Posts Tagged ‘Sal Aunese’

No. 10 Illinois – Jeff George / Farewell to Sal

//posted 9.16.1989

(There have been 2 comments, post your CU memory now)

September 16th – Boulder #8 Colorado 38, #10 Illinois 7

The University of Colorado served notice to the football world that the 1989 Buffs were for real, dominating No. 10 Illinois, 38-7.

For the third straight game, the Buffs scored on their first possession. A 74-yard pass from Darian Hagan to wideout Jeff Campbell set up a one-yard scoring run by Eric Bieniemy to give Colorado the early lead, 7-0. After the Illini tied the score on a two-yard run by Howard Griffith, Colorado took the lead for good as Bieniemy took a pitchout from Hagan, then lofted a halfback pass to a wide-open M.J. Nelson for a 48-yard touchdown and a 14-7 lead. Later in the first quarter, halfback J.J. Flannigan celebrated his 21st birthday with a 45-yard run to put the Buffs up 21-7. Colorado never looked back after that, posting its first win over a top ten team since the 1986 upset of Nebraska.

The Colorado defense completely negated quarterback Jeff George and the Illinois’ offense. After the Illini tied the score at 7-7 on an 80-yard drive, the Buffs did not allow Illinois to cross midfield again until midway through the fourth quarter. George was sacked…

Preseason – Sal Aunese at Spring Practice

//posted 6.1.1989

(Post your own memories)

1989 – Things Have Changed

Spring Optimism

Optimism.

For every college football team, spring is a time for optimism. No team has sustained a defeat; the opportunity for a successful fall campaign is there for the taking. Hard work, team unity, and a little luck is seemingly all that is required for success. Of course, optimism takes different forms depending on the results of previous season.

For those teams which competed for the national championship in 1988, the spring of 1989 was a time to find that missing piece of the puzzle; an opportunity to hone skills for the championship drive. For teams at the opposite end of the spectrum, such as the eighteen teams with new head coaches for 1989, the spring represented a fresh start. This was no truer anywhere than at Southern Methodist University, where the Mustangs were starting over after receiving the death penalty from the NCAA, forcing the cancellation of the program for 1987 and 1988. In Dallas, optimism was simply having a team to cheer for, hoping for a win or two from a team which could boast only three players who had ever played a down of college football. [SMU did manage…

BYU – Freedom Bowl Blues

//posted 12.28.1988

(Post your own memories)

December 28th – Freedom Bowl, Anaheim, Calif. BYU 20, Colorado 17

The only lead BYU would enjoy the entire game would be when it counted most, as BYU defeated Colorado, 20-17, in the 1988 Freedom Bowl. BYU kicker Jason Chaffetz connected from 35 yards out with 2:33 remaining to give BYU the lead and the win. Two costly turnovers and nine penalties relegated the Buffs to their fifth consecutive bowl loss.

Colorado had its chances. Early on, it appeared that the Buffs would have their way, with Eric Bieniemy scoring from one yard out to give Colorado a 7-0 lead early after a BYU turnover. Later, after the Cougars had tied the score, Bieniemy again scored from a yard out to give the Buffs a 14-7 halftime lead. In the third quarter, Colorado twice penetrated the Cougar 20, only to come away empty.

Enter Ty Detmer.

Detmer, a freshman quarterback from Texas, replaced starting quarterback Sean Covey. Detmer quickly tied the score at 14 on a 14-yard pass to wide receiver Chuck Cutler. After the Buffs had reclaimed the lead, 17-14, on a 19-yard field goal by freshman Pat Blottiaux, Detmer led the Cougars on two field goal drives, the…

Missouri – “Buffs crack Top 20″ – First ranking since 1978

//posted 11.5.1988

(Post your own memories)

November 5th – @ Missouri Colorado 45, Missouri 8

Six different Buffs scored touchdowns as Colorado routed Missouri, 45-8. In the most lopsided Colorado win in the history of the series, the Buffs amassed 479 yards of total offense, including 328 yards on the ground on a total of 72 rushes. Freshman tailback Marcus Reliford came off the bench to lead the Buffs with 114 yards, including a late 15-yard touchdown run. Colorado sensation Eric Bieniemy, already over 1,000 yards for the season, just kept it going, posting his seventh 100+ yard effort of the season, accumulating 106 yards on 30 carries.

Missouri, despite its 2-5-1 record, could not be taken lightly by the Buffs. The Tigers had held tough against Nebraska the week before, falling 26-18 in a game in Lincoln. Colorado, though, would not allow the upset, racing to a 14-0 first quarter lead behind touchdown runs by Aunese and Bieniemy. By halftime, the score was up to 24-0, and the rout was on. In addition to Reliford, Aunese, and Bieniemy, Colorado scored on touchdown runs by junior wide receiver Jeff Campbell (on a 9-yard reverse), junior fullback Erich Kissick, and sophomore fullback George Hemingway.

Colorado, with the big…

Kansas – Jayhawks a welcome tonic for Buffs

//posted 10.15.1988

(Post your own memories)

October 15th – @ Kansas Colorado 21, Kansas 9

If there was ever a team to provide a tonic for a 1988 Buff squad licking its collective wounds after a discouraging loss to Oklahoma State, it was Kansas. The Jayhawks were 0-5 on the season, coming off of a 63-10 rout at the hands of the No. 9 Nebraska Cornhuskers. Overall, the Jayhawks had won only one game out of their previous 23, and were being outscored in 1988 by an average margin of 48-16. While the game was on the road – always a dangerous proposition for Colorado – the Buffs played well enough to take care of business and secure a 21-9 victory.

Eric Bieniemy was the offensive hero, scoring two touchdowns on his way to 195 yards rushing. Bieniemy=s first score came just two minutes into the game, as the Buffs converted a turnover on the Jayhawks= first play from scrimmage. Colorado was up 7-0 with 12:39 still to play in the first quarter, and it appeared as if the rout was on. But the Jayhawks, playing before their homecoming crowd, made a game of it, pulling to within 7-6 before Bieniemy…

#13 Oklahoma State – Watching Barry Sanders

//posted 10.8.1988

(Post your own memories)

October 8th – Boulder #13 Oklahoma State 41, Colorado 21

In Colorado=s earlier game against a ranked team (against Iowa), the Buffs raced to a 14-0 lead on their way to the upset. Versus 13th-rated Oklahoma State, Colorado again opened strong. A three-yard scoring run by quarterback Sal Aunese gave Colorado a 7-0 lead six minutes into the game.

That was about it for the Buffs’ chances at an upset.

There were no fourth quarter heroics in Colorado’s Big Eight opener, as the Cowboys, behind All-American running back Barry Sanders, scored the next 24 points of the game on their way to a 41-21 decision over Colorado.

After Aunese=s score, Oklahoma State responded with three Sanders= touchdown runs and a 30-yard field goal to take a commanding second quarter lead of 24-7. Colorado showed some life just before half, as Aunese scored his second touchdown of the afternoon from a yard out with eight seconds left to pull the Buffs to within 24-14. This was as close as the Buffs would come, however, as Barry Sanders put the game away with a 65-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter. On the day Sanders…

Colorado State – Cardiac Kids win in Ft. Collins

//posted 10.1.1988

(Post your own memories)

October 1st – @ Colorado State Colorado 27, Colorado State 23

For the third straight game, Colorado rallied from a fourth quarter deficit to pull out a win, this time a 27-23 win over Colorado State in Fort Collins.

Hosting the Buffs for only the second time since 1957, the Rams were not gracious to their guests, running out to a 13-0 lead early in the second quarter. It took a 58-yard interception return for a touchdown by senior Buff linebacker Don DeLuzio to put the Buffs on the board, making the score 13-7. By half, the Coloradso ship had apparently been righted, with a 22-yard touchdown run by Eric Bieniemy and a 28-yard field goal by Ken Culbertson giving the Buffs a 17-13 advantage.

After a second Culbertson field goal, this time from 48 yards out, gave Colorado a 20-13 advantage late in the third quarter, the Rams scored the next ten points of the game. A 49-yard filed goal and a 34-yard touchdown halfback pass off of a reverse gave Colorado State a 23-20 lead. Just 9:13 remained.

Matters looked bleak for the Buffs as the Rams were driving with just over four minutes remaining. A decision to go…

Oregon State – Bieniemy goes for 211 yards as Buffs go to 3-0

//posted 9.24.1988

(Post your own memories)

September 24th – Boulder Colorado 28, Oregon State 21

Colorado took the lead against Oregon State just over three minutes into the game, and trailed for only 2:46 of the entire contest. Still, the Buffs struggled to contain and repel a competitive Oregon State squad, hanging on to defeat the Beavers, 28-21.

Eric Bieniemy rushed for 211 yards and three touchdowns on the afternoon. His first score came on a 45-yard run on a fourth-and-one, putting the Buffs up 7-0 with 11:54 to play in the first quarter. Bieniemy scored again later in the first quarter from four yards out to give Colorado a 13-7 advantage (the snap on the extra point was high, preventing a kick attempt). Still, it took a Bieniemy 66-yard run in the final stanza to rally the Buffs to a 22-21 lead just minutes after Oregon State had gone up 21-16 on a one yard plunge by Beaver running back Brian Swanson.

Overall, Colorado moved the ball effectively, posting a total of 498 yards of total offense. The Colroado defense, meanwhile, was not in sync, as Oregon State went for 472 total yards, including 353 passing yards.

Bieniemy=s 211 yards was the fifth-best effort ever for a Colorado running…

Colorado Buffalo Football Analysis and Recaps - CU At the Game

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

Posts Tagged ‘Sal Aunese’

No. 10 Illinois – Jeff George / Farewell to Sal

Preseason – Sal Aunese at Spring Practice

BYU – Freedom Bowl Blues

Missouri – “Buffs crack Top 20″ – First ranking since 1978

Kansas – Jayhawks a welcome tonic for Buffs

#13 Oklahoma State – Watching Barry Sanders

Colorado State – Cardiac Kids win in Ft. Collins

Oregon State – Bieniemy goes for 211 yards as Buffs go to 3-0

2012 Season

Archive Game of the Week