ESPN breaks down CFB Week 1 preview: Colorado vs. NDSU, UTAH vs. Kansas, Buffalo vs. Lafayette

quarterback of the Colorado Buffalo set for another season after last year's promising campaign faded into Oblivion conference play was not kind to the Buffs but Di is again scrapping with the media while shador is among the early names for the Heisman conversation after hitting on 69% of his passes 27-3 touchdown interception ratio four Gams with four plus touchdowns this is what your Thursday week one slate looks like and you can see NC State getting a challenge from Western Carolina North Dakota State out of the FCS is that Buffs opponent and then there's Utah with Cam Rising getting Southern Utah Rising having getting back on the field for the first time in some two years yeah Colorado will host FCS Powerhouse North Dakota State buys and have won six of their last seven games versus FB FBS opponents let's bring in HQ college football analyst chip Patterson and Brian mcfaden and gentlemen last year they started 3 and0 averaged more than 41 points a game finished with eight losses and nine games where they averaged a shade under 24 a game in Dion's first season as coach there was again a host of roster shuffling so can they not only get off to a quick start this year but also sustain the entire season with this new look team I'll start with you chip I'm not ready to go sustain because I don't know if you've seen the back half of the schedule but the back half of the schedule is loaded but I do think that the first six games are going to allow for Colorado to get off to a good start starting on Thursday against North Dakota State I think the shadur Sanders and this offense are going to be primed to have a very very big performance I like their offensive line so much more than where they were at last year everyone's going to talk about Jordan seon the five star freshman but really some of the transfer additions have given them what I think is going to be a lot better play you throw it in with the kind of wide receivers and what we know shadur Sanders can do I think that the offense is going to have a tremendous game against North Dakota State because North Dakota State remember lost its head coach now what did the head coach do he left to go be the linebacker coach for Lincoln Riley at USC now that is not always a position that is going to be filled with glamour though it is in Los Angeles because we're talking about Lincoln Riley's defensive staff I just think that we have to downgrade North Dakota state from the program that it was when it won all those other FBS games and I think we got to know that Colorado wants to start hot so yeah I think that Colorado is in a good position to get off to a strong start for the first five six games of the year but then I do think there's a reckoning coming at the end of the season yeah chip I agree with you I think this is a great opportunity for for Colorado on a national stage to really showcase a full level of highle play for four quarters and you talked about the concerns of the office Aline heck they can't get any worse right that office Aline was atrocious a year ago but one thing we learned when you look at how bad that offens line was we learned that shador Sanders was the was the tough toughest quarterback in college football because he stood there and he just Ed so much physical contact from opposing defensive lineman so the offensive line should be much improved the same thing could be said for the defensive line as well that had issues stopping any opposing offense uh rushing game so when you look at the talent which will be in favor of Colorado right this is an opportunity for Colorado when you look at the atmosphere of the environment to have all the leverage when it comes to momentum and they have a top five NFL prospect at the quarterback position position that right there should guarantee you at least 20 points just coming out of the locker room so this is an opportunity for sh Sanders to put up video game like numbers and for them in totality as a team to be able to dominate especially in the trenches so I love korado in this spot I'm right there with you chip when you look at the talent when you look at shador Sanders oh by the way Travis Hunter as well one of the best athletes in college football they're going to have a nice a nice game tomorrow against North Dakota State yeah if you watched one too many times last year that poorest line had dropping back some 20 yards on dropbacks to pass the ball uh they are laying some points in this one the spread is 9 and a half the Buffs Lane with a total at 58 and a hook Colorado was the most heavily bet side of any team in week one after they wi one two and one last season as favorites so again the Bison has some history against the big boys having one six of seven all that said are you fading or following Colorado considering that line B what say you you know what I'm going to follow the line Jim chip and the reason why chip you gave us a cool nugget North Dakota State very very talented team within their uh prospects right and based on the competition they usually play against but they lost their head coach so the sense of the foundation that we've watched over the last few years might not be there well might not be there in week one and then when you talk about this opportunity for Colorado it's a night game you know it's a soldout stadium the momentum The Leverage is already in in favor of the buffalos I love Colorado Lane this 9 and a half like I said when you talk about going against shador Sanders just getting a little bit of protection it's safe to say he's going to put up north of 27 points on the scoreboard North that's a guarantee right there for me and just for the defense just getting timely stops I think they will be able to do so to be able to cover this spread let the children sing all right so BAC hinted on something that by the way I I am absolutely following in here yeah I also laying the 9 and a half I think this is a double digits win but I think that what we see with the offense is going to be the thing that is going to be the bright lights because this is a Colorado staff that wants to be able to set up shadur Sanders to have the best season possible heading into the NFL draft I I think Colorado team total is another thing that I'd be circling and I'm certainly comfortable with laying the nine and a half so uh BAC I'm right there with you I think that the Buffs are threatened only by the Mystique of North Dakota State I think when it comes down to just actually North Dakota state gets off the bus they're not as talented and they're not as athletic so I'll lay it with Colorado yeah you talked about it with regards to that schedule on the back end after the first half dozen games this is what it looks like for the buffalos you can see Colorado State's getting on that schedule but back end as we get into October you get some ranked teams on that schedule including Utah Kansas both getting quarterbacks back Oklahoma State they got Kansas State on that schedule so things get awfully tough you want to get off to a fast start if you're the Buffs this season so two quarterbacks return from injuries that have impacted multiple seasons for each Utah's cam Rising letting led the use to backto back pack 12 titles in 21 and 22 takes the field for the first time in nearly two years of ACL and MCL injuries while Kansas QB Jaylen had a shoulder injury that shelled half his season in 22 and he only played three games last year because of the back injury both ready to go from the jump what are your expectations for this Duo chip we'll start with you yeah I got to treat him individually for cam Rising we've gotten word that he's been full go and clear for a couple weeks now uh obviously the matchup is not going to require him to play four quarters but I do think that he is going to be something close to his full functionality and I think that he'll be able to have a good game te that you want from cam Rising somebody who we looked at as a real Difference Maker against the very best teams in the country but then to Pivot to Jaylen Daniels you know Lance Li's having some comments at some of the press availability where he says yeah I hope the back's okay yeah we think the back's okay Jim you mentioned that you know he is cleared good to go for lyndenwood but now I start to think about what do you need to beat lynen wood if you were the Kansas Jayhawks because what you don't need is for jayen Daniels to do anything that might aggravate a back and maybe it's just the fact that I'm aging myself and sensitive to back issues but it does feel like Jaylen Daniels is a little bit more of a bubble wrap situation where we are going to get him out there we want him to get out there with his teammates score some touchdowns feel good about himself but we do not want to expose him to anything that might lead to a re-aggravation of that back injury so I'm not doubting whether Jaylen Daniels can be close to his best form at some point this season I'm just saying that against FCS Lindenwood you don't need it and with something like a back injury I wouldn't be surprised if they're a little bit cautious h no question I'll start with Jaylen um the issue for him has been Health throughout his time there at Kansas when he's been healthy he showed flashes here or there especially if you go back to uh the three games that he participated in last year they were 3 and 0 he completed over 70% of his passes I think he had around five touchdowns and one interception I mean he was Trend he was ascending in the right direction and then of course the injury happened so to your point this is an opportunity for Jaylen just to kind of get his feet wet don't really show a lot just work within the pocket make the routine plays happen routinely and get out of the lineup get on the sideline and allow the backups to go ahead and finish this game out because if you have a healthy jayen Daniels in play for Kansas they could be a Darkhorse team not just within the Big 12 but in all all of college football because he has that skill set he has the athleticism and he has that big play ability we just haven't been able to see it a lot because he's been more so in the ice tub than on the football field so I'm to your point call this game with bubble wrap around him I'm okay you should be able to weather the storm and easily take care of your business without getting the best of Jaylen DS now when you transition to cam ryzen I mean this is why so many people are high on Utah the thing I like about Utah before I even get to the quarterback play they're one of more balanced teams in all of college football they control the line of scrimmage on either side of the football field they're extremely physical and that defense they love to bite they go hunting play in and play out and then when you factor in and throw in cam ryzen one of the more experienced quarterbacks in all of college football maybe chip the only quarterback that might have just as much experience as cam ryzen is Dylan Gabriel and at Oregon I think both of those guys uh freshman year was 27 17 2018 or something like that but they're still in college football so with Cam if he can just stay healthy remember his last full season there at Utah being healthy they won 10 games y they won 10 games so they have more than a fighting chance with Cam ryen and I can't wait to see what he has in store knowing that this is his final opportunity to be on the college football field and most importantly try to find a way to get his youth into that playoff conversation as you just saw there 18 and seven as a starting quarterback just has to stay on the field now week zero already gave us one case of an FCS team beating an FBS team Montana New Mexico albeit as a favorite on the betting spread 22 games across the Slate on Thursday both of you chose a team that should be on upset alert let's start with you bmac which team has your attention that fits that profile buffalo buffalo playing against Lafayette when you look at this FCS a FBS matchup no question Lafayette they got a great chance an upsetting Buffalo I know right now depending on where you're shopping chip Jim I think Buffalo they're laying three points but this is something that you might want to sprinkle the money line with laf Lafayette and the reason why is because they have a talented talented team you look at the coach Jim Trexel they won nine games a year ago that was the most wins in a single season since 1981 and 81 was a great year you know why outside of them winning more at least nine games BAC was born in 1981 so a lot of great things happened in that year and you look at what they have at the quarterback position as well Dean doble a very very talented talented quarterback very very efficient around 20 passes 20 touchdown passes a year ago they have a lot of experience on either side of the football field and buffalo they just trying to figure so many things out they have so many pieces to figure out I think they need to be on upset alert because this is a very very veteran Savvy team that's coming into town they have a lot of confidence they have a great coach and a great quarterback and there that's a defense oh by the way a year ago chip they averaged around three sacks per ball game on the defense aside I think some of those Trends will follow in tomorrow's night matchup as well woo Patriot League stand up all right I'm going to go with another FCS team uh that I think has a good chance to win like bmax said because what we have with Jackson state is a program that now under the leadership of TC Taylor a a former Jackson State player himself you know has come in and picked up the Baton where Deion Sanders left it and they're going to be playing against ULM and Monroe is now led by Brian Vincent and similar to the Buffalo situation we've got a new head coach and similar to the Buffalo situation we've got a roster that's turned over but the problem with ULM is the warhawks were already at the bottom of the Sun Belt they were already at the bottom of the pecking order so when they went to the transfer portal they couldn't sell the same things guys I I do not mean this disrespectfully it is just an objective analysis there's a lot of Jo on this ULM roster while on the other hand Jackson State went seven and four last year 5 and three in swack play I just think they're bringing in confidence they're bringing momentum and certainly you know coming down south from Jackson Mississippi they they are looking to try to get a a southern fraud win here in week one there you have it right there two smaller conference matchups there bmac is on the Buffalo of Colorado not so much the University of Buffalo our thanks to our men in the no Bryant mcfaden and Chip Patterson foree fore in for [Music] [Music] for e hello [Music] that's [Music] Che I you fine hey [Music] wa for for for [Music]