Below is the stat sheet from a game last year...can you guess which one? Oh, how we crave an offensive performance like this. No, the stats under the Buffalo logo isn't the accumulation of two games this year. If you added the offensive output of the Missouri game (199 yards) with the Kansas, Texas, Florida State and Oklahoma State, you wouldn't get 518 yards!
The Stat Sheet From a 2007 Game - Which Game Could It Be? |
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Buffs Average This Year | Difference | |
1st Downs | 28 | 26 | 19 | (6.6) |
3rd down efficiency | 18% | 63% | 37.4% | -25.1% |
4th down efficiency | 67% | N/A | 69.6% | N/A |
Total Yards | 610 | 518 | 321 | (197.0) |
Passing | 484 | 241 | 189 | (52.0) |
Comp-Att | 31-58 | 17-29 | 19-32 | (-2) - (+3) |
Yards per pass | 8.3 | 8.3 | 5.5 | (2.8) |
Rushing | 126 | 277 | 132 | (145.0) |
Rushing Attempts | 20 | 52 | 38 | (14.1) |
Yards per rush | 6.3 | 5.3 | 3.48 | (1.8) |
Penalties | 10-57 | 7-65 | 6-46 | (+1) - (+29) |
Turnovers | 3 | 0 | 1.8 | (1.8) |
Fumbles lost | 0 | 0 | 0.8 | (0.8) |
Interceptions thrown | 3 | 0 | 1 | (1) |
Possession | 26:03 | 33:57 | 29:44 | (-4:33) |
If you guessed last year's Nebraska game, you would be right. Yes, it is unfair to put the Buffs averages up this year against this one game last year but still, its shows how far the Buffs have faltered since they played the Huskers last year. The yards/play is very sobering. There are two big numbers on that stat sheet the Buffs should replicate: 3 Joey Ganz interceptions and 277 yards of rushing. The 277 yards will be tough as Nebraska has improved a full one yards in stopping the run since last year. In '07, the Huskers gave up a whopping 233 yards a game on the ground. This year, they give up 133 yards/game. That is huge improvement. But looking at the game by game stats, the Huskers were seriously aided this year by weak competition early in the season. In fact, the Huskers have given up 190 yards rushing or more four times this year. Doesn't mean the Buffs mediocre offense will do anything about that but still, it is a good fact to know!
There is a lot of pressure on the Buffs offense this week to avoid the dubious title of the being the worst CU offensive team since they joined the Big 12...look at what the Buffs have averaged on offense since 2004 and look what they need to do to just EQUAL the offensive performance of the 2 - 10 2006 Buffs team. The Buffs need 434 yards this week against the Huskers to avoid there worst offensive output in Big 12 play since they joined. The 2006 team showed progress and currently have out gained the 2008 Buffs. CU also needs 56 points against the Huskers to average 20 points/game in Big 12 play to match the 2006 team which was the lowest output ever since the Buffs joined the Big 12. Yes, the 2006 team was the same group who lost to Montana State. Who would have thought we would be saying, "if only we had that 2006 offense again." Disgusting.
Total Season Stats | |||||
2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | |
# of Games | 11 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 |
Points | 211 | 355 | 196 | 305 | 304 |
Average/Game | 19.2 | 27.3 | 16.3 | 23.5 | 23.4 |
First Downs | 213 | 253 | 182 | 243 | 225 |
First Downs/Game | 19.4 | 19.5 | 15.2 | 18.7 | 17.3 |
Total Yards | 3531 | 4921 | 3497 | 4330 | 4417 |
Total/Game | 321.0 | 378.5 | 291.4 | 333.1 | 339.8 |
Big 12 Play | |||||
2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | |
# of Games | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
Points | 104 | 238 | 160 | 219 | 169 |
Average/Game | 14.9 | 29.8 | 20.0 | 27.4 | 21.1 |
First Downs | 131 | 147 | 131 | 148 | 138 |
First Downs/Game | 18.7 | 18.4 | 16.4 | 18.5 | 17.3 |
Total Yards | 2,169 | 3,077 | 2,603 | 2,815 | 2,798 |
Total/Game | 309.9 | 384.6 | 325.4 | 351.9 | 349.8 |
The difference this year is the Buffs have 5 wins and can salvage their season and put an asterisks on the 2008 season* when comparing with the 2006 season.
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*In 2008, the Buffs went to a bowl game. In 2006, the Buffs didn't.
Just win!
In the words of Broncoman, "Quit stealing our water" Nebraska!