Posts Tagged ‘Ron Brown’

Colorado 24, Wyoming 0

//posted 9.19.2009

September 19th – Boulder               Colorado 24, Wyoming 0

On a day when Washington, 0-12 in 2008, took out #3 USC (16-13), you knew that anything could happen.

The much-maligned Colorado defense held Wyoming to 230 yards of total offense in posting the first shutout for Colorado since the Buffs took out Miami (Ohio), 42-0, almost exactly two years ago.

The Buffs’ offense was not overwhelming, but was much more effective than it had been the first two games of 2009. Cody Hawkins hit on 17-of-31 passes for 175 yards, and Rodney Stewart rushed for 127 yards and two touchdowns. Scotty McKnight had five catches for 77 yards, and had a timely fumble recovery for a touchdown.

Colorado, which had fallen behind by double digits in each of the first two games, turned the tables in game three. The Buffs took only 1:30 of game clock to take the first lead of the season. The eight-play, 69-yard drive was finished off in bizarre fashion. Demetrius Sumler, on first-and-ten at the Wyoming 17 yard line, took off for a fifteen yard gain, but fumbled the ball. Fortunately for Colorado fans, the fumble was recovered by wide receiver Scotty McKnight at the Wyoming two yard…

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November 23rd – Boulder           Colorado 30, Kansas State 0

Just a year earlier, Colorado limped into its finale against Kansas State. Demoralized, cold, and playing before just 17,600 Wildcat fans, the Buffs had nothing to play for, and it showed. The resulting 38-6 humiliation was a fitting end to a 1-10 disaster.

What a difference a year makes.

The weather was not much better (20 degrees for the 11:00 a.m. kickoff), and the smallest home crowd since the 1983 finale against the same Kansas State squad (28,210 paid, 20,777 actual), were in attendance. But the game was light years away from the 1984 game.

This year, it was the Buffs who would send the visiting team home with a 1-10 record on the heels of a rout. The Buffs were in control from the outset, as the offense complimented the defense for the first time in over a month. After junior safety Steve Beck intercepted a Randy Williams pass on the Wildcats’ opening possession, Colorado needed just three plays to move 43 yards and a 7-0 lead. Halfback Ron Brown, who would pick up 72 yards on the day, did the honors with a 20-yard touchdown run.

Two possessions later, the…

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November 9th – @ Kansas        Colorado 14, Kansas 3

Colorado regained its winning form, but again it was the defense which carried the day as Colorado ran its record to 6-3 with a 14-3 win over Kansas. The mood on the rainy, 40-degree was somber for the 25,000 on hand for Homecoming in Lawrence, and the frigid crowd was silent after the game was only three plays old. On third down in the game’s opening series, safety Mickey Pruitt, the hero of the Oregon game, stepped in front of a Mike Norseth pass and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown. It would be all the points the Buffs would need, as the Jayhawks could muster only 62 yards rushing on 32 attempts. The defense was led by senior linebacker Dan McMillen, who recorded a school record five sacks on the day.

The Colorado offense struggled for the third consecutive week. Mark Hatcher completed only one-of-six passes, and the Buffs were actually outgained by Kansas, 318 total yards to just 221 for the Buffs. Anthony Weatherspoon contributed 65 yards rushing, and Ron Brown 59, but Colorado was held without a 100 yard rusher for the fourth consecutive game. The contest was…

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September 28th – @ Arizona           Colorado 14, Arizona 13

A major test for the rejuvenated Buffs would come against Arizona. The game against the Wildcats would be the first road game of the year, and the first night game for Colorado since 1980 (v. LSU). After starting the season 2-1 in 1983, the Buffs succumbed to Notre Dame, and then slid into a five game losing streak. If the 1985 Colorado squad, also possessing a 2-1 record, was to make a statement that black was in fact back, what better way to do so than to post a road victory? The Buffs were a paltry 2-11-1 on the road under Bill McCartney.

To almost everyone’s amazement, Colorado stepped up, pulling out a 14-13 win under the lights in Tucson. As in the Oregon game, the defense ultimately carried the day. Colorado held the Wildcats to just 228 yards of total offense, the best Buff effort in two years. Through the first month of the season, the Buffs’ defense was now ranked 18th in the nation in both rushing and total defense. This rated as quite an improvement for a team which had allowed, on average, over 400 yards and 30…

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 November 17th – @ Kansas State           Kansas State 38, Colorado 6

Kansas State offered the Buffs several opportunities. The first was to finish sixth in the Big Eight, ahead of both Kansas State and Iowa State. The second was to avoid the indignity of joining the 1980 squad as the only ten-loss Colorado team’s in school history. Finally, the game provided the Buffs and their coach the chance to give Coach McCartney and the 1985 Buffs something to build on.

None of these opportunities, though, came to fruition, as the Buffs played one of their worst games of the year.

Trailing 14-0 heading into the fourth quarter, Colorado fell apart in the last fifteen minutes of the season. The Buffs surrendered 24 fourth quarter points to the Wildcats, including two almost comical scores in the last three minutes. With the score 24-6 after a Lee Rouson touchdown, the Buffs attempted an onside kick with 2:58 to play. Kicker Larry Eckel finally made it into a game, but his onside kick was not recovered by the Buffs. Rather, it went straight to Kansas State freshman Kent Dean, who dashed 47 yards for a Wildcat touchdown. Kansas State kicked off the Buffs, but…

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 November 3rd – Boulder           Kansas 28, Colorado 27

The Buffs were entitled to a break after facing two top ten teams.

Normally, Kansas would provide just such an opportunity. Even during the drought years of 1979-83, Colorado did manage to win three of five games against the Jayhawks, including the previous two contests. Third year coach Bill McCartney was undefeated against only one conference opponent – Kansas. With two decent performances against top opponents in the bank, it was time to feast on a 3-5 Jayhawk squad.

Problem was that someone forgot to remind Kansas that they were the Buffs’ source of redemption. Fact was that one of the Jayhawks three wins had come the previous week against a top ten opponent – Oklahoma. Second year head coach Mike Gottfried (later of ESPN fame) had the Jayhawks believing – believing to the point where they had humbled the Sooners, 28-11. Yes, it was true that starting Oklahoma quarterback Danny Bradley had been injured and unable to play, but the win had been no fluke.

The day began as well as the Colorado and their fans could have hoped. To the delight of the 33,166 who bothered to attend, the Buffs…

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October 27th – @ Oklahoma State            #10 Oklahoma State 20, Colorado 14

Junior Craig Keenan made his first start at quarterback, replacing Colorado’s all-time passer Steve Vogel, as the Buffs took the field against a top ten opponent for the second week in a row. Colorado had played Nebraska tough, leading 7-3 after three quarters-  but not tough enough to post a win.

History doesn’t always repeat itself.

Sometimes it rhymes.

The headlines from the Denver Post the morning after the Oklahoma State game tell all that you need to know about the game: “Close, but …” and “Oklahoma State survives CU 20-14″.

The tried and true method for the Buffs had come through once again. A valiant defensive effort kept the Buffs in the game, but the offense could not capitalize on the opportunities afforded by their opponent.

Keenan completed 10-of-25 passes for 178 yards, including an 80-yard touchdown connection with wide receiver Ron Brown. Brown’s 141 yards on four catches gave him 529 total yards for the season and an impressive 25.9 yards per catch average. The Buffs running game, however, again proved to be the Buffs’ downfall. With the Colorado defense keeping the Buffs in the game,…

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 October 13th – Boulder           Colorado 23, Iowa State 21

Only 36,762 came out for Colorado’s Homecoming game against Iowa State.

Who could blame the fans for their apathy?

The game wasn’t much of a draw. The Buffs were 0-5. The Cyclones were 2-3, with both wins coming over inferior opponents (West Texas State and Drake). Unbeknownst to the faithful, however, as they filed into Folsom on the 55-degree, Chamber of Commerce postcard fall day, it would be the Buffs’ most exciting game of the year.

It started as ominously as most of the others. Jo Jo Collins fumbled the opening kickoff, falling on the ball on the Buffs’ one yard line. On the first play from scrimmage, halfback Lee Rouson was tackled in the end zone.

Safety.

Down 2-0 just ten seconds into the game. Not exactly an auspicious start.

Colorado was behind 5-0 just a few minutes later. A 25 yard return of the Buffs’ free kick gave the Cyclones the ball at the Colorado 47 yard line. Six plays later, ISU had a 48-yard field goal.

Behind 5-0, the Buffs, who had actually been favored to win the game, began to play better.

Not well, mind you. Better.

Colorado took…

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