Barry was vintage Tiger with the drive. He was classic Mickelson with his irons. And the senior was superhuman with the putter, all en route to an eye-popping round of 59 during a league meet at Harmony Golf Club on Aug. 27.

There is no official CHSAA record book for boys golf, but Barry’s 59 is believed to be a Colorado high school competition record.

“After I shot 29 on the front nine, that felt really special,” Barry said. “But throughout the whole round, I just kept gaining momentum. A lot of people say the phrase ’59 watch,’ because it rarely happens. But I birdied my last three holes to do it. I just kept going and going, and I kept making birdies. It was a once-in-a-lifetime round.”

Barry carded an eagle, 11 birdies and six pars en route to 13-under. In addition to being a likely unofficial state prep mark, his 59 also set the Fossil Ridge program record (a 64 previously shared by Barry and Dillon Stewart) in addition to tying the course record at Harmony. The only other person to shoot 59 there was Sam Saunders, Arnold Palmer’s grandson, who did so as a pro.

Throughout Barry’s historic round, Fossil Ridge golf coach Jamie Menefee said the 18-year-old was “cool as a cucumber.”

“He’s one of the most emotionally level golfers I’ve ever been around,” Menefee said. “He just doesn’t seem to get rattled by anything, he doesn’t get mad at himself. He doesn’t get too high when he’s going good. Throughout the round, he showed very little emotion.

“The kids in his group, coming down 16, 17, 18, seemed to be more excited than he was. And I know I was more excited than he was showing. He finally did smile after making the putts on 17 and 18, and got big hugs from the coaches.”

The hugs were well-deserved.

Breaking 60 in golf is akin to throwing a perfect game in baseball.

On the PGA Tour, Jim Furyk owns the scoring record with a round of 58 at the Travelers Championship in 2016. The week before, Stephan Jaeger also notched 58 at the Ellie Mae Classic on the Korn Ferry Tour. And this year, Cristobal Del Solar reset the overall professional single-round low with a 57 at the Astara Golf Championship on the Korn Ferry Tour.

Barry’s rare round started rather innocuously with a pair of pars. But then on the par-5 third hole, he hit his second shot to about three feet and made eagle.

The Wyoming commit followed that with three straight birdies, notched another birdie on the eighth hole, and then closed the front with a 30-foot birdie putt on the par-3 ninth.

“I just remember the goosebumps after watching him sink that putt,” Menefee said. “We were only halfway home, but wow, 29. That’s when I started to truly believe he had a legitimate chance at 59.”

Barry carried his swagger onto the back nine, where he opened with consecutive birdies. Then after a par at the 12th, he stepped to the tee box on the 13th and used his 3-wood to go for the green on the par-4 hole.

But Barry mishit his drive, hooking it into the native grass about 30 yards short and left of the green. It was his one bad shot of the day, and for a moment, Barry feared his ball was lost and he’d have to take a penalty stroke.

With the help of coaches and other players in his group, Barry found his ball. Luckily, he was sitting just ahead of a tree, with a clear line to the green. He proceeded to hit a masterful recovery shot, a punch out of a lie in the thick grass that stayed low off his club to avoid overhanging tree branches. The ball landed about 20 feet from the cup, and Barry two-putted for the par save.

“From that point forward, that was the last hiccup he had,” Menefee said.

After a birdie on the 14th and a par on the 15th, 59 was within Barry’s grasp. But the pressure was setting in, even more so when he stepped up to a 25-foot birdie putt on the par-4 16th.

“I was really nervous going into the last few holes,” Barry admitted. “But I knew I was making putts all day, so I had a lot of confidence built up. On the 16th green, (the prospect of 59) was weighing on me. I knew I needed to sink that putt to keep it going and have a chance. If I missed it, I knew I would need to go birdie-eagle to finish.”

Barry drained it.

“He was making almost every putt he looked at — long putts, short putts, they were just all going in,” said Poudre junior Max Riley, who was in Barry’s group. “After he made what seemed like his fifth 25-footer (on the 16th), I just started laughing. I was in shock. This was probably the coolest, craziest golf experience I’ve ever been a part of.”

With ice in his veins, Barry hit his six-iron off the tee box on the par-3 17th from 209 yards out to about three feet, resulting in a birdie. Then on the par-5 18th, he again found the green in two — the fourth time he did so across the five par 5s that day — and found himself staring at a 15-foot eagle putt for 58. Furyk territory.

By this time, a small gallery of about 40 onlookers stood around the green to watch Barry finish out.

“I jokingly said to our athletic director who was standing there, ‘If he three-putts for 60, I’m demoting him to JV,’  Menefee said. “When he knocked that first putt about four feet by, I was a little nervous for speaking that into the universe.”

But Barry calmly drained the birdie putt right into the back of the cup to secure his 59. He described the putt as “the most nervous I’ve been on a four-footer, ever.”

With 59 now in the rearview, Barry believes his historic round can be a springboard to finally earn him his elusive individual title at the Class 5A state tournament on Oct. 7-8 at CommonGround Golf Course.

Barry finished tied for second at state as a sophomore when he had a four-stroke lead after shooting 64 on the first day at City Park Golf Club. But he couldn’t hold on, even as his play helped propel the SaberCats to the team title. He lost by one stroke. Last year, Barry was also in contention for the crown but ended up finishing fifth, eight shots back.

“I’ve been really craving an individual state championship,” Barry said. “I came really close the last two years, but was just a little bit off. … (In 2022), I lost confidence a little bit during the final round. My putting wasn’t great, I wasn’t hitting great shots. I kind of gave it away, pretty much. And last year, I was in contention on No. 10 on the second day, when I was one shot back. But then (Rock Canyon senior) Charlie Tucker ran away with it. He deserved to win.

“But I know if I go play my game and I play good, it’s going to be hard for other people to beat me this year.”

Fossil Ridge believes it can make another run at the team title, which would be the program’s third since 2018. The SaberCats still have three of the four golfers from that ’22 title team, including senior Kaden Devenport and junior Landon Houska, in addition to Barry. Other teams, such as Cherry Creek and Cherokee Trail, are in position to challenge.

And while Barry faces serious threats to his individual title quest such as his teammate Houska and Fairview junior Miles Kuhl and Cherokee Trail junior Brayden Forte — both tied for second at state last year — no matter what happens in October, Barry now has a round to brag to his grandkids about.

“I’ll always remember the support from my teammates, and how excited they were for me, and the feeling after making the final putt,” Barry said. “And walking up to the 18th green, all those people standing there and cheering for me. Everyone was so kind. … It just feels amazing to have this record.”

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1. Cherry Creek (1-1) won at Millard North (Neb.), 42-10. After the Bruins opened their season with a defeat to Skyridge in Utah, they had another out-of-state test in Nebraska and passed with flying colors. The Bruins raced to a 21-0 halftime lead and then junior QB Brady Vodicka tossed another TD midway through the third quarter to spark the rout. Next week: vs. No. 10 Regis Jesuit, 7 p.m. Sept. 12.

2. Mountain Vista (3-0) won at Erie, 55-12. In their pursuit of a first state title, the Golden Eagles have been unstoppable in the early part of the season. QB Austyn Modrzewski repeatedly toasted the Tigers’ secondary as MVHS jumped out to a 28-0 lead after one quarter. Gavin Lusk’s rushing TD finally got Erie on the board in the second quarter, but Mountain Vista’s offense could not be stopped. It was 48-6 at halftime. Next week: at Cherokee Trail, 7 p.m. Sept. 13.

3. Legend (2-1) lost vs. No. 4 Columbine, 16-14. A rematch of last year’s Class 5A quarterfinal, won by the Rebels, the Titans played Columbine close the whole way and proved they are on the same level of physicality. Next week: vs. Prairie View, 1 p.m. Sept. 14.

4. Columbine (2-0) won at No. 3 Legend, 16-14. The defending state champion Rebels faced a tough test, but edged the Titans at EchoPark Stadium thanks to the game-winning, 35-yard field goal by Brennan Goodwin with eight seconds left. Columbine hasn’t lost since the final game of the 2022 season, racking up 16 wins in a row. Next week: vs. Fossil Ridge, 7 p.m. Sept. 12.

5. Valor Christian (2-0) Bye: The Eagles got a break after beating Pine Creek and Regis Jesuit in back-to-back weeks. Next week: at Salt Lake City East, 7 p.m. Sept. 13.

6. Ralston Valley (2-0) won at No. 9 Grandview, 10-9: Zeke Andrews connected with Levi Rillos for a TD pass early in the fourth quarter and Cole Pfeifer drilled the game-winning field goal from 40 yards out late as the Mustangs escaped with a dramatic win that also saw the defense notch seven sacks and four takeaways. Next week: vs. Mullen, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 13.

7. Chatfield (2-0) won at Horizon, 34-12: Senior Brock Narva piled up 182 yards of offense (112 rushing, 70 receiving) and three TDs on 20 touches to lead the Chargers in a blowout. Sophomore QB Cash Williams finished with 180 yards and two TDs on 12-of-27 passing. Next week: vs. Eaglecrest, 4 p.m. Sept. 13.

8. Arvada West (2-1) lost vs. Fairview, 35-30. In a back-and-forth game at the NAAC, Fairview struck first late in the opening quarter via Brock Kolstad’s rushing TD. Toray Davis also had a rushing TD and a receiving TD in the first half, while the Wildcats kept it close with a pair of Logan Duhachek passing scores. It was 21-21 at half. Jordan Rechel’s fourth-quarter rushing TD was the deciding score. Next week: at Smoky Hill, 7 p.m. Sept. 13.

9. Grandview (0-2) lost vs. No. 6 Ralston Valley, 10-9: Senior receiver Xay Neto caught eight passes for 142 yards and a touchdown, and Quinn Reynolds hit a go-ahead 19-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, but four turnovers ultimately doomed the Wolves’ upset bid. Next week: at Legacy, 7 p.m. Sept. 12.

10. Regis Jesuit (0-2) lost at Brophy College Prep (Ariz.), 44-0. The Raiders traveled to play the Phoenix powerhouse, a week after falling to Valor Christian in the season opener. It didn’t go well as the RJHS offense was shutout, and the defense got gassed after the Raiders were only down 7-0 at half. Next week: at No. 1 Cherry Creek, 7 p.m. Sept. 12.

Class 4A

1. Palmer Ridge (2-0) won vs. Doherty, 42-0: Senior QB Carson Campbell completed 11 of 17 passes for 179 yards and two TDs, sophomore Zak Crisler hauled in five passes for 98 yards and a score, and Jackson Mabe ran in two TDs as the Bears rolled. Next week: at Lewis-Palmer, 7 p.m. Sept. 13.

2. Broomfield (2-0) won vs. Monarch, 46-0. Broomfield jumped out to a 19-0 halftime lead and didn’t look back against the overmatched Coyotes. Next week: at Rocky Mountain, 7 p.m. Sept. 12.

3. Mesa Ridge (2-0) won vs. Northfield, 50-47: The Grizzlies survived a shootout against 4A newbie Northfield to start 2-0 for the first time in 13 years. Next week: at No. 8 Dakota Ridge, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 13.

4. Heritage (1-1) lost vs. Arapahoe, 42-28: The Warriors outscored Heritage 28-7 over the first two quarters en route to winning the battle for the Brookridge Trophy, a.k.a. the Milk Jug game, for the fifth straight time. Next week: vs. Northfield, 6 p.m. Sept. 12.

5. Montrose (3-0) won vs. Palisade, 35-14. The Red Hawks continue to look the part of a Western Slope power. They were up 21-0 by the end of the first quarter, and then a pair of Elijah Womack rushing TDs pushed the score to 35-0 at half. The Bulldogs never really had a chance in this one. Next week: Bye.

6. Pueblo West (3-0) won vs. 3A No. 9 Pomona, 21-17. After a scoreless first quarter, Pomona finally took a lead late in the second quarter with a field goal. Then a pair of passing TDs by QB Gavin Lockett put the Cyclones up 14-3 at half. Pomona responded with two TDs in the third quarter before a rushing TD swung the lead back to PWHS early in the fourth. Next week: vs. 3A No. 1 Lutheran, 7 p.m. Sept. 13.

7. Vista Ridge (2-0) won at Evanston (Wyo.), 28-7. The Wolves traveled north of the border and took care of business. It was 28-7 at half, and that’s where the score stayed as Vista Ridge’s defense flexed. Next week: vs. Denver South, 7 p.m. Sept. 13.

8. Dakota Ridge (1-1) won 37-20 at 3A No. 3 Green Mountain. The Eagles won the first game of head coach Jeremiah Behrendsen’s tenure. The DRHS defense had four takeaways, while running back Landon Kalsbeck ran for three TDs. Next week: vs. No. 3 Mesa Ridge, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 13.

9. Rampart (2-1) lost 24-14 vs. No. 10 Ponderosa. The Rams began the year by blasting Falcon and then edging Lewis-Palmer by a point last week, but their offense was unable to get much of anything going against senior middle linebacker De’Alcapon Veazy and the Ponderosa defense. Next week: at Discovery Canyon, noon Sept. 14.

10. Ponderosa (1-1) won 24-14 at No. 9 Rampart. After getting blasted by Palmer Ridge to open the season, the Mustangs responded. It was 17-7 at half and then Bryson Tidwell’s punt return for a touchdown cemented the win with seven minutes to go. Next week: vs. 3A No. 4 Roosevelt, 7 p.m. Sept. 12.

Class 3A

1. Lutheran (2-0) won vs. Fort Morgan, 56-20. Next week: at 4A No. 6 Pueblo West.

2. Holy Family (1-1) lost at No. 4 Roosevelt, 38-21. Next week: Bye.

3. Green Mountain (1-1) lost vs 4A No. 8 Dakota Ridge, 37-20. Next week: at No. 9 Pomona.

4. Roosevelt (2-0) won vs. No. 2 Holy Family, 38-21. Next week: at 4A No. 10 Ponderosa.

5. Windsor (1-1) won at Longmont, 34-9. Next week: vs. Montbello.

6. Mead (2-0) won vs. Frederick, 16-14. Next week: Bye.

7. Thompson Valley (2-0) won vs. Greeley Central, 43-0. Next week: at Timnath.

8. Pueblo Central (2-0) won at Eaton, 32-7. Next week: vs. Alamosa.

9. Pomona (1-1) lost at 4A No. 6 Pueblo West, 21-17. Next week: vs. Green Mountain.

10. Pueblo East (1-1) lost at Discovery Canyon, 32-14. Next week: at Pueblo South.

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When/where: Saturday, 5 p.m./Canvas Stadium

TV/Radio: Altitude/Rams Radio Network

BetMGM Line: Not line available

Weather: 63 degrees and clear at kickoff

Three storylines

The Rams’ Response: No one was expecting CSU to march into Austin and beat No. 4 Texas, but what happened last weekend set off a flurry of worry for the rest of the season. This third year under head coach Jay Norvell is supposed to be a breakout season, so in that vein, the Rams were supposed to show at least some flashes of promise against a premier opponent. Instead, they completely flopped and looked like an FCS team. Norvell needs to fire up his squad to come out with a blowout of their own this Saturday.

Tory Horton Factor: With CU and the Rocky Mountain Showdown looming next Saturday, CSU star wideout Tory Horton needs to get his sea legs under him and rip off a big performance against what will be an undermanned UNC secondary. Horton had five catches for just 31 yards in the 52-0 beatdown by Texas, with his long being a 10-yard reception. The Rams will need Horton to be a vertical threat to beat the Buffs, so this Saturday presents a chance for the playmaker to get in rhythm before the rivalry game.

CSU’s D-front: After recording only one sack against Texas, the Rams’ D-line needs a coming-out party. Norvell insists that the Rams, who graduated their dominant pass-rusher from last year in Mohamed Kamara, still have plenty of firepower to get after the QB. This Saturday is the time to see it. Redshirt sophomore Nuer Gatkuoth, who missed the Texas game with turf toe, will be out again, so others must step up. And the Rams need to contain UNC’s top tailback Vann Schield, a transfer from CSU.

Predictions

Kyle Newman, sportswriter: CSU 42, Northern Colorado 7

After last weekend’s disaster in Austin, anything but a blowout of the Bears (who haven’t won a road game since Sept. 17, 2022) is concerning. CSU’s offense finds a rhythm early, with Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi throwing four TDs in the first half while the run game gets going. Defensively, the Rams generate three turnovers to help fuel the blowout, and their starters don’t play the final quarter.

Sean Keeler, sports columnist: CSU 35, Northern Colorado 14

The Rammies need to swing the hammer to get the taste of Texas out of everybody’s mouths. WIll Rock Canyon alum and UNC tailback Vann Schield get a measure of revenge on his former teammates and against former CSU coach, Jay Norvell? Probably not. But based on what we saw — or rather, what we didn’t see — last week in Austin, don’t be shocked if he finds the end zone at least once.

Matt Schubert, sports editor: CSU 34, Northern Colorado 13

This is what’s known as a “get right game.” CSU’s opener in Austin provided almost zero reason for optimism. But much like the Rams did after a poor Week 1 performance last season against Washington State, they will find a way to rebound on Saturday. The Bears have nothing to lose, but also not as much talent. The big question is whether or not the Rams can jump out ahead early enough that Jay Norvell doesn’t have to reveal too much of his playbook ahead of the Showdown.

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Nicolas Cornejo, a 35-year-old Pueblo native, is making his primetime MMA debut on Friday at Ball Arena on the card of ONE 168.

Cornejo dominated his way through the regional scene and is 2-0 as a pro with a pair of TKOs. But the third-generation Puebloan has never fought at this level, and he’s taking on someone half his age who comes from a storied fighting family in 18-year-old Adrian Lee. Cornejo is the biggest underdog on the card at +500 odds, per FanDuel Sportsbook.

“We are the underdogs down here. We don’t get a lot of (positive) spotlight down in Pueblo,” Cornejo said. “But I consider myself the son of Pueblo… And (my coaches and I) believe we’ve put a game plan together that can stop Lee’s hype train, and stop him immediately, and wear him out.”

While Lee’s on the fast track to ONE Championship stardom and capable of adding to his family’s MMA dynasty — his brother Christian currently holds the ONE lightweight and welterweight MMA titles, while his sister Angela was the ONE women’s atomweight MMA world champion before retirement — Cornejo took the long road to his shot at glory.

An alum of Pueblo Central, Cornejo’s first son was born two weeks after his high school graduation. He spent most of his 20s working as a correctional officer and didn’t make his MMA debut on the regional scene until age 29, losing about 100 pounds to do so.

Now, he’s a utility/maintenance worker for the city of Pueblo and has five kids, including an 18-year-old senior at Central whom Cornejo and his fiancée took legal guardianship of.

Cornejo believes that despite his roundabout journey, he’s just getting started.

“I know in the MMA world, being 35 is like the 70-year-olds of the sport,” joked Cornejo, who trains at Warrior Built MMA in Pueblo. “But I’m going to go until the wheels fall off.

“… I feel like I’m at my prime right now, and I’m in better shape than I was in my 20s. Having younger kids, who are still hyperactive and full of energy, they have a hard time keeping up with me. I have a lot of reserve in me because I wasn’t fighting throughout my 20s.”

A divorce in 2018 had Cornejo “on the verge of some real mental health issues.” Four years later, he suddenly lost his father to a fatal rollover crash that occurred while driving his work truck.

In both instances, the octagon helped him heal.

“(My dad) was my first superhero, and I miss him every day,” said Cornejo, who has his father’s fingerprints tattooed on the side of his neck. “I talk to him here and there at night when I’m alone. I wear his rosary on me. And when I feel down and out, I’ll take off on my motorcycle that he left me and go for a cruise. (His death) put me in a pretty bad depression for about three months, but what helped me the most was getting back in the gym.”

With all of that behind him, Cornejo says he’s ready to walk into Ball Arena on Friday and ruin Lee’s night in their lightweight bout. Lee had a flashy ONE Championship debut earlier this summer when he defeated Antonio Mammarella at ONE 167 via a rear-naked choke.

“I’m excited and I’m anxious to get into the arena,” Cornejo said. “I just want to put on a show for my fans, for my family and make a statement for Pueblo.”

The card for ONE 168: Denver

ONE Championship returns to Denver after the promotion made its U.S. debut at the 1stBank Center last May. Friday’s fights begin at 6 p.m. at Ball Arena and will be broadcast on Prime Video.

ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title: (c) Jonathan Haggerty vs. Superlek Kiatmoo9

ONE Flyweight Submission Grappling World Title: (c) Mikey Musumeci vs. Bebeto Oliveira

Muay Thai Dream Fight: Liam Harrison vs. Seksan Or Kwanmuang

MMA – Middleweight: Aung La N Sang vs. Shamil Erdogan

Must Thai – Bantamweight: John Lineker vs. Asa Ten Pow

MMA – Lightweight: Maurice Abevi vs. Samat Mamedov

MMA – Welterweight: Hiroyuki Tetsuka vs. Isi Fitikefu

MMA – Women’s Atomweight: Alyse Anderson vs. Victoria Souza

MMA – Strawweight: Hiroba Minowa vs. Sanzhar Zakirov

MMA – Lightweight: Adrian Lee vs. Nico Cornejo

Muay Thai – Flyweight: Johan Ghazali vs. Josue Cruz

Muay Thai – Flyweight: Sean Climaco vs. Johan Estupinan

Colorado went down 4-0 in that opening frame en route to a 5-2 loss. The Rockies struck out 16 times, and everyone in the lineup had at least one K as the Braves clinched the series to drop Colorado to 51-89.

“We have a number of guys who have a propensity to strike out,” Rockies manager Bud Black told reporters. “This is not something that we’re not aware of. It’s been something that’s been happening all year. We have a lot of young players who expand the zone. … It’s a challenge for our young guys, moving forward, to make that commitment to cut our strikeouts down as an offense.”

The Braves got on the board quickly, creating chaos with two outs in the first inning after rookie right-hander Bradley Blalock retired the first two batters. Marcell Ozuna doubled, then Matt Olson doubled him home.

And after a walk to Travis d’Arnaud, Jarred Kelenic delivered the gut punch with a three-run homer to right to make it 4-0.

“Ozuna got a hanging breaking ball with two strikes, Olson got a ball up,” Black said. “Then (Kelenic) battled, and that was a good at-bat. He hung in there and got a (splitter) down and in that he homered on.”

But the Rockies responded in the top of the next inning, spurred by Nolan Jones’ one-out walk. Sam Hilliard tripled off Charlie Morton to score Jones, then Charlie Blackmon’s two-out double to right brought Hilliard home to cut the deficit to 4-2.

Neither starter yielded any further damage after that, with both Blalock and Morton throwing five innings. Blalock worked around walks in the second, third, fourth and fifth, with two of those frames featuring free passes to the leadoff man. The Rockies, meanwhile, had traffic in Morton’s final three innings but couldn’t capitalize.

“Blalock hung in there,” Black said. “He bobbed and weaved through innings two through five, and he showed some grit.”

With the game turned over to the bullpens, Colorado’s was the first to crack. Jorge Soler’s RBI single off Jake Bird in the sixth pushed Atlanta’s lead to 5-2.

Old friend Pierce Johnson, a Faith Christian product who pitched for the Rockies before the club dealt him to the Braves at last year’s trade deadline, pitched a one-two-three seventh. Joe Jimenez replicated that feat in the eighth before Raisel Iglesias slammed the door in the ninth for his 30th save. Iglesias ran his MLB-best active scoreless streak to 23 1/3 innings.

The Braves improved to 61-3 when leading after the seventh inning. Meanwhile, the Rockies have accumulated 29 strikeouts in the first two games of the series. Colorado only had one hit in the final seven innings on Wednesday.

Criswell responds to angry Merrifield. A day after rookie right-hander Jeff Criswell beaned the Braves’ Whit Merrifield in the head with a 94 mph fastball in the seventh inning of Colorado’s loss in the series opener, Criswell expressed contrition for the errant pitch.

“I sent a message over and just again tried to apologize — reiterate that it was not intentional,” Criswell told MLB.com. “At least try to get that message over to him.”

Merrifield was not seriously injured by the pitch, but he was immediately removed from the game, and then afterwards ripped Criswell and other inexperienced pitchers who are gassing hitters inside, sometimes with perilous results.

“Where the game is at right now, it’s just ridiculous,” Merrifield told reporters on Tuesday. “… The way pitchers are throwing now, there’s no remorse or regard for throwing up and in. Guys are throwing hard as they can and they don’t care where the ball goes.”

As there’s been a widespread increase in velocity across the majors in recent years, with upper-90s and triple-digit fastballs no longer uncommon, the number of hit batters has correspondingly skyrocketed.

As a reference point, in 1980, there were 657 hit by pitches in MLB. In 2000, there were 1,573. And over the last three seasons, over 2,000 batters have been hit each year, including 2,112 in 2023. Entering Wednesday, 1,767 had been plunked in 2024.

Colorado added to that tally again on Wednesday when Seth Halvorsen hit Eli White with a 100 mph heater on the wrist in the eighth.

Thursday’s pitching matchup

Rockies LHP Austin Gomber (4-10, 4.69 ERA) at Braves RHP Reynaldo Lopez (8-4, 2.00)

5:20 p.m. Thursday, Truist Field

TV: Rockies.TV (streaming); Comcast/Xfinity (channel 1262); DirecTV (683); Spectrum (130, 445, 305, 435 or 445, depending on region).

Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM

Gomber pitched solidly over six starts in August, with a 4.37 ERA and four quality starts. In his last outing, he held the Orioles to three runs over six innings. The longball has been a bugaboo lately, though, as last month the opposition homered against him in five of those starts. That included a pair of two-homer games, and a homer given up in each of his last three outings. If he can start keeping the ball in the yard on a more consistent basis, he’s capable of elevating his pitching to what he turned out in May (0.68 ERA in four starts). The Braves have taken him deep six times, including two homers by Travis d’Arnaud in three at-bats.

Lopez has been on a heater. The Dominican right-hander has allowed just three earned runs over his last 20 innings, with 25 strikeouts to six walks. Only Jake Cave has seen him for more than two at-bats, and the outfielder has a .385 average and two homers in 13 career at-bats.

Pitching probables

Friday: Rockies RHP Ryan Feltner (1-10, 5.11) at Brewers RHP Frankie Montas (6-9, 4.70), 4:10 p.m.

Saturday: Rockies LHP Ty Blach (3-7, 6.65) at Brewers RHP Tobias Myers (6-5, 3.00), 5:10 p.m.

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When/where: Saturday, 1:30 p.m./Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium

TV/Radio: ESPN/Rams Radio Network

BetMGM Line: Texas -32.5, 60.5 over/under

Weather: Partly cloudy and humid, 92 degrees at kickoff

Three storylines

CSU’s question mark at TE: After Dallin Holker headed to the NFL following a strong season that saw him emerge as a finalist for the John Mackey Award, CSU had a production void to fill. That’s where the 6-foot-8 Jaxxon Warren, a JuCo transfer, was supposed to step in. But coach Jay Norvell announced earlier this week that Warren underwent season-ending shoulder surgery. That leaves senior Vince Brown II, who had only four catches last season, to carry the bulk of the pass-catching load at the position.

The Ewers Effect: CSU’s experienced secondary is highlighted by a pair of playmaking safeties in graduate student Henry Blackburn and senior Jack Howell. But will the talented back end be able to hold up against Texas QB Quinn Ewers and the Longhorns’ offensive firepower? Texas averaged 35.8 points per game last year and ranked ninth in total offense with 477.5 yards per game. Ewers is a Heisman Trophy candidate and for good reason. Blackburn, Howell and Co. must prevent big vertical plays.

Rams’ playmakers key to upset: Saturday is the highest-ranked opening opponent for CSU in the history of the AP Poll, and the Rams are 2-18 against Top 10 teams since 1993. To pull off the shocking upset, the defense is going to have to be stalwart, while redshirt sophomore quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi is going to have to play out of his mind. A few long competitions to star wideout Tory Horton are part of that upset recipe, too. He had 96 catches for 1,136 yards and eight touchdowns in 2023 — so that’s not out of the question.

Predictions

Kyle Newman, sportswriter: Texas 42, CSU 27

The Rams hang around for a quarter or so, but there’s a reason the Longhorns went to the College Football Playoff last year. Quinn Ewers and the Texas offense are too much for the CSU defense to bear, and the Rams’ secondary shows some early-season holes in Austin. A couple of turnovers in the second quarter, one off a Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi interception, permanently turn the tide.

Sean Keeler, sports columnist: Texas 37, CSU 16

Hey, there are worse ways to pick up a sweet check than spending a weekend in Austin. The talent/speed gap isn’t as steep as it would’ve been two years ago — but let’s just say it’s less than ideal. On the plus side for The Fightin’ Norvells, the Longhorns have a massive trip to Michigan next weekend and will be looking to get up big quick, then coast home. Will BFN and Tory Horton let them?

Matt Schubert, sports editor: Texas 45, CSU 17

As admirable as it is that CSU is willing to schedule Week 1 visits to blue bloods like Michigan and Texas, it sure hasn’t put head coach Jay Norvell in a great position in two of his three seasons in FoCo. The Longhorns are just way too talented and deep for CSU to hang around past the second quarter. On the plus side, the Rams are gettin’ paid. So they’ve got that going for them. Which is nice.

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The redshirt sophomore walked to the line with a run play dialed up. But upon seeing man coverage on star wide receiver Tory Horton, Fowler-Nicolosi checked to a vertical passing play — and promptly delivered a 60-yard touchdown strike.

As Fowler-Nicolosi looks to balance his gunslinger identity with a more situationally aware approach — translation: cut down on last season’s 16 interceptions — this is the kind of in-game processing the Rams believe will catapult them back into bowl contention this fall.

“You kind of want to bite your lip there, but you can’t argue with the result,” CSU head coach Jay Norvell said. “(He’s showed in fall camp) that he’s learned so much from his experience last year. He has a calmness he didn’t have last year. … He’s still pretty aggressive, but we wanted to pull the reins in on him and slow (his thinking) down a little bit.”

If Fowler-Nicolosi can pick and choose the right times to air it out or take check-downs, CSU could have a program-changing season. The quarterback admits that 2023 was a whirlwind for him, especially at the beginning.

Clay Millen started the season at QB, but Fowler-Nicolosi replaced him in the opener against Washington State and then got his first start the next game at Colorado. CSU lost both, the second in heartbreaking double overtime, but the start of the trial-by-fire was what Fowler-Nicolosi needed to speed up his acclimation to big-time college football.

“I was so nervous (before the Rocky Mountain Showdown),” Fowler-Nicolosi said. “… But the difference from the CU game to the Hawaii game (to close the year) was exponential. I hope it translates to this year, and I think it will. Because towards the end of the season, the game slowed down, and I was calmer with my mind.

“There were certainly times where I was far too aggressive. I understand now that I don’t have to do it all. There’s no point of chucking an 80-yard post when I have a wide-open check-down. … I don’t need to act like a superhero, don’t need to do anything insanely special — just make my plays when the opportunity comes and understand how to play quarterback in all aspects.”

In the offseason, Fowler-Nicolosi turned down overtures from other programs to transfer — including a $600,000 payday from Kansas State, according to Norvell — and stayed in Fort Collins. Fowler-Nicolosi remained a Ram partly out of loyalty and partly because of the chance he will get to build on a 3,460-yard season that saw him emerge as one of the more promising Group of 5 quarterbacks.

“To sit there and say you could go somewhere else and throw for 3,500 yards, maybe 4,000 yards, you’re not necessarily going to get that opportunity,” CSU quarterbacks coach Matt Mumme said. “You might get a lot of money, but you’re not going to get those throws. So I think that was a big deal.”

The Rams plan on taking advantage of BFN’s big arm and matured mindset.

“He’s anxious to win out there and prove what we can do offensively,” Norvell said. “But I see a different type of leadership in him. He’s more mature, and he understands it’s a long season and we don’t have to go for it every time we’re in the red zone. … There’s a time to play fast and a time to take the air out of the ball. Experience will allow him to apply that.”

If Fowler-Nicolosi can adjust to the learning curve in college as quickly as he did in high school, the Rams will be in good shape.

Fowler-Nicolosi walked into a premier Texas high school program as a junior at Aledo after moving from California and led the team to a state championship despite starting the season at No. 3 on the depth chart.

After the starting senior QB got hurt and the sophomore behind him was sidelined by COVID protocols, Fowler-Nicolosi went from JV to the varsity starter and didn’t look back. But first, minutes before his initial varsity start with Aledo, his teammates needed to figure out who he was.

“The offensive line coach walked up to me during pregame and goes, ‘What is our quarterback’s name?'” former Aledo head coach Tim Buchanan recalled with a laugh. “I told him, and he goes, ‘OK, and what number is he? And when we leave the field, do you mind if I bring him into our offensive line meeting and let him introduce himself? Because our offensive linemen don’t really know who he is.’ Nobody in the program really did. It was comical, really.”

Fowler-Nicolosi dazzled in that start with passes “that normally don’t get thrown by a high school football player,” Buchanan said. And by the time the playoffs started a few weeks later, Fowler-Nicolosi was the guy.

“Everybody talks about his strong arm and how good of vision he has, but his football I.Q. is off the charts,” Buchanan said. “Our offense is pretty complicated, and when he was our JV quarterback, during varsity practice he would stand behind our coach that signaled the plays in and he’d have a script, and that’s really how he learned our offense. On paper.”

Fowler-Nicolosi said the way he took over the Aledo starting job is “oddly comparable” to how Norvell suddenly called on him at the start of 2023 despite Millen being entrenched at the position the year before.

“It was almost déjà vu for me: Monday morning, you get the call from coach, ‘Hey you’re going to start.’ (And I think) ‘(Expletive),'”  Fowler-Nicolosi said with a laugh. “(The experience at Aledo) helped me in that aspect, knowing that I had been there before. Not at this scale obviously, but mentally it helped me a little bit.”

Now, in a pivotal Year 3 under Norvell, Fowler-Nicolosi is the centerpiece of the Rams’ dreams of qualifying for a bowl game for the first time in seven years.

While CSU has a tough test on the road against Texas in Saturday’s season opener, the game against CU on Sept. 14 at Canvas Stadium is of extra importance. The Rams haven’t won the Rocky Mountain Showdown since 2014, and they haven’t hosted the game in their stadium since 1996.

“(A bowl is) the expectation,” Fowler-Nicolosi said. “I would not be satisfied unless that’s the path we take as a team. … (As for CU), they’re nothing special to us. They don’t mean any more than anything other team does.

“Ok, maybe a little bit.”

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The quarterback started with a record-setting performance in an upset road win against TCU. A couple of weeks after that, he led a last-second, 98-yard TD drive to eventually beat rival CSU in double OT. And even when CU’s wheels fell off, he still showed mettle, flashed several well-timed watch-flexes and played hurt, until he couldn’t anymore.

Now, it’s time for Sanders’ closing arguments in black and gold starting with Thursday’s opener against North Dakota State at Folsom Field. And if the team plays better around the senior this fall, it could be historic.

“If (the offensive line) can protect him, this young man may put up one of the great seasons in college football history,” predicted CU play-by-play man Mark Johnson. “(Darian) Hagan is at the top as national champ, and Kordell (Stewart) is up there too, but Shedeur is going to put himself in the conversation as the greatest Colorado quarterback if he has another season like he did last year.”

Sanders, who missed the final six quarters of 2023 with a back fracture, is healthy again. The Buffs retooled their offensive line with transfers and the top high school left tackle in the nation, Jordan Seaton.

If the big men can block a year after the line allowed 56 sacks, the weapons are there on the outside. Two-way star Travis Hunter, Jimmy Horn Jr., and transfers Will Sheppard and LaJohntay Wester give Sanders the chance to top last year.

And that’s saying something. Even as the Buffs stumbled to 4-8 and last in the Pac-12, Sanders set CU records for passing yards in a season (3,230), completion percentage (69.3), touchdown-to-interception ratio (9-to-1) and interception percentage (0.7).

Unsurprisingly, Sanders remains confident. Even before taking a snap this season, No. 2 is projected to be one of the top quarterbacks selected in the 2025 NFL Draft.

“That’s the difference, I’d say, between me and a lot of other players,” Sanders said at Big 12 media day. “I’m not close to my ceiling at all. I’ve got a long way to go.”

Sanders’ performance could also be helped by consistency from the play-caller.

Last year, Sean Lewis called the Buffs offense for the first eight games before Pat Shurmur took over for the final four games. Now with Shurmur as the team’s offensive coordinator, the former Giants head coach and Broncos OC believes the Buffs will be able to establish a consistent run game his QB never had in 2023.

“It’s hard to cook in somebody else’s kitchen because you can’t really change anything at that point,” Shurmur said. “I don’t know if (the end of 2023) was a springboard, but what I do know, we were able to reset (the offense) the way we wanted to. We went out and got some new players, some more quality big men, then we installed an offense that works for us. I feel like it’s a new start moving forward.”

But will a revamped offensive line along with Shurmur’s now-permanent role be enough for Sanders to take his game to the next level? Head coach Deion Sanders believes so, especially after the work his son put in with his trainer over the summer.

“He’s worked on some of the little mechanical things with his quarterback coach (Darrell Colbert Jr) out of Houston,” Deion Sanders said on ESPN last month. “And it’s not just the mechanics of footwork and ball placement and releases, but also just getting to know his players and his receivers and where they want the ball. You can see after 7-on-7s and practice, him grabbing a guy, pulling him to the side and telling him what he wants and what he saw.”

Whether all of this will result in more wins, and even better stats for the quarterback, remains to be seen.

What is certain is that even with Sanders’ enormous popularity — he was recently ranked No. 1 on FOX Sports’ list of college football superstars — the QB needs to win to put himself in the discussion for end-of-season national honors such as the Davey O’Brien Award and Heisman Trophy.

“If he puts up the numbers and CU is winning a good amount of their football games, because of who Prime is and the attention he brings to CU, I think he’ll be in that conversation,” former CU quarterback Bobby Pesavento said. “Now, is he in New York (as a Heisman finalist) and does he truly have a chance to win? That would take the Buffs doing something really special, like playing for a Big 12 championship again.”

CBS Sports national college football writer Dennis Dodd agrees, noting that after Sanders “was almost a one-man team last year,” the Buffs must capture some magic in their first season back in the Big 12 for Sanders to be in the Heisman race.

“The Heisman winner almost exclusively plays for a 10-win team that competes for a national championship and does something dramatic in November — if not a Heisman moment, a series of Heisman moments,” Dodd said. “It’s going to be hard for a QB of a 6-6 team to win it.”

The cowboy who wears many hats as a broadcaster, outdoorsman and minister fractured his pelvis a month ago in an injury during team roping practice. The incident came on July 30, Johnson’s 57th birthday, and he’s been slowly rehabilitating since.

“The saddle horn hit my pelvic bone and popped my pelvis,” Johnson said. “They call it the open book — it just popped wide open. My first thought was, ‘That didn’t feel good.’ My second thought was, ‘I’ve lost my legs,’ which meant I couldn’t ride because I couldn’t squeeze the horse anymore. So I pushed myself off, went down, and broke some ribs on my right side.”

Johnson is now back on his feet, albeit with the aid of a walker or crutches. He has titanium screws and a plate in his pelvis, and doctors tell him it’ll be another few weeks before he can walk by himself, four months before he can get back on a horse, and about 10 months until he can go back to team roping.

Johnson, who competes in local amateur jackpot rodeos, is eager to resume heading and heeling. He’s been competing in the sport for about five years, and in his last competition before his injury, he took third at the Park County Fair in Fairplay.

“I’ve had a number of friends and acquaintances after my accident that advised me (to stop team roping),” Johnson said with a laugh, “but I certainly plan on getting back into it when the doctors clear me to do it again.”

Johnson, a man who’s long been defined by a Western way of life since growing up on a farm in North Dakota, wouldn’t have it any other way.

He played college basketball for a couple of years at Minot State before a career-ending back surgery, and he eventually graduated from the University of North Dakota. For the last 18 years, he’s lived on a five-acre plot in Evergreen, where he has three horses — Amigo, Josey Wales and Rose.

He and his wife, Susan — Miss North Dakota 1989 — are passionate about their Christian faith, and Johnson is a frequent speaker at religious conferences, churches and men’s groups around the area. And when he’s not broadcasting (he’s also the voice of CU men’s basketball), rodeoing or spreading the gospel, he’s bird hunting and fly fishing.

“We got to Colorado 20 years ago and fell in love with it and all that it represents,” Johnson said. “When I have my offseason, and my outdoor activities and my involvement with horses, team roping is a great hobby for me to have that balances me out. Because once we get to August, football takes off, and I’m hyper-focused on football and basketball for eight months.”

Johnson also has three grown children, one of whom, 27-year-old Jake, lives with him and his wife. Jake was born with hydrocephalus, a neurological disorder caused by an abnormal buildup of fluid in the brain. That resulted in brain damage at birth, and Johnson says his son’s medical adversity throughout life altered his family’s perspective and gratitude.

“I’m a great man of faith,” Johnson said. “… And Jake is a big focus of that because we’ve needed guidance and help raising him, and guiding him and caring for him, and developing the patience that comes along with that and having great faith.”

While Johnson continues to lean on that faith in all aspects of his life, he also hasn’t lost belief that the Buffaloes can do something special under second-year head coach Deion Sanders. Johnson points out that in his first two decades at the mic of CU football, there’s only been one magical season, the 2016 “Rise is Real” campaign that culminated in 10 wins and a Pac-12 South title.

The first step to getting on that upward trajectory is on Thursday at Folsom Field: Beating what Johnson describes as a “quality, physical, extremely well-coached football team” in North Dakota State that he grew up watching as a Division II powerhouse.

Since becoming an FCS school 20 years ago, the Bison have continued their dominance, with nine national championships. NDSU is 9-4 against FBS opponents, including 6-1 in its last seven.

“I just want to see Colorado football have great success,” Johnson said. “It’s time. This fanbase deserves a team that is relevant from start to finish, is in bowl conversation early, is in conference championship conversation. That’s what I’m hoping for because it’s a lot more fun for me to call those games.”

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The College Football Playoff is expanding from four to 12 teams this season — and opening new doors in the process.

Now, a stellar campaign for CU could culminate in a CFP berth, even if they don’t win the Big 12 title in their first year back in the conference.

And for the rest of the region’s FBS schools in the Mountain West — CSU, Wyoming and Air Force — it means there’s finally a tangible path to the playoff with the highest-ranked Group of 5 conference champion guaranteed a spot.

“The expansion is really the best thing that’s ever happened to Group of 5 schools,” explained The Athletic’s Stewart Mandel, who has covered college football for two decades. “It’s the first time in history that they’ve had a seat at the table. When you go back to the very first year of the (Bowl Championship Series) in 1998 when Tulane went undefeated and went to a lower bowl game, and then through the Utah teams and the TCU teams, all these (Group of 5) teams that won all their games still never had a shot to play for the national championship.

“Cincinnati made the (College Football) Playoff, but that was basically a one-off, and to do that they had to go undefeated two years in a row. And even when they got in, it had to be perfect circumstances.”

Indeed, Cincinnati’s CFP semifinal bid in 2021 — when the now-Big 12 Bearcats were in the American Athletic Conference — is the lone appearance from a Group of 5 school in the decade of the playoff.

Up in Fort Collins, where the Rams hope to take a leap forward in their third season under head coach Jay Norvell, CSU believes the expanded playoff could apply to them. CSU last won the Mountain West in 2002.

“We get overlooked because of the conference we play in, and others do too, but there’s a lot of top (Group of 5) teams that can compete with the big Power 4 teams now,” CSU star wideout Tory Horton said. “We all talk about the Tulane versus USC game (in Tulane’s dramatic 2023 Cotton Bowl win) because those are the games that we’d die to see in the playoffs. So this expansion is a great opportunity for our program, this year and going forward.”

Further north in Laramie, Wyoming has never won the Mountain West, but first-year head coach Jay Sawvel says what the Cowboys did last season in their non-conference slate is a blueprint for how a team from the conference might end up as the highest-ranked Group of 5 champion.

“We beat Texas Tech, so we beat a Big 12 team. We beat Appalachian State, so we beat a really good Group of 5 team. And we played a good game (in a loss) at Texas, which was a playoff team,” Sawvel said. “… We didn’t do what needs to be done in conference. But that’s the path that a Mountain West school is going to need to take, whether it’s us, Boise State, CSU, whoever.”

Down in Colorado Springs, longtime AFA head coach Troy Calhoun and the Falcons are less focused on the CFP.

Air Force, which won 29 games over the last three seasons but has never finished atop the Mountain West, is reloading this year with just four returning starters. With roster-building challenges other programs don’t have — recruits need high academics plus a military commitment, NIL deals are prohibited and the program doesn’t take transfers — Calhoun is less bullish on the Falcons’ chances to break into the bracket.

“I absolutely think it’s good for the game, yet that’s just not an item for us,” Calhoun said.

Even if a Mountain West team does have a big season, the conference has some perception-shifting to do. The Mountain West has just one New Year’s Six bowl trip since 2014 compared to six for the AAC (and one CFP spot).

The good news: There have been changes over the last couple of years that could position the Mountain West to become the clear top dog among the Group of 5.

Several of the AAC’s top-tier programs fled for Power 4 pastures, with Cincinnati, Houston and UCF off to Big 12, and SMU going with Cal and Stanford to the ACC. The Mountain West, meanwhile, is completely intact and has added games against Washington State and Oregon State that should bolster its strength of schedule.

“There’s a lot going in their favor that happens to coincide with the first year of this system,” Mandel said.

Of course, the Mountain West landscape remains in flux.

Oregon State and Washington State have retained the Pac-12 brand, but will soon need to either add more schools to its conference or find a new home. The Mountain West, which entered into a scheduling agreement with the two Pac Northwest schools, is likely to be a part of that.

As for this year, the CFP committee’s historical seeding indicates it’s unlikely a second Group of 5 team gets a spot in the playoff outside of the one that’s guaranteed.

“All of these conferences have gotten rid of divisions, so before that, you had this possibility in the past where if there’s an upset in the Big 10 title game and the champion is three-loss Iowa, a second Group of 5 team could finish higher,” Mandel said. “But that’s probably not going to be the case anymore. The Power 4 conferences are all going to have two very highly ranked teams playing in their championship game.”

While the region’s Mountain West programs at least see a door left ajar, in Boulder, the path to the playoff is much more clear: Win the Big 12, and you’re in.

“We plan on being in that situation,” head coach Deion Sanders told 247Sports last December.

CU is entering its second season under Sanders, who led the Buffs to a 4-8 mark in 2023 and has retooled the roster around likely first-round draft picks Shedeur Sanders at cornerback and Travis Hunter at cornerback/receiver.

Mandel, however, is making a more measured projection for CU, citing questions about the Buffs’ ability to protect their QB, their defense and how another roster reload will gel under Coach Prime’s new-look staff.

“I would consider it a success if they make a bowl game,” Mandel said. “I don’t think we’re ready to talk CFP yet.”

2024 College Football Playoff Expansion

What: The CFP is expanding from four teams to 12 teams this season.

Who: The field will feature automatic bids for the five highest-ranked conference champions — most likely the SEC, Big 10, ACC and Big 12 title winners, plus the highest-ranked Group of 5 champ. The seven highest-ranked teams remaining round out the bracket.

Bracketing: The four highest-ranked conference champions will be seeded 1-4 and get a first-round bye. Seeds 5-12 play each other in the first round, with the higher-seeded teams hosting. The matchups: No. 5 vs. No. 12, No. 6 vs. No. 11, No. 7 vs. No. 10 and No. 8 vs. No. 9.

From there, the four quarterfinals and two semifinals will be played in New Year’s Six bowls on a rotating basis. The national championship site is determined by bids from prospective hosts; this season’s title game is at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

2024 Dates: The first round is Dec. 20-21, the quarterfinals (Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl) are Dec. 31-Jan. 1. The semifinals (Orange Bowl, Cotton Bowl) are Jan. 9-10. The CFP National Championship is Jan. 20.