The football season is winding down and the basketball season is heating up. We await word on which bowl the Broncos will be invited to and I think about which one I would most like to go to…and this year the answer is simple. The Hawai'i Bowl. I don't think it is going to happen because then things will be too easy. One flight across the Pacific and both the basketball and football teams playing at the same place on different days. It couldn't be better. I could do my notes and charts sitting either by the pool or on the beach. Last year both teams played in Las Vegas on the same weekend, so why not this year too?
With so many bowls that could pick the Broncos and the varying number of teams that those teams could choose, I didn't record any games last week to save on my DVR. Last season I record three or four Pac-12 games from the last week of the season, knowing we were probably headed to Las Vegas and then erased all but the Washington/Washington State game.
To me if you are not in a BCS-type bowl game, you can sort of think of the game as the start to next season. Practice play and build for next year off of it. I knew this year that the Broncos wouldn't be as fortunate on the turnover. In 2012, they were +20. This season they hovered around even all year and were minus in the four losses. Those things seem to even out. I'd like to think that injuries even out and this year the Broncos had a ton, so next year will be better. They also return most everyone on defense. On offense they'll have to replace three senior starters in the line (Chris Strausser always finds the right group) and several at wide receiver. Grant Hedrick gained valuable experience playing these last five games at quarterback for the injured Joe Southwick and should be further ahead next year if he wins the quarterback job. If he doesn't, someone else will have to be a lot better to beat him out. The Broncos schedule will see BYU, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Utah State all come to Boise. After a lot of short road trips, two long ones pop up in non-conference, Ole Miss at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta and at UConn. Looking ahead I expect better things in 2014.
As for basketball, the Broncos are one of 18 unbeaten teams. Missouri and Ole Miss play tonight. Michigan State fell from the ranks last night. The Broncos should extend their record to 8-0 over Carroll, setting up a huge game at Kentucky on Tuesday. The Wildcats under John Calipari are one of the most talented and athletic teams in the country. If you want to get an idea of what the Broncos are up against, UK plays Baylor at the Cowboys Stadium Friday at 8 MT on one of the ESPN networks. The schedule toughens up quickly for Coach Rice and his team. After Kentucky, they host St. Mary's on Saturday December 14th and then play three games in the Diamondhead Classic in Hawai'i against major teams. Then the Mountain West season starts when the calendar flips to January. Based on what I have seen, San Diego State, New Mexico, and Utah State appear to be playing the best now. The Broncos won 21 last year and went to the NCAA Tournament. From what I've seen a sequel is coming.
