Colorado is no match of #9 Oregon

The Colorado Buffaloes were outmatched, outplayed and out-schemed as they took on the number-9 team in the nation yesterday. The Ducks looked the part of the defending runner-up to the National Champion; they came out and didn’t disappoint.

“That is just how far we have to go,” said CU head coach Jon Embree, “I don’t think when you look out there you see a lack of effort or a lack of hustle or guys trying. We are just not at that level yet.”

The Ducks led by 29 points after the first quarter of play and let off the gas as much as they could. The much underappreciated Ducks defense barely allowed the Buff to cross into Oregon territory. The only points the Buffs could salvage was a safety on an uncharacteristic play by the OU lightning fast return man Cliff Harris. Oregon finished the game with a kneel down from the Colorado 22 yard line and a 45-2 victory.

“Disappointed about what happened to us, but hats off to Oregon,” said Embree in compliment of his opposing number and one of the best coaches in college football, Chip Kelly.

Oregon was classy and refined. They were the most talented, fastest and most well-coached team that the Buffs will see all year.  Colorado had no answers for the Ducks, who were even playing without their starting quarterback, Darren Thomas, and running back, LaMichael James.

The Buffs move to 1-6 and, realistically, no hope on the horizon.

“It is hard. I’m smiling because you have to smile to keep from crying,” Embree said. He is a true Buff believer, and he saw one of the lowest points in Colorado football history first hand in the early 1980’s. But he also saw the resurgence and the changing of a mentality in Boulder.

Now, Embree is in the forefront of the 21^st-century version of this same change. With 15 or 16 freshman getting substantial playing time and his first true recruiting class Embree will have his chance to make it happen.

“It is like what I have been telling them [younger players], ‘It is not where we are, it is where we are going to be,’ and that is what they have to stay focused on,” Embree said, emphasizing on looking toward the future of the program.