By ROBERT CESSNATexas A&M's season was headed nowhere after a 62-14 loss at Kansas State. It was A&M's third straight loss and second in Big 12 play, but instead of things unraveling for the Aggies, the setback inspired impressive back-to-back victories over Texas Tech and Iowa State.
"I always try to look at those things and see what can come out of them and use them as a learning opportunity for our team," A&M head coach Mike Sherman said. "I think we learned a lot after that game. It brought us closer together and galvanized us. I think we're a stronger team having experienced the K-State game. I'm proud of how our guys handled the adversity."
A solid eight quarters has put A&M (5-3, 2-2 Big 12) in position to become bowl-eligible Saturday with a victory at Colorado, which unfortunately has experienced several Kansas State moments both in this and recent seasons.
Colorado (2-6, 1-3) is coming off a 36-17 homecoming loss to Missouri that wasn't nearly as close as the score indicated. Missouri scored the first 33 points and pushed Colorado to within a loss of its fourth-straight losing season.
"[Los Angeles Lakers coach] Phil Jackson always talks about those breakthrough moments," CU head coach Dan Hawkins said. "You're never exactly sure how they come or when they come or how they come. Sometimes you think they come through a big win. But sometimes they come through a painful loss, too, pushing you over that emotional edge and getting you to the next level. So hopefully we'll take something from it."
Colorado at least has history on its side. The Buffaloes are 3-1 at home against the Aggies and have won the last two meetings. This is the first time A&M has faced a CU team with a losing record in Boulder, Colo.
Many fans are disgruntled with Hawkins, who is 15-30 in his fourth year as CU's head coach. Approximately 7,500 tickets remained Wednesday in what's expected to be the smallest crowd of the year at Folsom Field (53,750). Hawkins earned the reputation as an offensive-minded coach at Boise State while going 53-11. The Buffs, however, could muster only 244 yards in a 20-6 loss at Kansas State two weeks ago and 176 yards last week against Missouri.
The thing Colorado could use most to beat A&M, which is a three-point favorite, is a solid game from the offensive line. Colorado had a season-low minus 14 yards rushing on 24 carries against Missouri, which also had eight sacks, the most allowed by the Buffaloes.
For the season, CU is averaging only 2.4 yards per carry -- last in the Big 12. The Buffs also have allowed 28 sacks, the league's most.
"We've just got to get more consistent," Hawkins said. "I think we're getting the right guys and blocking the right guys. We're not having a lot of mental breaks there. We've got to do a little better job with our technique. It's a question of a 6-inch step here and a hand placement there. Again, [we need] a little bit more juice and a little more continuity there."
The play of A&M's offensive line has been at the center of the Aggies' turnaround. A&M rushed for 321 yards on 59 carries against Texas Tech and followed that with 267 yards on 49 carries against Iowa State.
"They're playing with better pad level," Sherman said of his offensive linemen. "Their techniques are better. I've simplified the run game a little bit, so they are having a lot more reps in what we're doing. Matchups play a part in that, too. Certain ones you match up well, and others you don't. You have to look at the whole ball of wax. We're still a work in progress. I don't think after two ballgames we're the old Washington Redskins offensive line back there years ago. But we're making progress and getting better. We still have a ways to go."
A&M revamped its starting offensive line after KSU, which held the Aggies to minus 13 yards on 23 carries with five sacks. A&M has allowed only two sacks in the last two games while starting the same five linemen, who are set to start their third straight game Saturday.
But it's not just the offensive line that's played well for A&M. The defense has made great strides in the last eight quarters, getting two interceptions in each game.
"You go into K-State and get your butt spanked like we did, it certainly brings you back a few steps," Sherman said. "The last two weeks we said we're going to go back and build on what we already did and pick up the two steps we lost against K-State."
Colorado has more than two steps to pick up. The Buffs have to run the table to be bowl eligible.
"I hope we're in a cut-it-loose mode," Hawkins said.
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