probably the biggest takeaway from the 49-24 win over Arizona was that the offense showed some life after producing just 30 combined points in the previous two games. A visit from Washington State next week could actually be a preview of the Pac-12 championship game.

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From ESPN … Three of the top four in last week’s College Football Playoff rankings lost this week, making room for those teams’ conference foes. With two weeks to go in the regular season, everything is different, and it’s awesome.

10. Colorado Buffaloes (8-2)

Trending:

Week 10 ranking: 13
Week 11 result: Defeated Arizona 49-24

The Buffaloes play host to Pac-12 North contender Washington State on Saturday, a game that is a big matchup but — perhaps curiously — is not a must-win for either’s divisional hopes in the Pac-12.

… Note … Of course, this is not true. It is a must-win for the Buffs. If CU loses to Washington State, and USC beats UCLA, the Buffs are done in the Pac-12 South race …

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November 13th

Colorado up to No. 12 in both Associated Press and USA Today coaches’ polls

From CUBuffs.com … Colorado’s rise up the national polls ladder continued Sunday, as the Buffaloes moved up four spots to No. 12 in the Associated Press poll and three spots to No. 12 in the USA Today/Coaches poll.

The move was certainly not unexpected. Colorado won its fourth straight game Saturday, a 49-24 win at Arizona, while several teams previously ranked ahead of the Buffs, including Auburn and Texas A&M, suffered losses.

Now 8-2 overall and 6-1 in the Pac-12, Colorado will play host to Washington State next Saturday in a nationally televised 1:30 p.m. battle (Fox) between Pac-12 division leaders. Washington State, which defeated Cal on Saturday to improve to 8-2 overall and 7-0 in the Pac-12, also moved up, improving to No. 20 in both polls.

Colorado head coach Mike MacIntyre said he expected a full house at Folsom Field, even though Saturday is the first day of CU’s Thanksgiving break.

“I’m so excited for our fans,” MacIntyre said in his post-game press conference Saturday night. “I said that on the radio. You all need to be there this Saturday and next Saturday (Nov. 26, when CU plays host to Utah in the regular season finale).”

MacIntyre’s Buffs were picked to finish last in the Pac-12 South in the preseason media poll, but could win the South title outright and earn a spot in the Pac-12 championship game with two more wins.

“This is a special time in Colorado football,” MacIntyre said. “Our young men have taken us to good, to really good, and we can move to great next weekend. We need everybody there. I said it at the beginning of the year at the kickoff luncheon and I’m pretty sure everybody smirked and said he’s crazy.

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Associated Press poll:

Others Receiving Votes: Houston (8-2) 49; North Carolina (7-3) 40; Virginia Tech (7-3) 36; Tennessee (7-3) 21; Navy (7-2) 20; Stanford (7-3) 16; Western Kentucky (8-3) 11; Pittsburgh (6-4) 9; South Florida (8-2) 8; Arkansas (6-4) 7; Iowa (6-4) 4; Ole Miss (5-5) 2; Minnesota (7-3) 1

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USA Today Coaches’ poll:

Others Receiving Votes: Houston (8-2) 60; Navy (7-2) 43; South Florida (8-2) 43; Virginia Tech (7-3) 39; Troy (8-1) 28; Tennessee (7-3) 20; Stanford (7-3) 16; Pittsburgh (6-4) 6; Arkansas (6-4) 5; Toledo (8-2) 3; Baylor (6-3) 2; Iowa (6-4) 1

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Game time set for CU v. Washington State … ESPN GameDay not coming to Boulder

From Dave Plati at CUBuffs.com … In the battle of the Pac-12 Division Leaders, Washington State (8-2, 7-0 Pac-12) at Colorado (8-2, 6-1) has been selected for a national broadcast on FOX (KDVR, Ch. 31 in Denver) with a kickoff time of 1:30 p.m. MST.

I was also just informed that ESPN Game Day will not be coming to Boulder for the game. They are going to Western Michigan.

… Just got the broadcast team:  Gus Johnson (play-by-play), Joel Klatt (CU’s own, analyst), Shannon Spake (sidelines).

This post, about the Washington State game, from the 2016 Season, is filed under Article.
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