ESPN ranks CU, CSU as two of four worst college football teams in America
Sep 21, 2022, 3:12 PM
The state of college football in Colorado is bleak.
The CU Buffs and CSU Rams are both 0-3. Neither has come close to winning a game. CU has been outscored 128-30. CSU’s opponents have beaten them by combined scores of 123-33. Both seasons are on pace to be historically bad, with CU’s futility drawing comparisons to the 1890s.
It’s awful, and likely won’t get better anytime soon. Both programs were decimated by the transfer portal in the offseason and will need to essentially start from scratch. In Fort Collins, there’s at least a little bit of hope. Jay Norvell is a breath of fresh air compared to Steve Addazio. But in Boulder, Karl Dorrell’s time could be coming to an end.
Colorado AD Rick George released a statement over the weekend that said absolutely nothing, and wasn’t exactly a massive endorsement for Dorrell, either. In fact, it was essentially a plea for fans to come to the game on Saturday against UCLA at Folsom Field. That probably won’t be a fun time. The Bruins are more than 21-point favorites.
But it’s not just people in our great state that are taking notice. The national media is pointing it out as well. Take ESPN’s “Bottom 10” that was released on Wednesday. Writer Ryan McGee has CSU ranked as the third-worst team in the entire country. The Buffs are No. 4.
On the Rams, McGee wrote: “The Rams have lost nine straight, the longest winless streak in FBS football. Never a good sign: When the hometown newspaper follows up your 38-7 loss at Washington State with a story titled “Gauging the panic scale on Colorado State’s winless start.”
For the Buffs, he offered this up: “Also never a good sign: When your athletic director follows up your 49-7 loss at Minnesota with a statement that begins with ‘Like all of you, I have been disappointed to watch our football team struggle this fall …’ and right at the point in the press release where a head coach hopes that the message takes an inspiring upturn, it instead says: ‘I want you to know that I hear you. I recognize and understand your disappointment and frustration and perhaps, even anger.'”
Yikes all around. Only New Mexico state (No. 1) and Hawaii (No. 2) are worse programs right now than CSU and CU, according to ESPN. In similar rankings at CBS, the news is even worse. Shehan Jeyarajah and Tom Fornelli have the Rams as the worst team in the country and CU at No. 3.
Yes, Air Force is off to a solid start despite a disappointing loss at Wyoming last Friday night. And Colorado School of Mines always puts out a respectable team — even a championship contender at the DII level.
But the focus will always be on the Buffs, and to a little lesser extent, the Rams. And right now neither of those programs is making us proud. The national folks have taken notice as well.
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