Buff Bites: Is the Pac-12 the best sports conference in the country?

500 reasons why I’m glad Colorado joined the Pac-12, CU-CSU game time/network announced and could a Hail Mary recipient be heading to the College Football Hall of Fame? Hope you’re hungry because there’s a lot on the plate for this week’s edition of Buff Bites.

WESTBROOK ON HALL OF FAME BALLOT

Seventy-five players from the FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) level were on the ballot for the 2018 College Football Hall of Fame induction released Thursday. One of those players is former Buffs wide receiver Michael Westbrook. Perhaps best known for hauling in Kordell Stewart’s 64-yard Hail Mary in 1994 to beat Michigan, Westbrook (1991-94) finished his career in Boulder as CU’s all-time leader in receptions (167) and receiving yards (2,548).

The 2018 class will be inducted on December 4, 2018 at the 61^st National Football Foundation Annual Awards dinner. Should the 44-yard old Westbrook be inducted, he would become the 9^th member from Colorado in the College Football Hall of Fame.

GAME TIMES/TV NETWORKS ANNOUNCED FOR FIRST THREE WEEKS

If you don’t get Pac-12 Network, you better add it to your channel lineup if you wish to watch the Buffs in September. Colorado’s first three games of the season (link to Jeff’s column can be seen on Pac-12 Network, including the 89^th edition of the Rocky Mountain Showdown (9/1, 6 p.m. MT) for the first time.

BUFFS SEE RISE IN SEASON-TICKET RENEWALS

If you want to see those first three games in person, tickets may be hard to come by. Following their first winning season since 2005, the Buffs have seen a three-percent increase in season-ticket renewals for 2017. Average home attendance also jumped to 46,609 last season, up from 39,389 in 2015. This article by Buffzone.com writer Brian Howell details how the #RiseisReal in ticket sales.

500 REASONS WHY I’M GLAD COLORADO JOINED THE PAC-12

When the Washington Huskies captured the women’s rowing title on May 28^th, the Pac-12 became the first conference to win 500 NCAA Championships. This great column by Yahoo Sports columnist Pat Forde breaks down that feat and why the Pac-12 is the “best all-around sports league in America, and it’s not close.” The Buffs have contributed 26 team championships to that total, the last of which was a Skiing title in 2015. Here’s a link to all 500 NCAA Championships by Pac-12 member institutions.

WOMEN’S LACROSEE & GOLF IN FINAL RANKINGS

Congrats to the Buffs women’s lacrosse and golf teams who finished their respective seasons ranked among the nation’s best. In just their fourth season of existence, the women’s lacrosse team finished 16-4 and reached their first ever NCAA tournament. Ann Elliott’s squad finished 16^th in the final IWLCA (Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association) Division I Coaches Poll. Despite missing out on the NCAA tournament, the women’s golf team also tasted success, earning 240 votes to finish 21^st in the final GolfStat.com poll. It was their second-best finish in school history behind the 2011-12 team who finished 11^th.

FUTURE BUFF’S LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE

In last week’s edition of Buff Bites, I wrote about Class of 2018 commit Blake Stenstrom and his prestigious invite to the Elite 11 finals. The son of Stanford’s all-time leading passer Steve Stenstrom relished the experience gained from this quarterback competition.

Here’s a cool video of future Buffs quarterback breaking down one of his favorite plays.

RAISING THIS FUTURE BUFF RIGHT

Blake Stenstrom will be in his mid-thirties when this kid runs out onto Folsom Field for the first time.

That kid is on board, are you? Under 90-days until the season-opener against CSU. #NeverStopRising