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The Colorado Buffaloes played a football game on Saturday. It was, some might say, the easiest thing they had done in months.

“It was obviously a long offseason for us,” offensive tackle Sam Wilder said. “Everybody was talking about how excited they were to go in and play a game. After the game, there was a real sense of relief in the locker room.”

In the nine months following the 2003 season and before the opener against Colorado State last weekend, the Buffaloes endured a grand jury investigation, a suspension of head coach Gary Barnett, and perhaps more publicity of the wrong variety than any other program in America.

The problems began for Colorado when allegations surfaced concerning the use of sex and alcohol as recruiting tools. Then came reports of escort services being contacted by people within the program. Less than a week later, former Colorado kicker Katie Hnida said she had been raped by a teammate in 2000.

Barnett was put on paid leave after making public comments about Hnida that were seen as inappropriate and offensive considering the allegations she had made.

With all that in their past — Barnett was reinstated in May after a regents’ panel found no evidence that university officials had condoned the players’ conduct — Saturday night’s win was all the more impressive.

Playing against arch rival Colorado State, the Buffaloes barely held on after taking an early lead. Colorado won 27-24 when the Rams ran out of time at the Colorado 1-yard line.

“All the stuff that happened motivated us to get to the season,” Barnett said. “But once practice started I think we were focused on the way we played last year, the guys on the field.”

But comments from others in the program would suggest that the Buffaloes’ 1-0 record is an elixir much more soothing than anything coming from the practice field.

“Everyone expected us to quit, not to finish,” said Brian Cabral, an assistant who took over as interim head coach while Barnett was on leave. “I think everyone expected us to be distracted by the months previous. So we just showed that we are focused. We showed our players that we can do what we need to do.”

What Colorado did — running for 255 yards against the Rams — has Washington State concerned this week. Cougars coach Bill Doba opined that the last-second win could provide a huge boost for the Buffaloes this season.

“I think that was the worst thing that could happen for us. I think it got them fired up, built up confidence in them and I think they’re a very, very dangerous football team,” Doba said. “They can use those offseason so-called distractions as a rallying cry for their coach. They’re on a mission. That scares me. They’re out to prove that they’re not a bunch of animals, that their coach is a great guy.”

Of all the things that went right for Colorado in its first game, both Barnett and Cabral said they were encouraged most by the team’s demeanor on the sidelines at home against the Rams.

“One of the things we wanted to do is not play too emotionally and I thought we did a good job,” Barnett said. “For the most part we played passionately but not emotionally.

“Our kids, they were amazing on the sideline. They were so upbeat, so positive.”

The Buffaloes also lost five players from the program who would have been starters in 2004, making their opening-game performance all the more impressive. After the game, the relief Wilder referred to wasn’t coupled with any passionate words from the coaching staff. For Colorado, it was just a welcome beginning and a much-needed win.

“There wasn’t anything really said. Everyone thought we accomplished what we set out to do,” Cabral said. “We’ve been character-building for the last six months. So it’s just another step for us. It’s something that after everything we’ve been through, there’s nothing we can’t overcome.”