Kansas loss should be last straw for Dan Hawkins in Colorado

University of Colorado Buffaloes head football coach Dan Hawkins ponders a question as he begins his fifth season at the annual media day at the Dal Ward Athletic Center in Boulder, Colorado on August 7, 2010. Colorado was the first BCS school to bolt its conference leaving the Big 12 for the Pac 10. Colorado is expected to begin Pac 10 play next season.   UPI/Gary C. Caskey Photo via Newscom

You know how sometimes you’re about to make a major life move, but you’re dating someone and you’re not really sure that they’re the person you want to take with you on the move? You’ve already decided that there’s no way the two of you can spend the rest of your lives together, but you made such a financial commitment to her (say, bought a house together) that you don’t want to break it off for a silly reason, even though there have been plenty of red flags.

That’s the situation Colorado is in with its football coach Dan Hawkins. The Buffaloes are moving to the Pac-12 next year, and barring something amazing this season (like, say, surprising you with a new PS3 and a stripper for your birthday — or a BCS bowl berth), were going to leave Hawkins in their wake as they left the Big 12. Well, today, Hawkins set the house on fire.

Colorado blew a 45-17 lead today against Kansas in a 52-45 loss. In the fourth quarter. Against Kansas. Not Todd Reesing Kansas, but this year’s version, which is led by Turner Gill and scored three points in a loss to North Dakota State.

Hawkins is now 19-38 in his fifth year at Colorado, helping turn a once-proud program into the joke of the Big 12. How Hawkins didn’t get the boot following last year’s 3-9 mark is still a mystery, but there’s no way in hell he survives another losing mark with Colorado about to start a new chapter in its program history.

At 3-6, Colorado still has a shot at bowl eligibility, but with Iowa State, Kansas State and Nebraska still on the schedule, that doesn’t look likely. Even if Colorado somehow finds a way to pull that out, I can’t see why it would keep Hawkins on board. He’s in Year 5, he’s had plenty of time to get something started.

His tenure in Colorado has been an absolute joke on the field, and it’s probably really close to being over. But hey, at least he gave us this.

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2010 Big 12 College Football Preview: Oklahoma reclaims top spot

MIAMI GARDENS, FL - OCTOBER 3:   Quarterback Landry Jones #12 of the Oklahoma Sooners hands the ball off to teammate runningback DeMarco Murray #7 in the first quarter against the Miami Hurricanes on October 3, 2009 at Landshark Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)

Here’s a quick and dirty look at how I see things playing out in the Big 12 this season:

#1 Oklahoma
In Sam Bradford, Gerald McCoy, Trent Williams, Jermaine Gresham, Keenan Clayton, Brody Eldridge and Dominique Franks, there’s no doubt that the Sooners lost a ton of talent from last year. However, this season is all about two names: Landry Jones and DeMarco Murray. Jones filled in admirably when Bradford went down last season, throwing 26 touchdown passes and gaining valuable experience throughout the year. Murray’s health history is a major concern, but if he can stay upright he’s scary good. He’s more versatile than Adrian Peterson was in that he can catch the ball out of the backfield or beat teams as a rusher. He’s big, he’s fast and he can get north and south in a hurry. He’s also going to get a ton of opportunities to shine this year as both a runner and a pass-catcher and again, if he can stay healthy he has the ability to be one of the best backs in college football. Defensively, Bob Stoops’ team has good depth and while the loss of McCoy hurts, don’t forget that Jeremy Beal was fifth on the team in tackles last season and first in sacks with 11. The linebacker corps has a chance to be special thanks to redshirt freshman Tom Wort and sophomore Ronnell Lewis. I know many pundits still like Texas in the South, but with Landry, Murray and nine starters returning on offense, I think Oklahoma reclaims the conference this season.

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