1998 Season Archive

National and Big 12 Recap – Tennessee wins the title the year after Peyton Manning leaves

//posted 12.31.1998

National and Big 12 Recap – 1998

The Tennessee Volunteers capped off an undefeated 13-0 season by defeating 2nd-ranked Florida State, 23-16, in the Fiesta Bowl to claim their first national championship in almost 50 years. Coach-of-the-Year Phillip Fulmer led the Volunteers to the Bowl Championship Series national title the year after Peyton Manning had taken his talents to the pros.

The only other Division 1-A school to finish unblemished was the Green Wave of Tulane, which completed its season with a 12-0 record and a No. 7 ranking under head coach Tommy Bowden. Ohio State, which spent most of the season at No. 1, finished at 11-1 and ranked second, with only a 28-24 loss to Michigan State in November preventing a perfect season.

The Heisman race was anything but, as Texas running back Ricky Williams posted one of the most lopsided margins in Heisman history. Williams, in surpassing Tony Dorsett as the all-time career rushing leader, led the Longhorns to a 9-3 record, including a 38-11 pasting of Mississippi State in the Cotton Bowl.

In the Big 12

In the Big 12, 1998 was the Year That Almost Was for Kansas State.

After rumbling through the regular …

Posted in Article | No Comments | Leave a Comment

Aloha Bowl – CU outscores Oregon in Coach Rick’s last game

//posted 12.25.1998

(There has been 1 comment, post your CU memory now)

Duck Soup

A game against the 6-5 Washington Huskies seemed the most likely scenario for the Buffs as championship games were being contested in other conferences . Along with the title games, though, was a make-up game between Miami and UCLA. The game, originally scheduled for September 26th, had been re-scheduled to December 5th due to fears that a hurricane would hit the Miami area the last weekend in September. For UCLA, playing the game in December proved disastrous, as the 3rd-ranked Bruins fell to the Hurricanes, 49-45. The loss eliminated UCLA from consideration for the National Championship game (once beaten Florida State being chosen to face undefeated and top-ranked Tennessee), with the Rose Bowl being the Bruins’ consolation prize.

UCLA being selected to host the Rose Bowl set off a chain reaction, as Arizona, which had hoped to head to Pasadena for the first time in school history, was now relegated to the Holiday Bowl and a match-up with Nebraska. Oregon, in turn, which had anticipated a trip to San Diego to face the Cornhuskers, was now in line for a Christmas Day bowl game, the Aloha Bowl, with Colorado.

Oregon’s loss was Colorado’s gain, as the Buffs were …

#14 Nebraska – Interpretation

//posted 11.27.1998

(Post your own memories)

November 27th – @ Nebraska #14 Nebraska 16, Colorado 14

“General” Robert Neyland, longtime head coach at the University of Tennessee, is a legendary name in the annals of college football. In leading the Volunteers to over 160 wins in 20 seasons, the College Football Hall of Fame coach was used to winning. “Almost all games,” Neyland pointed out, “are lost by the losers, not won by the winners.”

Such was the case in Memorial Stadium on Thanksgiving weekend, 1998.

The Buffs, despite facing a Nebraska team equally riddled with injuries and self-doubt, came out playing like an intimidated team. Early mistakes proved to be the difference in a frustrating 16-14 defeat, giving Nebraska a seven game winning streak over the Buffs.

Just as was the case in 1995, when the Buffs allowed Ahman Green to score on a 57-yard run less than two minutes into the game, (on the way to a 44-21 loss) and in 1992, when an interception led to a three-yard scoring run by Derek Brown with only 1:14 off of the first quarter clock (en route to a 52-7 rout), Colorado played early like a team destined to lose.

After a touchback on the opening …

1998 – Oklahoma – Buffs post fifth consecutive win in Norman

//posted 10.3.1998

(Post your own memories)

October 3rd – at Oklahoma No. 15 Colorado 27, Oklahoma 25

Prior to 1995, no team – not in-state rival Oklahoma State, not long time rival Nebraska – no team had ever defeated Oklahoma four consecutive times in Norman.

In 1995, though, No. 4 Colorado romped over No. 10 Oklahoma 38-17 to set the new standard. With a 27-25 come-from-behind (again) win in 1998, the Colorado Buffaloes registered their fifth consecutive win over Oklahoma on their home turf, raising the bar yet again.

Quarterback Mike Moschetti threw three touchdown passes, while Marlon Barnes ran for a career-high 135 yards to lead the Buffs to a 5-0 record (2-0 in Big 12 play).

The game did not start out well for the Buffs, as Oklahoma produced a seven-play, 80-yard drive to post the first points of the game on an 11-yard run by De’Mond Parker for a touchdown. Parker high-stepped into the end zone, and was called for a celebration penalty. The first quarter score was left at 6-0 after the 35-yard extra point attempt was missed.

Early in the second quarter, the Buffs took the lead for good. Colorado capped a ten-play, 86-yard drive with a 19-yard scoring pass …

Baylor – Despite win: “We’re not a very good football team”

//posted 9.26.1998

(Post your own memories)

September 26th – Boulder No. 15 Colorado 18, Baylor 16

The Baylor Bears, fresh off of a 33-30 win over North Carolina State (who in turn had just shocked the nation with a 24-7 win over previously 2nd-ranked Florida State) came to Boulder with aspirations of putting to rest the memories of a 2-9 1997 campaign.

Baylor almost came away with the win, scoring late to pull ahead of Colorado, 16-15, with 6:31 remaining. But a 44-yard pass on third-and-ten from Adam Bledsoe, subbing for the injured Mike Moschetti, to Darrin Chiaverini put the Buffs in field goal position with just over two minutes to play. A few plays later, Jeremy Aldrich connected from 31 yards out, and the Buffs had pulled out another “ugly” win, 18-16.

For much of the game, the contest appeared to be one which neither team wanted to win. The first quarter stats were enough to make even the most dedicated east coast football fan turn off the television and go to bed (the kickoff was 8:20 p.m., Mountain Time). The Buffs and the Bears combined effort for the first quarter – one yard of total offense.

One.

Colorado was the “dominant” team, …

Utah State – Buffs’ defense bails out anemic offense

//posted 9.19.1998

(There have been 3 comments, post your CU memory now)

September 19th – Boulder No. 15 Colorado 25, Utah State 6

If Colorado’s 29-21 win over Fresno State the week before was a “wake up call”, then the Buffs’ 25-6 victory over Utah State was an indication that the team had apparently hit the snooze button. Penalties and injuries marred an otherwise excellent defensive performance as the Buffs raised their season record to 3-0 with a 25-6 victory over Utah State.

Mike Moschetti, slowed by torn cartilage in his rib cage suffered in the Fresno State game, was sacked eight times. Overall, the Buffs committed 15 penalties for 118 yards and turned the ball over twice. The only scoring highlights for the Buffs came when the offense was not on the field, as Ben Kelly turned in a 68-yard punt return for a score in the first quarter, and the Buffs were credited with a safety in the final stanza when the Aggie punter was unable to pull down a high snap, with the ball traveling out of the endzone for the final two points of the contest.

Utah State struck first with a 24-yard field goal by Brad Bohn midway through the first quarter. Matters could have been …

Fresno State – Goal Line Stand preserves hard-earned victory

//posted 9.12.1998

(Post your own memories)

September 12th – Boulder No. 16 Colorado 29, Fresno State 21

Mike Moschetti, playing before the home fans for the first time, connected with sophomore wide receiver Javon Green for a 25-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter on what would prove to be the winning score as No. 16 held off Fresno State, 29-21.

Colorado, which entered the game as a 21 ½ point favorite, found itself behind 14-3 early in the second quarter before a stunned crowd of 42,623. Two touchdown runs by Bulldog quarterback Billy Volek, the second coming early in the second quarter, gave Buff fans more to worry about other than the light rain which fell sporadically throughout the game.

Junior wide receiver Marcus Stiggers scored the Buffs’ first touchdown of the afternoon with 3:38 to play before half on a 27-yard end around. The extra point attempt by Jeremy Aldrich failed, leaving the score at 14-9. Aldrich, who had earlier connected from 34 yards, then hit on a 30-yarder as the first half expired.

Fresno State still held the halftime lead, 14-12, but the momentum had clearly shifted, with the CU defense taking control of the game.

It wasn’t until late in the …

No. 15 CSU – Buffs take down ranked Rams in Mile High rout

//posted 9.5.1998

(Post your own memories)

September 5th – at Denver Colorado 42, No. 15 Colorado State 14

Ralphie IV, only 16 months old and a mere 500 pounds, made her debut as the Buffs’ mascot before a crowd of 76,036 in a sold-out Mile High Stadium and a national television audience in the first-ever college football game at Mile High Stadium. The young buffalo looked small and unsure as she made her initial run, but came through nonetheless.

The same could be said for the young Colorado Buffaloes. Only 40 of the 102 players on the Buffs’ roster had ever seen action in a college game before that warm Saturday evening. In all, 12 Colorado players made their first career starts.

Youth was served.

The Buffs dominated, roughing up the beleaguered Rams from Colorado State, 42-14. New quarterback Mike Moschetti was all that the Buffs could have hoped for, completing 21-of-32 passes for 257 yards and three touchdowns. Even more importantly, Moschetti committed no turnovers, and provided the leadership the Buffs had been longing for.

The largest crowd to ever watch a college sporting event in the state of Colorado were on hand to witness the first neutral site game in the 105-year, 70-game …

Colorado Buffalo Football Analysis and Recaps - CU At the Game

Searching for CU football? you'll find it here.

1998 Season Archive

National and Big 12 Recap – Tennessee wins the title the year after Peyton Manning leaves

National and Big 12 Recap – 1998

Aloha Bowl – CU outscores Oregon in Coach Rick’s last game

#14 Nebraska – Interpretation

1998 – Oklahoma – Buffs post fifth consecutive win in Norman

Baylor – Despite win: “We’re not a very good football team”

Utah State – Buffs’ defense bails out anemic offense

Fresno State – Goal Line Stand preserves hard-earned victory

No. 15 CSU – Buffs take down ranked Rams in Mile High rout

2013 Season

Archive Game of the Week