BOULDER — It may not be appropriate for Colorado athletic director Mike Bohn to make a public plea to Big 12 Conference officials and implore them to consider the Buffaloes’ demanding schedule when divvying up bowl bids for the Dec. 2 announcement.
But privately, that’s what Bohn must be thinking.
According to the updated Sagarin college football ratings that run in USA Today, no team in the Big 12 has played a more difficult schedule than Colorado.
The Buffs (5-4, 3-2 Big 12), one game shy of becoming bowl eligible with three games to play, have faced the nation’s third-toughest schedule (behind leader Notre Dame and Washington) thus far, according to the computerized Sagarin ratings.
“I don’t know (about the bowls),” Bohn said Tuesday. “But I do believe the national flare of our schedule and the number of times we have been on TV, that’s got to be a huge asset for us.”
Colorado’s home game at 4:30 p.m. Saturday against No. 9 Missouri (7-1, 3-1) will be on FSN. Only two CU games have not been televised.
Other Big 12 teams likely to vie with Colorado for mid-tier bowls include 5-3 Kansas State (No. 24 ranked schedule by Sagarin), 5-3 Oklahoma State (37), 6-3 Texas A&M (55) and 6-3 Texas Tech (105).
The Big 12 has eight bowl tie-ins for 2007 and could produce nine teams that are bowl eligible with at least six victories. That number could swell to 10 if Nebraska (4-5) wins two of its last three games.
Big 12 teams not selected for the league’s eight bowls will be eligible for other bowls with openings. The Big 12 would get nine tie-ins if two league teams are selected for the BCS bowls.
Colorado coach Dan Hawkins said he can’t worry whether others have paid attention to CU’s schedule.
“I really don’t concern myself with what other people think, pro or con,” Hawkins said Tuesday during his weekly news conference. “I can’t get into that game. We’ve got to control what we can control. That’s all we can do.”
Brown out. Hawkins said junior middle linebacker and special-teams captain R.J. Brown has been ruled out for the remainder of the season. Brown has not played since suffering a concussion against Florida State in the third game.
Hawkins said doctors have not determined whether Brown will be cleared for next season. Brown has a history of concussions.
“We’ll see what his prognosis (for 2008) will be,” Hawkins said.
Footnotes. Hawkins, on his wife, Misti, being miked up by ABC during Colorado’s victory at Texas Tech last weekend: “She is so saintly, she is never going to say anything bad.” … Kickoff for the Nov. 10 road game at Iowa State has been set for 10:30 a.m. MST. It will be telecast on Fox College Sports Central (Comcast 414). … A replay of the ABC telecast of Colorado’s win at Texas Tech is available on BuffsTV, part of the subscription service of .
2007 BIG 12 BOWL TIE-INS
(Bowl, Date, Site, Matchup)
Holiday Bowl Dec. 27 San Diego Big 12 No. 3 vs. Pac-10
Texas Bowl Dec. 27 Houston Big 12 No. 8 vs. Conference USA
Alamo Bowl Dec. 29 San Antonio Big 12 No. 5 vs. Big Ten
Independence Bowl Dec. 30 Shreveport, La. Big 12 No. 7 vs. SEC
Insight Bowl Dec. 31 Tempe, Ariz. Big 12 No. 6 vs. Big Ten
Cotton Bowl Jan. 1 Dallas Big 12 No. 2 vs. SEC
Gator Bowl Jan. 1 Jacksonville, Fla. Big 12 No. 4 vs. ACC
Tom Kensler: 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com
