That`s a start.

Buff fans can back away from the edge of the cliff, at least for today. That sound you heard coming from Folsom Field on Saturday was a collective sigh of relief, one that started from the offices of Dal Ward and spread throughout the stadium.

Colorado won a football game. Actually, Colorado dominated a football game, something most of us would have thought to be impossible just a week ago.

Not that anyone -- from Dan Hawkins on down -- walked away from CU`s 24-0 win over Wyoming proclaiming that the Buffs` problems have been magically cured. But at least many of the things that had plagued the Buffs in their 0-2 start appeared to be on the mend on a sun-splashed Saturday.

The defense played well. Outstanding, in fact. Wyoming`s anemic offense -- which now hasn`t scored a touchdown in nine quarters -- was the perfect antidote for a CU unit that had given up 1,000 yards and 77 points in its previous two games.

But credit must also be given to Hawkins and his defensive coaches, who recognized the need for change and implemented it. Fewer personnel groups and fewer changes resulted infewer mistakes -- and more opportunities for CU`s players to do what they are supposed to do: make plays.

Two sacks for linebacker B.J. Beatty and one each from lineman Marquez Herrod and linebacker Doug Rippy. Three more tackles for losses. A 4-for-18 day on third-down conversions for the Cowboys and just five Wyoming plays for 10 or more yards.

All of which added up to zero points on the board for Wyoming.

Then there was CU`s running game. With Darrell Scott nursing a sore knee on the sidelines, sophomore Rodney Stewart ran for 127 yards and a pair of touchdowns as CU finished with 151 on the ground -- by far the Buffs` best performance of the year.

Don`t dismiss those numbers. That same Wyoming defense gave up 191 on the ground to Texas a week ago while limiting the Longhorns to just 13 first-half points in a 41-10 loss.

Colorado did, however, struggle in the passing game. Buff quarterback Cody Hawkins was a modest 17-for-31 for 175 yards, and missed at least two wide-open receivers on plays that would have significantly added to that yardage total.

"I thought we left a lot of points out there," Dan Hawkins said. "We had a couple of penalties and a turnover and missed some throws. So I would like to see us get on track a little more and be a little more efficient."

But maybe the most telling statement came from Wyoming coach Dave Christensen, the former Missouri offensive coordinator who had become accustomed to having his way against Colorado`s defense. The Cowboys came to Boulder figuring on a win. They`d seen Colorado`s first two games, and were confident that they could extend CU`s skid to three.

"We thought we`d come in here and have a chance to win this football game," Christensen said, "and we didn`t do it. I don`t know if they`re shocked, just disappointed that we didn`t play well. ... We took a step back, unfortunately."

For the Buffs, however, it proved to be a desperately needed step forward.

"It`s great," said offensive lineman Ryan Miller. "It`s too bad we waited until the third game of the season, but we wanted to come out and play well from the start today. To get a fast start like we had today was a good feeling. We needed that."

No doubt, the Buffs will need more in the coming weeks if they`re going to turn this into a trend rather than an aberration. Again, nobody is proclaiming that all has been healed. CU`s passing game is sporadic, the Buffs continue to shoot themselves in the foot with penalty flags (10 for 86 yards against the Cowboys) and the offense in general lacks a sense of consistency.

But they did show improvement on Saturday. Hawkins and his staff spent the last couple of weeks vowing to fix the "little things," and for one game at least, they made good on that promise.

Whether they can continue that improvement remains to be seen. The schedule becomes infinitely tougher from here on out, beginning with an Oct. 1 date at West Virginia, followed by a trip to Texas and a home game against Kansas.

But for the moment, at least, the free-fall has been halted.

That`s a start.