Michigan Football vs. Colorado: Three Buffaloes To Watch

Sep 10, 2016; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Mike MacIntyre celebrates the win over the Idaho State Bengals at Folsom Field. The Buffaloes defeated the Bengals 56-7. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Despite being a team that’s largely overlooked, Colorado has a few noteworthy players taking the field on Saturday against Michigan football.

Pretty much the only thing most Michigan football fans know about the Colorado Buffaloes is that they’ve been a pretty bad team for a long time, to the tune of never finishing better than dead last in the Pac-12 South since joining the conference in 2011.

The best way to think about this Colorado team might be to think back to the days of Michigan football under Rich Rodriguez: a high-powered offense that sputters against quality competition, and a defense that holds its own until—again—it plays against higher quality offenses.

Colorado’s Denard Robinson is Sefo Liufau. OK, yes, maybe that’s taking it a little too far, but I wanted to pound this point home: It’s pretty much impossible, even after the Buffaloes’ extremely lopsided wins to start the season, to say where this team really is.

Last week against Central Florida, Michigan occasionally had trouble holding contain against the Knights’ mobile quarterbacks, and speedy running back Adrian Killins (who’s only had five carries this season), blew by everyone on his way to an 87-yard touchdown. Colorado, it could be argued, will feature a more dynamic spread attack than UCF. We’ll see where that goes.

If there’s one thing Colorado has done well defensively so far this season, it’s create turnovers. The Buffaloes have forced five in two games: three interceptions and two fumble recoveries. Is this something the Wolverines need to worry about? Probably not, seeing as Wilton Speight has seemingly found his groove, and the Michigan backs are running strong and keeping the ball secure.

Here are the three Colorado players to keep an eye on this weekend, in no particular order.

Nov 13, 2015; Boulder, CO, USA; USC Trojans running back Justin Davis (22) runs the ball against Colorado Buffaloes defensive back Chidobe Awuzie (4) during the first half at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

Chidobe Awuzie, CB

Chidobe Awuzie was Colorado’s best player in the defensive secondary last season with 90 tackles, including four sacks, two interceptions, and 10 pass breakups. He was on the field for 897 plays, more than any of his teammates.

So far this season it’s been more of the same for Awuzie. He’s got one of the three interceptions, 11 total tackles (leading the team), and two pass breakups. This isn’t quite to the tune of someone like Jourdan Lewis, who practically eliminates whole chunks of the field at a time, but it’s something Speight and the Michigan offense will have to pay attention to.

The CBS Sports 2017 NFL draft board ranks Awuzie as the No. 19 cornerback in the class. (Lewis is ranked No. 10.) He’s on the shorter side at 5-foot-10, but it hasn’t stopped him from being a force in Colorado’s offense.

(Warning: The above video features “No Problem” by Chance The Rapper, which has some language.)

For the sake of Colorado’s future, Awuzie, a senior, is also grooming true freshman cornerback Tony Julmisse, who’s listed directly behind Awuzie on the Colorado depth chart.

“I’ve been trying to implement what Chidobe tells me and I try to watch him a lot when he’s in the game,” Julmisse said. “I try to see what he does, things that I wouldn’t do that he does and try to work just like he would. It’s been great.”

Sep 10, 2016; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Sefo Liufau (13) carries the football in the first half against the Idaho State Bengals at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Sefo Liufau, QB

There’s no doubt that Colorado can kiss its chances of an upset goodbye if Liufau doesn’t have something near the game of his life on Saturday. Now a senior, Liufau has been through a lot in Boulder, including setting 51 records over the course of the season in 2014 as a sophomore.

Liufau’s numbers haven’t always been great, but he’s showed time and time again that he can’t be counted out as a playmaker. It seems to be especially true this season in the Buffaloes’ new spread-based, up-tempo attack that’s letting him really shine.

In two games this season Liufau has 512 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. He’s completing 74.5 percent of his passes and is getting just over 10 yards per attempt. He’s also contributing on the ground, mostly via the read option, with 120 yards and another touchdown.

Here’s a look at what he did against Colorado State in Week 1. It’s impressive.

Liufau is going to be another early test for the Michigan defense. The question is whether or not the Wolverines are ready to defend against an offensive scheme that plagued them just a season ago.

Liufau might consider himself lucky to even be playing in this game. He wasn’t able to finish last season because of a Lisfranc fracture, and Colorado head coach Mike MacIntyre recently called it a “small miracle” that he was able to recover and make it back in time for the start of this season.

Sep 10, 2016; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Devin Ross (2) reacts after his touchdown reception in the first half against the Idaho State Bengals at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Devin Ross, WR

The only thing more important than a dynamic quarterback in these spread-based, high-tempo offensive attacks is a receiver who can consistently come through to create big plays and keep the chains moving. For Colorado, that’s redshirt junior Devin Ross.

Ross, who returned last season after taking a redshirt in 2014, has risen up so far this season as Colorado’s No. 1 receiver and the early favorite target of Liufau. In 2015 that spot belonged to Nelson Spruce—and then three other receivers. Ross was No. 3 on the team in receiving yards, but he lagged behind in receptions.

That’s changing this season, as Ross leads Colorado with 11 receptions for 124 yards and two touchdowns. And he’s doing it all over the field. The Buffaloes like using him for quick-hitters to let him work in space and create on his own, but he also has the hands to get downfield and make a good play on the ball.

It doesn’t appear Jourdan Lewis is going to be available on Saturday, meaning Michigan will likely stick Channing Stribling on Ross. Occasionally it’ll probably be Peppers, coming from that hybrid linebacker position, who gets on Ross, especially if he isn’t going downfield.

The combination of Ross and Liufau may come to really test the Michigan defense on Saturday, even if only a few times.