Every game on the schedule is big, and the Colorado football team has done a good job of treating each game the same way.
There’s no question, however, that when the No. 19-ranked Buffaloes visit Southern California on Saturday, there’s a lot more at stake than in most games.
CU (5-0, 2-0 Pac-12) heads to the Los Angeles Coliseum with a chance to seize control of the Pac-12 South division and take a significant lead over the defending champion Trojans (3-2, 2-1).
“We know we’re going to have to win a ton of Pac-12 games to win the conference, to win the Pac-12 South,” CU head coach Mike MacIntyre said. “Also (USC) is a Pac-12 South team, so that makes it a little bit bigger. They’re all big … but if you can beat a Pac-12 South opponent, that puts them a notch behind you. It’s a big game for us.”
USC was the preseason favorite to win its second consecutive South title, but a CU win would give the Buffs a two-game lead on the Trojans, and the head-to-head tie-breaker. That’s essentially a three-game advantage over CU’s top competitor for the division.
With a loss, the Buffs fall into a tie with the Trojans, but would lose the head-to-head tie-breaker. CU would need some help to win the division.
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