SAN JOSE, Calif. — The Colorado Buffaloes walked off the field at Levi’s Stadium here late Friday night past the purple confetti and gold streamers, slowly maneuvering around the celebration of a dream reached by someone else.
Their 41-10 loss to No. 4 Washington in the Pac-12 championship game stung these Buffs, who had spoken since the warm days of the summer about becoming league champions. Outsiders scoffed, viewing it as a ridiculous notion for a team with one league victory a year ago, but the Buffaloes moved to within an arm’s reach of reality after CU stormed to the South Division title.
Then it all disappeared Friday night in by far CU’s worst performance of the season.
“This cuts deeper than most,” said CU senior quarterback Sefo Liufau, who threw three interceptions.
The Buffs left California hurt and dejected, but the true barometer of a special season will be measure by what comes next.
CU awaits the announcement of its bowl selection Sunday morning, and a powerful opponent will be on the other end of any postseason destination. The Buffaloes may hold onto the Rose Bowl bid they covet and face one of the Big Ten’s best teams. There may be an at-large spot in the Cotton Bowl available, which would likely feature a matchup with an undefeated Group of Five team Western Michigan. Or they could end up in San Antonio for the Alamo Bowl, in a game against a top-tier Big 12 team.
No matter where the Ralphie logo pops up, the Buffs will be in for a major challenge in a few more weeks. How well CU fares could depend on how quickly they can wash away the sting of the letdown in Santa Clara.
“That’s the thing about sports. Sports are sometimes tough,” CU coach Mike MacIntyre said. “When you play really good teams and on a big stage, it’s magnified even more. Your learn great life lessons in it also. So hopefully … well, not hopefully. I know we’ll bounce back and we’ll be ready to roll.”
The Buffs may well have lost their hold on a spot in the Rose Bowl, long celebrated as the premier and coveted destination for the Pac-12 champion. Washington will likely be selected for the College Football Playoff. The Rose Bowl is then obligated to put “a strong preference” on selecting the next Pac-12 representative that is ranked highest in the CFP rankings.
Colorado was ranked No. 8 this past week, with USC slotted at No. 11. Will a 31-point loss in front of a national audience, the Buffs could fall behind the Trojans.
CU is left to wait and wonder. But as the Buffs’ locker room inside Levi’s Stadium began to clear out late Friday night, all they were asking for was a chance to prove they were a different team than the one that fell so flat on the big stage.
Asked whether he believed his team deserved to be viewed as the Pac-12’s No. 2 team, running back Phillip Lindsay was defiant.
“I’m always going to say that we’re the No. 1 team, hands down,” Lindsay said. “We didn’t show it (Friday). Any given day something can go wrong. It wasn’t our best performance, but we do have a chance to redeem ourselves and bring our seniors a win one last time.”
Waiting game
The Buffs will find out their bowl destination on Sunday. Here’s a closer look at four possible landing spots:
Rose Bowl, Jan. 2
If the Buffs stay ranked ahead of USC in the final College Football Playoff rankings, they could still get a dream bid to the most iconic bowl game in the sport.
Cotton Bowl, Jan. 2
There is a chance the Buffs could be selected as an at-large team for this New Year’s bowl, pitting them against the top-ranked team from the “Group of Five” conferences at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Alamo Bowl, Dec. 29
This bowl is the second-biggest game with a contracted Pac-12 tie-in. If the Rose Bowl takes USC and the Cotton Bowl looks elsewhere for its at-large spot, this game in San Antonio would be the likely landing spot against a Big 12 team.
Holiday Bowl, Dec. 27
If Washington is snubbed by the CFP committee, which is unlikely, the Buffs could fall to this game, which is played in San Diego.