Look at the opponents, and where we played:

2005: L vs. TCU (overtime loss, thanks to questionable calls)
2006: L @ 23 Boston College (overtime loss)
2007: L @Tulsa
2008: W vs. UCLA (arguably the best win of Bronco's career)
2009: L vs. Florida State
2010: L @Florida State
2011: L vs. Utah (arguably the worst loss of Bronco's career)
2012: L @ Utah (thanks to the upright)
2013: L vs. Utah

Not a patsy among those teams, except maybe UCLA in 2008. One could argue the third game is generally one of the toughest of the season, especially when we were in the MWC.