No. 1 – Jim Leavitt

Last week, the Buffs had a chance to pull off a major upset, leading UCLA on the road in the fourth quarter. But their defense couldn’t hold the lead, allowing a four-play, 67-yard drive that gave the Bruins a 35-31 that would hold through the final gun. Ultimately, that breakdown wiped away the progress CU’s defense had shown most of the way. On Saturday, Colorado gets another shot at a signature victory, as ninth-ranked Stanford visits Boulder. In order for the Buffaloes to have a chance, however, they’ll need to slow down Christian McCaffrey, a Heisman candidate that has been dynamic in the Cardinal backfield. Adding a little pressure to Leavitt’s task is the fact that McCaffrey is from the Centennial State, having played at Valor Christian High School. If he runs wild, the chorus about not recruiting their own backyard will be deafening.