High Points: Broncos, Buffs, and Longhorns — the second half

It’s been a hell of a week. But at least we have football to look forward to.

Back in September, before the Denver Broncos and the Colorado Buffaloes had played a single game, I wrote a column in this space, suggesting that fans of the two teams tamp down their enthusiasm for the upcoming season. Admittedly, it was not a very “High Points” kind of column. In it, I noted with pessimism that the odds-makers in Las Vegas (who specialize in this sort of thing) had posted an over/under wins projection of 5.5 for both the Broncos and the Buffaloes. I suggested that even that may have been a bit optimistic.

Well, shame on me.

The Buffaloes have already exceeded the Vegas projection, having won their sixth game of the season before the calendar turned to November, and the Broncos, just beyond the halfway point of the 17-game season, find themselves with 5-4 record. True, they face the undefeated Chiefs this week in Kansas City, and then they host the Atlanta Falcons, a team that has played way above expectations. But, if they can maintain their composure, the Broncos’ season still has at least four winnable games left. Granted, 9-8 may not make the playoffs, but it would be another solid step under Sean Payton in rebuilding the swagger of a team that has not been to the playoffs since 2015, when they won the Super Bowl with Peyton Manning.

If you have been paying attention, you have had the opportunity to witness the birth of an NFL quarterback. Bo Nix, the Broncos’ first-round draft pick, has taken fans on a journey, as he has improved each week, right before our very eyes, leading the team to five wins in their first seven games. No Broncos rookie quarterback has won that many games in an entire season, much less the first half of the year. Sure, the Broncos got pecked by the Ravens last week, but Nix still competed admirably. The Broncos are a good watch and worth your time against the Chiefs on Sunday.

And then there are the Buffaloes under second-year Coach Deion Sanders. They have quietly gone 6-2 and come into the week with a 4-1, third-place record, in the revamped Big 12. This week, they travel to Lubbock, Texas, where they are favored over Texas Tech by 3.5 points on Saturday. On Tuesday night, the first College Football Playoff ranking was announced as a prelude to the 12-team playoff. Colorado came in at a very pedestrian No. 20, but if they run the table — a possibility — they will finish 10-2. They will need some help in losses from BYU and Iowa State but could make the playoff as a Big 12 conference champ. Along with the Broncos, the Buffs are also a good watch with Sanders’ son, quarterback Shedeur Sanders, looking like a possible top-10 pick in next year’s NFL Draft, as well as Travis Hunter, who electrified the Folsom Field crowd with 153 receiving yards and two touchdowns on nine catches in their last game, a 34-23 win over the Cincinnati Bearcats.

One team that does not have to worry about making the post-season is our own Basalt High Longhorns. They are already in the playoffs with a #2 seed after a perfect season and will have the home field advantage on Saturday as they take on The Academy in Basalt. 9-0 is a huge accomplishment for coach Carl Frerichs bunch, and if they can advance, they will enjoy a second straight home game in their quest for a State Championship.

One thing we can all agree on: GO LONGHORNS!