Comment on Best of the Big Ten Newsletter: Big Red sighting in Augusta (no, not Nebraska)

PARKER — New money trumped old blood on Thursday night in the Battle of the Rock. Castle View trailed 16-0 within the first six minutes against Douglas County, but the Sabercats didn’t blink. Instead, they rattled off 37 unanswered points, running the ball at will and notching a slew of impressive defensive stops to dominate the rivalry at EchoPark Stadium. The 37-16 outcome once again affirmed the stronger football program in Castle Rock.

Thursday night scores Fountain-Fort Carson 49, Lakewood 0 Ralston Valley 39, ThunderRidge 2 University 68, D’Evelyn 27

It takes a special kind of stamina to chase down Steelers quarterback Justin Fields an entire game. That’s why Zach Allen is paid the big bucks. Allen was in Fields’ face from the start of Denver’s matchup against Pittsburgh last week. But it wasn’t until the two-minute mark of the second quarter that Allen took down the speedy signal caller, maneuvering past a pair of offensive linemen before striking Fields on his blind side. Through two games, Allen has been one of the best pass rushers in the league.

The Broncos are not considering a pocket change. But Bo Nix must change how he operates in the pocket. You cannot rank 27th in ESPN’s quarterback ratings and harbor delusions of adequacy. Bo knows he must improve. Of course, this season will be graded on a curve. Patience and perspective are required in his evaluation. However, the quarterback is not blameless while guiding an offense that cannot find the end zone with Google Maps. First, context is required.

Colorado Buffaloes defensive back Carter Stoutmire, left, shares a laugh with head coach Deion Sanders during football practice on Aug. 12, 2024, in Boulder, Colo. (CU Athletics) In coming to Colorado, Carter Stoutmire knew that he needed to be ready to adjust. “(Cornerbacks coach Kevin) Mathis was like, ‘You’re gonna be our swing guy.’ So wherever they need me, that’s where I was gonna be able to fit in,” Stoutmire said this week. The sophomore defensive back from Plano, Texas, has been needed the past couple of weeks and he’s delivered for the Buffs (2-1), who host Baylor (2-1) at Folsom Field on Saturday (6 p.m., Fox). After playing just 10 snaps in the season opener, Stoutmire has filled in for injured safety Shilo Sanders the past two weeks, posting 11 tackles and a pass breakup.

Vance Joseph is plenty familiar with Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield. The Broncos defensive coordinator was the club’s head coach in 2018 when the staff coached the Senior Bowl. That group of quarterbacks in the NFL draft included Mayfield along with Buffalo’s Josh Allen. Mayfield ended up going No. 1 overall to Cleveland, playing there from 2018-21 and struggling before splitting 2022 between Carolina and the Los Angeles Rams.