1986: Close loss to No. 10 Arizona … 1991: Loss to Stanford eliminates CU from national title race … 1996: First-ever Big 12 game a big win over A&M … 2001: Game Four cancelled (story on the week of 9/11) … 2016: CU 41, Oregon 38 – Witherspoon’s interception preserves program changing victory (including videos) …

A 12-team playoff would mean a dilution of meaning for the Rose Bowl (and possible elimination of minor bowls, reducing chances for 6-6 and 7-5 teams to earn post-season berths), but, had their been a 12-team playoff in 2016, the Buffs would have been in the mix …

Big Ten matchups … 1986: 13-10 road loss to Ohio State … 1991: A 58-0 rout of Minnesota (612 yards of total offense) … 1996: Buffs fall to No. 11 Michigan with ESPN Gameday on hand … 2001: 51-15 rout of San Jose State (560 yards of total offense) … 2016: Buffs take 14-0 lead over No. 4 Michigan before falling, 45-28 …

Are past results indicative of future performance? … VK takes a look at CU’s offensive stats since joining the Pac-12, and finds them, well, offensive … Will the new coaching staff be able to field a Pac-12 worthy offense in 2021? …

1986: CU held a 30-23 lead over Oregon with a minute to play, but lost, 32-23 … 1991: Another last minute loss, this time to No. 23 Baylor, 16-14 … 1996: 48-34 win over WAC champion CSU in Ft. Collins … 2001: Rout of No. 24 CSU in Denver, 48-14 … 2016: Idaho State no match in 56-7 romp …

1986: An unexpected (and rare) loss to CSU … 1991: Buffs pull away from Wyoming late … 1996: No. 5 Buffs take it to Ryan Leaf and Washington State … 2001: Who knew a loss to Fresno State in the opener would cost CU a shot at the national championship? … 2016: “Welcome to the Fight” opens with 44-7 rout of CSU …

Welcome to Summer, 2021! … Over the next few months, we’ll be taking a week-by-week look at the 1986 (“20-10”!), 1991 (CU’s Ice Bowl), 1996 (First Big 12 season), 2001 (“62-36!”) and 2016 seasons (Pac-12 South Champs) … Up first: Preseason prognostications …

Countdown to Chaos Edition … June 1st marks the first time since Karl Dorrell was hired that official visits can take place (“The levee is about to break”) … Meanwhile, the countdown to NIL chaos hits the 30-day mark, with the NCAA and Congress no closer to a solution … Plus: ESPN’s (back-handed) compliment for Tad Boyle …

CU’s season can be broken down into thirds … Four “Must Win” games; Four “Likely Losses”; and Four “Games Which Will Decide the Season” … How CU fares will decide if the Buffs are going bowling in 2021 …