Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Welcome to the Hotline's predictions for each Pac-12 game of the 2022 season. The 12-part series will be published in six installments, with teams grouped by travel partners. Links to prior articles at bottom …
Colorado Buffaloes
Coach: Karl Dorrell (third season)
Offensive coordinator: Mike Sanford (first season)
Defensive coordinator: Chris Wilson (second season)
2021 record: 4-8/3-6
Colorado's five-year win totals: 10-5-5-5-4 (2020 season excluded)
Last postseason appearance: 2020 Alamo Bowl (lost to Texas)
Best-case 2022 scenario: 6-6
Worst-case 2022 scenario: 1-11
Projected starting quarterback: Brendon Lewis
Key question: The Buffaloes have playmakers in the passing game, but will Lewis (or JT Shrout) consistently deliver the ball on time and on target to revitalize what was a subpar offense?
Here we go …
Sept. 2 (Friday): vs. TCU
Result: win
Record: 1-0
Comment: The Horned Frogs have a new coach, Sonny Dykes, who loves the Air Raid but has little regard for defense. That presents the Buffs with a stupendous opportunity … if they can get the ground game rolling.
Sept. 10: at Air Force
Result: loss
Record: 1-1
Comment: First matchup for Dorrell and his staff against a triple-option opponent. That's always an ominous sign.
Sept. 17: at Minnesota
Result: loss
Record: 1-2
Comment: New CU playcaller Mike Sanford spent the past two seasons as Minnesota's offensive coordinator, so he knows the Gophers' personnel and playbook. Close throughout, but the visitors finish one possession short.
Sept. 24: vs. UCLA
Result: loss
Record: 1-3/0-1
Comment: The Bruins will be rested and healthy after their non-conference gauntlet of Bowling Green, Alabama State and South Alabama. The Buffs will be wobbly after three in a row against FBS foes.
Oct. 1: at Arizona
Result: loss
Record: 1-4/0-2
Comment: Pivotal game if CU hopes to preserve even the faintest opportunity to reach the postseason. But the dynamics have changed since the 34-0 victory over Arizona last year.
Oct. 8: idle
Comment: No competitive advantage gained as Cal is also idle in Week Six.
Oct. 15: vs. Cal
Result: loss
Record: 1-5/0-3
Comment: If the season follows the path laid out here, this would be the time for a quarterback change.
Oct. 22: at Oregon State
Result: win
Record: 2-5/1-3
Comment: We're having a difficult time getting last year's affair out of our head and wonder if Oregon State might experience the same problem.
Oct. 29: vs Arizona State
Result: win
Record: 3-5/2-3
Comment: Hope is alive in the shadow of the Flatirons, however briefly it might last.
Nov. 5: vs. Oregon
Result: loss
Record: 3-6/2-4
Comment: Favorable timing for CU with the Ducks in a look-ahead situation to their rivalry game against Washington on Nov. 12. But the Buffs' two-game winning streak undermines their pursuit of an upset: They have Oregon's full attention.
Nov. 11 (Friday): at USC
Result: loss
Record: 3-7/2-5
Comment: No team has a tougher November, and the Buffs simply don't possess the quality depth needed to handle it.
Nov. 19: at Washington
Result: loss
Record: 3-8/2-6
Comment: What had been low-level grumbling about Dorrell's job security now is loud enough for all to hear and none to escape. But we believe he's safe through 2023.
Nov. 26: vs. Utah
Result: loss
Record: 3-9/2-7
Comment: Much like the past two affairs, CU holds its own through halftime, then fades to oblivion.
Most recent Hotline with Jon Wilner stories
Related topics
Jon Wilner has been covering college sports for decades and is an AP Top 25 football and basketball voter as well as a Heisman Trophy voter. He was named Beat Writer of the Year in 2013 by the Football Writers Association of America for his coverage of the Pac-12, won first place for feature writing in 2016 in the Associated Press Sports Editors writing contest and is a five-time APSE honoree. You can follow him on Twitter @WilnerHotline or send an email at jwilner@bayareanewsgroup.com.
Pac-12 Hotline: Subscribe to the Pac-12 Hotline Newsletter. Pac-12 Hotline is not endorsed or sponsored by the Pac-12 Conference, and the views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the Conference.
