From: kevin@traffic.den.mmc.com (Kevin Rodgers)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.college
Subject: Re: Big East Bowl Preview
Keywords: Fiesta Bowl, Big 8, Colorado, Syracuse
Date: 21 Dec 92 20:13:51 GMT
Organization: Buffalo Stampede

In article <BzIpor.1CF@acsu.buffalo.edu> v262xxve@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Timothy C Pitts) writes:

>SYRACUSE (9-2,6-1)
>This week:  Colorado (9-1-1) in Fiesta Bowl.  Colorado has been winning with
>smoke and mirrors.  Nebraska brought in a fan to let us all see what's going
>on under the smoke and it wasn't pretty.

Offensively, Colorado has been winning with big passing plays to their
dual 1,000-yard receivers, Charles Johnson and Michael Westbrook.  I
don't think anyone had any difficulty seeing through their running game,
though.  What Nebraska (and Oklahoma) showed was that if you put the
heat on Detmer, he'll turn it over to you 5 or more times.  Detmer won't
start, and hopefully won't play at all, against Syracuse.

Defensively, CU is solid, having held their opponents to no gain or
losses on as many plays as they've given up yardage.  They have a strong
front four, anchored by DT Leonard Renfro; a great linebacking corps
headlined by Greg Bierkert, Chad Brown, and Ron Woolfork; and a very
athletic secondary led by Jim Thorpe winner Deon Figures.

The Buffs gave up 52 points to Nebraska in a game where they were on the
field for 40 minutes, mostly on their side of the 50, and 38 points to
Baylor in the second week (actually, one TD was scored on and INT
return).  Their opponents' next highest point totals were 24 by Oklahoma
(2 TDs on INT returns), 20 by Minnesota (1 TD on a blocked punt), and 18
by Kansas.

>Quality play by Syracuse against
>Miami almost made for an upset, but certainly proved that Syracuse is one
>of the elite teams of the year. Syracuse has struggled somewhat outside the
>dome, but its play in the last half of the season was up to preseason
>expectations.

No one here is underestimating the Orangemen, especially given their
successful bowl record and Colorado's rather dismal one.

Other notes: CU is travelling to Tempe today, but SU doesn't arrive
there till Sunday due to late finals and the 3-day holiday break coach
P. is giving.  CU coach McCartney has suspended PK Pat Blottiaux for
academic reasons, leaving all the kicking chores to P/PK Mitch Berger.

>Marvin Graves should have no trouble moving the ball on a
>team that has proved susceptible to decent offenses.

I think the problem Graves & company pose for CU is the incredible
balance they have between the run and pass.  Neither their freeze option
nor their passing game would be enough to faze the CU defense, but
together, they could have CU on it's heels the whole game.  But I don't
think it will turn out that way ... whether CU can control the ball long
enough to score some points will be a key question.

I'm not at all familiar with SU's defense, although I've heard that it's
not particularly strong.  Can someone fill us in on their scheme and key
players?

>Prediction:  Syracuse 36, Colorado 21.
>Last meeting:  ??
>Series:  ??

Prediction: Colorado 24, Syracuse 21.

>PITTSBURGH (3-9,1-3)
...
>This week:  Season over (thank God).  Next season should improve with hero
>Johnny Majors returning to resurrect a program decimated under Hackett.

I'd say Foge Fazio and Mike Gottfried deserve as much credit as Hackett
for Pitt's current state.

P.S.  What about Temple's new coach?
-- 
Kevin Rodgers				kevin@traffic.den.mmc.com
Martin Marietta MS A16401		(303) 790-3971
116 Inverness Dr. East
Englewood CO 80112 USA			GO BUFFS!
Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.college