Posts Tagged ‘Mitch Berger’

Preseason – 1993 – Buffs take on the most difficult schedule in the nation

//posted 8.17.1993

Scouting the Nation

As the summer of 1993 wound down, (a great summer for me and my lady, thank you very much) the pre-season magazines appeared. There was little or no consensus as to which team would emerge from the upcoming season ranked No. 1 on January 1, 1994. Florida State received much of the ink, but Alabama was also getting support for a repeat of its 1992 National Championship.

When the pre-season Associated Press poll came out, five different teams received first-place votes. Included with Florida State, Alabama, Michigan, and Syracuse was Stanford, which was ranked no higher than 15th overall.

There was consensus as to the Colorado Buffaloes and their season, however, at least as to several issues.

First, everyone agreed that the Buffs’ 1993 schedule would be brutal. The non-conference slate included ranked Miami (No. 5 in the pre-season poll) and Stanford (15th), along with the nearly-ranked Texas (30th overall) and Baylor (31st). If Colorado could survive September, conference clashes against Oklahoma, improving Kansas, and, of course, Nebraska, loomed.

“Maximum Challenge” was the motto chosen by the team for the season, and a glance at the schedule explained why.

1993 Outlook – CU Roster

While there was…

#6 Syracuse – Fiesta Bowl – Lost luggage, lost jacket, lost holiday

//posted 1.1.1993

(Post your own memories)

Colorado v. Syracuse – Fiesta Bowl – January 1, 1993

Lost Luggage, Lost Jacket, Lost Holiday

I had never been to Phoenix before. In fact, unless you count stepping across the state line at the Four Corners area which represents the intersection of the borders of Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico, I had never been to Arizona before. Coming at the end of December, a trip to the Fiesta Bowl to cap off the 1992 season seemed like a great idea.

My trip got off to a bad start when my luggage failed to meet me at the Phoenix airport. Fortunately, my hosts for my first evening in Phoenix, Kyle and Kim, were more than hospitable in taking care of my needs until the next day when my wayward luggage decided to complete its journey.

(Author’s Note: Allow me to digress. Kyle and Kim were floormates of mine from my freshman year in Libby Hall. In fact, Kyle was the first person I met in Boulder. I was carrying up some boxes to my dorm room my first day in town when Kyle strolled down the hallway, stuck out his large hand, and, in a voice which was…

#20 Kansas – First game against a ranked Jayhawk team since 1975

//posted 11.14.1992

(Post your own memories)

November 14th – @ Kansas #13 Colorado 25, #20 Kansas 18

The Kansas Jayhawks returned home to Lawrence to face the Buffs after being humbled by Nebraska, 49-7. It was the Jayhawks’ first conference loss after averaging 33 points per game in accumulating four Big Eight wins. With the Buffs’ falling to the Cornhuskers by an equally lopsided score the week before, the Buffs were not in a position to take the Jayhawks lightly.

An estimated crowd of 43,000, the largest crowd to witness a Colorado/Kansas game in Lawrence since 1968, watched the Buffs come out and dominate play in the first half. Senior defensive tackle Marcellous Elder tipped a pass from Kansas quarterback Chip Hilleary late in the first quarter, with the ball landing in the arms of Elder’s linemate Leonard Renfro. Renfro took the ball in from 18 yards out for a 7-0 Colorado lead.

A few moments later, after the Buffs’ defense had snuffed out another Jayhawk drive and Kordell Stewart had connected with Charles E. Johnson on a 54-yard fly pattern to the one yard line, junior tailback James Hill busted over a yard out for a 14-0 Colorado lead.

The Buffs lead at the half was ten points, 17-7,…

Kansas State – Defense sets Big Eight records in 54-7 rout

//posted 10.24.1992

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

October 24th – Boulder #9 Colorado 54, Kansas State 7

The 9th-ranked Buffs controlled an entire game for the first time in 1992, dominating Kansas State 54-7. Colorado scored early and often, raising the home team total on the scoreboard on seven of its first 11 possessions in cruising to a 30-0 halftime lead before a sold-out Folsom Field crowd of 52,235. The Wildcats, with a respectable 3-2 record coming into Boulder, left town without an offensive touchdown, scoring only on a an interception return after the game was well in hand.

The Colorado defense let the Kansas State offense know it was in for a long afternoon on the first series, as the Wildcats gained zero yards on three plays before punting. On the Buffs’ first possession, Kordell Stewart led the offensive unit on an eight-play, 74-yard drive, culminated in a two-yard pass from Stewart to tight end Christian Fauria. Two short drives – one after an interception, the other after a long punt return by Deon Figures - gave junior kicker Mitch Berger the opportunity to connect on two short field goals (of 25 and 23 yards), giving Colorado a 13-0 lead.

The Buffs already had more points than…

Oklahoma – Koy Detmer’s first career start a record-setter

//posted 10.17.1992

(Post your own memories)

October 17th – Boulder #7 Colorado 24, Oklahoma 24

In 1952, the Colorado Buffaloes tied mighty Oklahoma 21-21 to mar an otherwise perfect conference run of the Bud Wilkinson Sooners of 1948-57 (a 57-0-1 streak).

Forty years later, the Buffs salvaged a 24-24 tie against a 3-2 Sooner squad led by 4th-year head coach Gary Gibbs. Colorado managed to pull out the tie only by scoring 10 points in the final 4:27 of the game.

Freshman quarterback Koy Detmer, making his debut as a starter, made quite an impression, re-writing several pages of the Colorado record book. Detmer eclipsed the single game record for passing completions and yardage in completing 33-of-50 passes for a school best 418 yards. Included in the 418 yards was a school record 92-yard touchdown pass to Charles E. Johnson.

But not all of the records were positive. Included in Detmer’s efforts were five interceptions (tying a record set by Jeff Austin against Texas Tech in 1976).

For every good play made by the freshman quarterback, there was a poor one to offset it. Oklahoma scored the first points of the game less than two minutes into the contest when a Detmer fumble was returned…

Minnesota – Koy Detmer’s 1st game becomes 3rd-best comeback in CU history

//posted 9.19.1992

(Post your own memories)

September 19th – @ Minnesota #11 Colorado 21, Minnesota 20

The third game of Colorado’s 1992 season was played at night (6:00 p.m local time kickoff), and was played indoors (at the Metrodome in Minneapolis). Whether the Buffs were confused by the surroundings or the time of day is unclear, but the 17-0 deficit Colorado found itself in midway through the third quarter was no mistake.

The Golden Gophers of Minnesota had dug a very large hole for the visitors from Boulder.

Enter true freshman Koy Detmer.

Posting the third greatest comeback (in terms of point deficit) in Colorado history, the Buffs rallied behind the little brother of BYU Heisman Trophy winner Ty Detmer to defeat Minnesota, 21-20. Junior quarterback Duke Tobin was given the start for the injured Kordell Stewart, but Tobin, like the rest of the Colorado offense, was ineffective. At the half, Tobin had completed only two of his 10 pass attempts. The running game, when the five sacks of Tobin were factored in, had amassed a total of minus-eight yards rushing.

With offensive statistics like those, the Buffs were lucky that their defense had come to play. The only first half score came when Gopher Derek…

1992 Preview – “Air Bill”

//posted 6.28.1992

(Post your own memories)

1992 -”Air” Bill

National and Big Eight Recap – 1992

The 1992 college football season was dominated by the Miami Hurricanes. That is to say, at least Miami dominated all the way up to its National Championship showdown against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. There, the Crimson Tide throttled Miami, 34-13, to win Alabama’s sixth national title, the first for head coach Gene Stallings. Alabama finished the season 13-0, claiming the nation’s first undisputed title since 1989. Miami’s quarterback Gino Toretta, despite having a quarterback rating of no higher than 19th in the country, was nonetheless awarded the Heisman Trophy. The nation’s leading rusher was San Diego State sophomore Marshall Faulk, who posted 1,630 yards in only 10 games.

In the Big Eight, it was the return of the Big Red, as Nebraska claimed its first undisputed championship since 1988. The Cornhuskers finished the 1992 campaign 9-3, 6-1 in conference play. After falling to Florida State in the Orange Bowl, 27-14, Nebraska finished the season ranked #14. Colorado finished 9-2-1, 5-1-1 in the Big Eight. The Buffs, however, also fell in the postseason, succumbing to Syracuse in the Fiesta Bowl, 26-22, to finish ranked at #13. The only conference…

#8 Alabama – New CU offense not a Blockbuster in bowl game

//posted 12.28.1991

(Post your own memories)

Colorado v. Alabama – 1991 Blockbuster Bowl

The 1991 season was a mixed bag for Colorado and its fans. An 8-2-1 regular season record, along with a share of a third consecutive Big Eight title, were certainly nothing to be ashamed of. Still, after posting an 11-1 record in 1989 and an 11-1-1 record in 1990, an eight win season seemed like a letdown to many in the Buff Nation. Still, there were some memorable games in 1991, including a big 34-17 win over Oklahoma in Norman (when the Buffs were ranked 22nd and the Sooners ranked 12th), and the epic Ice Bowl 19-19 tie with Nebraska in Boulder which earned the Buffs a share of the Big Eight title.

After a 2-2 start, Colorado had gone 6-0-1 in conference play. The Buffs were far from dominant down the stretch, though, defeating unranked Oklahoma State, Kansas, and Iowa State by a combined 13 points. The Buffs finished the regular season ranked 15th in the nation, earning a trip to Miami for the 2nd annual Blockbuster Bowl. The opponent would be 8th-ranked and SEC runner-up Alabama, looking for its own measure of national recognition.

What followed was a memorable game which came down to the…

Colorado Buffalo Football Analysis and Recaps - CU At the Game

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

Posts Tagged ‘Mitch Berger’

Preseason – 1993 – Buffs take on the most difficult schedule in the nation

#6 Syracuse – Fiesta Bowl – Lost luggage, lost jacket, lost holiday

#20 Kansas – First game against a ranked Jayhawk team since 1975

Kansas State – Defense sets Big Eight records in 54-7 rout

Oklahoma – Koy Detmer’s first career start a record-setter

Minnesota – Koy Detmer’s 1st game becomes 3rd-best comeback in CU history

1992 Preview – “Air Bill”

#8 Alabama – New CU offense not a Blockbuster in bowl game

2012 Season

Archive Game of the Week