Pete Thamel on Colorado's game vs. North Dakota State: ‘Whoever scheduled that game should be fired’

ESPN’s Pete Thamel can’t believe Colorado still has North Dakota State on its schedule in 2024. He even called for whatever schedule maker made that decision to be fired.

Even if it was hyperbole, Colorado might be a little worried going into that game with the Bison, one of the premier programs in the FCS. That was Thamel’s argument anyway.

Colorado takes on North Dakota State to open the season on August 29th when the Bison come to Boulder.

“So I’m very curious to see how this reload goes because their schedule is going to be, you know, a lot different,” Thamel said on the College GameDay Podcast. “I think it’s a completely different Nebraska program that they play early in the year than we saw last year and it’s actually going to be an interesting test case for Colorado early in the year. 

“Well, first of all, they open with North Dakota State and the Associate Athletic Director who scheduled that game should yeah, you know, whoever scheduled that game should be fired. That is just a negligent, horrible athletic department decision. You do not schedule an FCS game you can lose. You just don’t do it.”

This is not Thamel predicting Colorado to lose to North Dakota State, but it might be in the back of the heads of some.

“Now North Dakota State might not have been what they were three or four years ago, but they’re still excellent,” Thamel said. “And they are going to be sound and they are going to have the great still sort of mid-major competitive advantage if we’re talking about college basketball, and that’s continuity …

“But I just thought that is a game that whoever scheduled that eight years ago or whatever, whoever they are, should be shaking in their boots because that’s going to be very interesting.”

Colorado may have a lot of roster turnover, but you could argue it’s better in 2024, as long as everyone gels.

“I think they did a good job in the running back room,” On3’s Pete Nakos said of Colorado’s portal haul. “I really liked the addition of Dallan Hayden, the Ohio State tailback. And then you also brought in Rashad Amos, who was at Miami of Ohio, rushed over 1,000 yards and was at Mississippi State before. Other guys who really jumped out. I think the addition of Payton Kirklin, the Texas offensive tackle, gives them another young lineman who has a lot of upside.

“Other guys they added, some you could argue, maybe are underrated defensive tackles, they brought in the Ohio defensive tackle Rayyan Buell, who had an outstanding 2023. We’ll have to see how he meshes in the Big 12. But that’s one that pops out. I think they did the right things on the defensive side of the ball Andy and now I guess we just have to wait and see how it all plays out, but the offense has all the tools that it needs to be really good.”