Manhattan, Kan. – The Colorado Buffaloes are closing in on a second consecutive berth in the Big 12 championship game, but they are trying their hardest not to think about it.
“It’s nice, but we can’t let our guards down,” tight end Quinn Sypniewski said. “Just because we have the lead in the (Big 12) North right now doesn’t mean people aren’t going to give us their best shots.”
The Buffs, back in the rankings at No. 25 in The Associated Press poll and No. 24 in the USA Today coaches poll, face Missouri at 1:30 p.m. (KMGH-7) on Saturday at Folsom Field. A victory clinches at least a tie in the Big 12 North for CU. A win against Missouri and another against Iowa State or Nebraska in the final two games will mean the Buffs clinch their fourth trip to the conference title game in the past five years.
At 4-1 in the North, Colorado holds a one-game lead over Missouri (3-2) and two-game leads over Nebraska (2-3) and Iowa State (2-3).
“We’re in a great position right now,” quarterback Joel Klatt said. “But we’re going to have to play better than we did (against Kansas State) to get wins in the next three ballgames.”
The Buffs (6-2) have qualified for their fifth bowl game in seven seasons under coach Gary Barnett. It will be their first back-to-back trips to a bowl game since the 2001 and 2002 seasons.
Colorado’s bowl prospects include a BCS bowl, likely the Fiesta Bowl, if it were to advance to the Big 12 championship game and win there. The Cotton Bowl gets the first selection among the remaining Big 12 teams, but it tends to favor taking a South Division team. Texas Tech looks like a natural fit there.
The Holiday Bowl, Dec. 29 in San Diego, gets the next selection. If there is no BCS bowl in their future, the Buffs – should they win out until the conference title game – could be headed there. That game pits the Big 12 No. 3 against the Pac-10’s No. 2 – UCLA right now, unless it upsets USC.
But Barnett prefers to mull scenarios later.
“I’m just so thankful to get out of (Kansas State) with a W,” Barnett said. “I’ll think about that tomorrow.”
Chris Dempsey can be reached at 303-820-5455 or cdempsey@denverpost.com.
