Hailey Wilmer/Colorado Daily

Harris Gottfried, owner of Game Force on 30th street, displays the store’s last copy of the new NCAA Football 09 game for Playstation 2. NCAA Football 09 hit stores today for all video game platforms.

While the actual members of the University of Colorado football team are currently spending their summer involved in voluntary workouts, you can bet the the virtual Buffaloes are already in the thick of a national title hunt in homes across Boulder, Colo. and the nation.

NCAA Football 09 was released for all video game platforms on Tuesday, giving Buffs fans everywhere an early look at what Cody Hawkins, Darrell Scott and J-Fly and Co. can do.

However, if the ratings in NCAA 09 mean anything, it will be a tough season ahead for the Buffs.

Ranked a 79 overall, with an 81 offense and 80 defense rating, the Buffs are an average team in the video game. Even more daunting is the fact that the real life Buffs will face three of the top 10 quarterbacks in the game, according to EA Sports.

West Virginia's Pat White (97 overall), Mizzou's Chase Daniel (97), and Kansas' Todd Reesing (92) are all on the slate for 08. Nebraska running back Marlon Lucky is a top 10 RB, Mizzou targets Jeremy Maclin and Chase Coffman are also each top ten players at the wide receiver and tight end positions, respectively.

The Buffs, on the other hand, do not have any players among the top rated at their position. There is even some questionable rankings as to who is the top player on the Buffs in the game. EA has defensive end Maurice Lucas rated as CU's No. 1 player at a 91 overall. But arguably two of the Buffs best players on the real life team are defensive tackles George Hypolite and Brandon Nicolas, and each only garnered an 85 overall.

Something tells this space that chairs are being thrown all over Dal Ward today.

For the Buffalo Nation, all can rest assured that incoming freshman star running back Darrell Scott got his respect, coming in as an 85 overall with 90 speed. But his cousin, Josh Smith aka J-Fly may be a little perturbed. The Fly is only ranked an 89 in speed, while fellow wide receiver Scotty McKnight is a 90 in speed.

If you come across any CU players, or even any CU fans, you can rest assured that preseason battles on the sticks will be cutthroat this summer in Boulder.

Contact Eliot Dempsey about this story at (303) 443-6272 ext. 112 or sports@coloradodaily.com