:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/1261279/GYI0061914325.jpg)
Every Friday through the end of the seasons we will be breaking down all of the local football games of the week and highlighting a few of the other games of note for the weekend. We won't be predicting the outcomes here, we will leave that for all of you in the comment section.
College Football:
Colorado Buffaloes @ Missouri Tigers - Columbia, MO - 5:00 FSN
Colorado +11.5
Oh Missouri, over the last four years the Tigers have humiliated and embarrassed the Buffaloes more than any other program in the Big 12. Mizzou has outscored the Buffaloes to the tune of 117-40 combined over that time period and has consistently managed to send Buffalo fans' hopes plummeting each of those years.
On top of that is Colorado's horrendous road record during the Dan Hawkins era. Two Big 12 road wins. None over the North division. This season saw Colorado's only loss so far come on the road against a California team that slaughtered the Buffaloes 52-7.
Against this undefeated Missouri team, Colorado has an opportunity, to exercise both of those demons and show the rest of the country that their last season in the Big 12 has a chance to be something special.
The Ralphie Report hopes that the "good" Colorado team shows up tomorrow:
The biggest question is: Which CU team shows up tomorrow? Is it the team that scored some points against a pretty pitiful CSU team and then got blown out by a middle-of-the-pack Pac 10 team, or is it the team that came from behind against an explosive Hawaii offense and then beat a Georgia team that had the best WR in College Football back for the first time in their season? Because those are two very different CU teams.
We also know that our team tends to not show up early on the road. This needs to change. We can only hope the Cal game was embarrassing enough that they won't allow it to happen again. And we can only hope the performance against Georgia wasn't solely because of the presence of the 1990 Nat'l Championship Team.
These guys have to get themselves up for this game. They can't rely on a home crowd, the coaches or former Buff greats to do it for them. That's what Eric Bienemy told them before the Georgia game. Hopefully that sticks with them. We need it. If we go on the road and lose again, I think this team is too fragile to show up on the road ever again this season. If we don't show up against Missouri, I think we then lose to Kansas too.
Colorado State Rams @ Air Force Falcons - Colorado Springs, CO - 12:00 The Mtn.
Air Force -25
The Air Force Falcons entered the AP poll last week and they face an in-state opponent this week as they look to continue their march up the rankings and the Mountain West standings.
Meanwhile, Colorado State is still struggling to find their footing this season and they hope that a short trip down I-25 will allow them to get back in the win column.
Air Force certainly looks to have the edge in this match-up as the Ram defense should be looking forward to being on the field for a large portion of the contest. The Air Force triple option is a march down the field and grind out yardage system that will face a Colorado State team that can't run the ball and won't be able to stay on the field unless freshman quarterback Pete Thomas can replicate the success that he had in the Idaho game.
Other Games Of Note:
#1 Alabama vs #19 South Carolina - Columbia, SC - 1:30 CBS
#17 Michigan State @ #18 Michigan - Ann Arbor, MI - 1:30 ESPN
#23 Florida State @ #13 Miami - Miami, FL - 6:00 ESPN3
#12 LSU @ #14 Florida - Gainesville, FL - 5:30 ESPN
USC @ #16 Stanford - Palo Alto, CA - 6:00 ABC
NFL:
Denver Broncos @ Baltimore Ravens - Baltimore, MD - 11:00 CBS
Broncos +7
The Denver Broncos got a huge road win over the Tennessee Titans last weekend and now heads to Baltimore to take on Ravens as part of the "schedule of death" tour that the NFL chose to grant them. Now at 2-2 and with a quarterback that is turning heads all over the league and a running game that can't seem to get going, the Broncos face a Ravens team that just got done knocking off the undefeated Steelers on the road and sports one of the NFL's best defenses.
Mile High Report notes that the Broncos will have to put pressure on Flacco and the Denver offense will need to complete the big plays to steal the victory:
Quarterback Pressure. When you give Flacco time, he steps into his throws and has better mechanics.
The Big Play. Even without Domonique Foxworth and Ed Reed, the Ravens pass defense is number one in the league, but I believe it is because of their pass rush. Denver has the number one passing offense and should use their deep pass weapon to get ahead of Baltimore.
The Ravens have already played three top defenses on the road so far this season. The New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers are no slouches. It will take a gritty physical performance by the Broncos Offensive Line and this is the game to show the entire league that they won't be pushed around.
This won't be a Battle of the Titans, that was last week, but this game has all the elements of a head-on collision.
Other Games Of Note:
Kansas City Chiefs @ Indianapolis Colts - Indianapolis, IN - 11:00 NFL Sunday Ticket
New York Giants @ Houston Texans - Houston, TX - 11:00 NFL Sunday Ticket
Minnesota Vikings @ New York Jets - East Rutherford, NJ - 6:30 ESPN (Monday Night)