The Eagles, facing the Buffaloes in Friday's Insight.com Bowl, rose from mediocrity this season, posting an 8-3 record after going 4-7 each of coach Tom O'Brien's first two years in Boston.
But the motto probably means more to Colorado coach Gary Barnett, who coined it after he was hired in January. He took over an 8-4 team that beat Oregon in the Aloha Bowl last year. Not bad, but not what Barnett remembered from years as an assistant to Bill McCartney, whose 1989 team played Notre Dame for a national title. "I just want to return it to those days where we're a dominant team," Barnett said. "And the last five weeks of the season we played like that." The Buffaloes (6-5) won three of their last five, the last a 33-30 overtime loss to Nebraska which Colorado was poised to win until Jeremy Aldrich, the most accurate kicker in school history, missed a 34-yard field goal. The galling defeat kept the Buffs from a chance at matching last year's record, but did not kill the players' confidence. "The loss will definitely help us," said linebacker Jashon Sykes, who had 134 tackles and forced seven fumbles. "We have a lot left to prove, and we have a bad taste in our mouths. I think we returned to dominance this year. Even if our record doesn't show it, we are a great team." The oddsmakers agree, installing the Buffs as 10-point favorites for the game Friday against a ranked squad which won two more games. It doesn't bother BC, which is accustomed to being ignored. "I can't fathom how we can be underdogs," tailback Cedric Washington said. "But this will motivate us." With fullback Ryan Burch, who had only two carries, clearing the way, Washington gained 1,122 yards and scored seven touchdowns on 222 carries and caught 29 passes this season, earning all-Big East Conference honors. He exemplifies the powerful ground game that drew comparisons to the two Big 12 teams that took Colorado to overtime. "He's a good athlete," Kelly said about Washington. "He does all the little things, keeps his feet moving and his shoulders down. They kind of remind me of Nebraska or Missouri -- they just want to run the ball and pound it down your throat." The Buffs are in a bowl for the 12th time in the last 14 years and have won five straight, tied with Georgia Tech for best in the country. Cornerback Ben Kelly, the team leader with five interceptions and nine deflections, has scored six career TDs on kick returns and two on fumble returns. He gives Colorado an edge on pass defense and special teams, but expects a tough game from the Eagles. "We think we can put a better unit on the field," Kelly said. "On either side of the ball. But we know they're a great team. At 8-3, they had a better record than we did. With that record, they might be wondering why they're the underdog." Like Colorado, BC also finished with a loss, a 38-14 whipping by No. 2 Virginia Tech. It was the only blowout defeat for the Eagles, who won three straight after a three-point loss to Miami before winding up with the Hokies. His team's success surprised even O'Brien, who set a goal of six victories before the season. "We wanted to get six," he said. "Then when we got there we raised the bar to seven, then eight and now nine."
