Posts Tagged ‘Victor Rogers’

2001 – Game 14 – Colorado v. Oregon – January 1, 2002 – Fiesta Bowl

 Now What?

 When the Associated Press poll came out the weekend after the Colorado win over Texas game, in the Big 12 championship game, the Buffs had moved up from #9 in the polls to #4.  Ahead of the Buffs were unanimous #1 Miami, #2 Tennessee (up from #5 after defeating then #2 Florida), and #3 Oregon.  Just behind the Buffs at #5 was Nebraska.  In the Bowl Championship Series standings, Miami and Tennessee were #1 and #2, followed by Nebraska and Colorado.

 The only game of consequence left to be played was the Southeastern Conference championship game. #2 Tennessee was set to play #21 LSU, the surprise winner of the SEC West.  All Tennessee had to do was take care of business, handle the Tigers, and the Rose Bowl would match #1 Miami v. #2 Tennessee.  The BCS would have fulfilled its role of placing the best two teams in a championship game.

 In a season where nothing seemed to go according to form, the two-touchdown underdog Tigers handled Tennessee, 31-20, to win the SEC title and a berth in the Sugar Bowl.  Miami…

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 2001 – Game 13 – #9 Colorado v. #3 Texas – Big 12 Championship – Irving, Texas

 BCS

 The Bowl Championship Series, with a mixture of polls, computer computations, and a little confusion, had taken a body blow with the CU upset of Nebraska.  The Cornhuskers had been ranked #1 in the BCS standings, with undefeated Miami ranked #2.  Had Nebraska taken care of business against the Buffs, and handled the (presumed) rematch with Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship game, the computers would have matched the best two teams in the nation. 

 The CU win, however, set in motion a series of upsets wherein a number of title contenders had the opportunity to make reservations for the Rose Bowl, only to falter.  The first to fall was Oklahoma, which was surprised at home by Oklahoma State, 16-13, the day after the Colorado/Nebraska game. 

 The Big 12 upsets paved the way for 9-1 Florida, now ranked #2 behind Miami. On December 1st, #1 Miami took care of its business, holding off #14 Virginia Tech, 26-24, to finish its regular season as the nation’s only undefeated team.  But Florida could not follow through, falling at home to #5 Tennessee, 34-32. …

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#14 Colorado v. #2 Nebraska – November 23, 2001

 Nebraska – Pre-game

 Everyone who knows me knows that when it comes to CU football games, I am a “glass is half empty” fan.  I can usually find a dozen reasons to worry about any opponent the Buffs face.  If you had asked me the week of the San Jose State game whether I was concerned, I would have countered with details of a  team with a Heisman candidate in Deonce Whittaker and a 7-5 2000 record.  The best you can usually get out of me before a game in terms of a prediction is that I am “cautiously optimistic”.

 For some reason, though, the Nebraska game was different.  Where the confidence came from, I can’t say, but I just knew the Buffs were going to win.  Before I left Bozeman for the game, I asked my wife, Lee, to tape the game.  In the late 80′s and early 90′s, when the Buffs were just re-entering the national stage, and seeing the Buffs on television was still something of a novelty, I taped a number of games.  Since the ‘94 season, though, I hadn’t taped a single game.  For some reason,…

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2001 – Game 9 – #25 Colorado at Oklahoma State – October 27, 2001

 October 27th – @ Oklahoma State      #25 Colorado 22, Oklahoma State 19

 Against Oklahoma State, Colorado continued what was becoming an agonizing pattern for the 2001 season: play well early; let the opposition control the game for a significant portion of the mid-section of the game; then finish with a flourish.  It worked against Kansas, Kansas State, Texas A&M, and now was a successful formula against the Cowboys.  The net result was a hard-fought 22-19 win in Stillwater.

 On CU’s opening drive, quarterback Craig Ochs hit 27-year old senior wide receiver Matt Brunson for a 74-yard touchdown to put the Buffs up 7-0.  After linebacker Andy Peeke partially blocked an OSU punt on the Cowboys’ next possession, the Buffs were set up at the OSU 26-yard line.  The Buffs were up a score, and had the 2-5 Cowboys on the ropes.  A holding penalty and a missed 35-yard field goal attempt by Jeremy Flores later, however, Oklahoma State was back in the game.

 With 9:20 left in the first half and Colorado maintaining a 7-0 lead, Craig Ochs was sacked.  Ochs was injured on the play,…

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