Game Archive

Oklahoma State – Buffs rally from 10-0 deficit to rout Cowboys

//posted 11.11.1989

— November 11th – at Oklahoma State No. 2 Colorado 41, Oklahoma State 17 — What was supposed to be a coronation of the new Big Eight champions appeared to be anything but as the Oklahoma State Cowboys came to play against the emotionally drained Buffaloes. With a 53-yard scoring strike from quarterback Mike Gundy to wide receiver Curtis Mayfield to open the second quarter, Oklahoma State opened up a 10-0 lead against the lethargic Buffs. This team was not to be denied, however, as Colorado stormed back with 41 …

No. 3 Nebraska – “This is the greatest win I’ve been a part of”

//posted 11.4.1989

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— November 4th – Boulder No. 2 Colorado 27, No. 3 Nebraska 21 — Jim Nantz, the play-by-play announcer for CBS, introduced the Colorado/Nebraska game to the nation as follows: “Quite simply, there has never been a bigger game in Colorado’s 100-year history than this game today.” After falling behind early, the Colorado Buffaloes played like champions, prevailing over Nebraska, 27-21, taking control of the Big Eight race to the Orange Bowl, and taking dead aim at a national championship. The game began ominously for the Buffs. In each of …

Oklahoma – Getting a High Five in the Produce Aisle

//posted 10.28.1989

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— October 28th – at Oklahoma No. 3 Colorado 20, Oklahoma 3 — Colorado used a stifling defense and just enough offense to take a 20-3 decision over Oklahoma in one of the biggest wins in Colorado football history. Raising its season record to 8-0 for the first time in sixty-two years, the Buffs gave notice to future opponents that its defense was just as good as its offense. Colorado held the Sooners to only 248 yards of total offense, including completions on only three-of-22 passes in the stiff afternoon …

Buffs take down Kansas – “Things Have Changed”

//posted 10.21.1989

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— October 21, 1989 – Boulder No. 3 Colorado 49, Kansas 17 — The largest Homecoming crowd in the Bill McCartney era, 50,057, witnessed the methodical dismantling of the Jayhawks as the Buffs rolled to a 49-17 win. Starting for the injured Eric Bieniemy, senior tailback J.J. Flannigan ran for 178 yards and three touchdowns, including two in the second quarter as Colorado built a 21-3 halftime advantage. Before Kansas was allowed to score its two consolation touchdowns in the fourth, Colorado had built the lead to 42-3. The 482 …

Iowa State – Buffs roll up 662 yards of total offense

//posted 10.14.1989

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— October 14th – at Iowa State No. 3 Colorado 52, Iowa State 17 — The 100th edition of the Colorado Buffaloes football team continued their assault on the record books as Colorado scored on all seven first half possessions en route to crushing Iowa State, 52-17. The Cyclones stayed even with the Buffs through the first quarter, forging a 10-10 score with a 50-yard field goal on the first play of the second quarter. Thereafter, though, it was all Buffs. Colorado scored 35 points in the second quarter, setting a …

Missouri – Buffs Taking Aim at No. 1

//posted 10.7.1989

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— October 7th – Boulder No. 3 Colorado 49, Missouri 3 — Missouri head coach Bob Stull spent ten years as an assistant to Washington head coach Don James before taking over for the Tigers in 1989. “It’s amazing to see they scored (45) against the Huskies out there”, said Stull the week before the Colorado/Missouri game. “They’re extremely strong this year.” It took all of 34 seconds that Saturday for Stull and his Tigers to discover just how strong. On the first play of the game, Colorado quarterback Darian Hagan …

No. 21 Washington – Road trip to Seattle – Buffs dominate

//posted 9.30.1989

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— September 30th – at Washington No. 5 Colorado 45, No. 21 Washington 28 — The Colorado Buffaloes, inspired by the words of their fallen quarterback (see previous game recap), raised their season record to 4-0 with a dominant performance against Washington, handing the Huskies a 45-28 thrashing. In posting the highest point total by a Washington opponent at Husky Stadium in 15 years, Colorado ran over, through, and around Washington. The Buffs had six players run for over 40 yards apiece in accumulating 420 yards on the ground. The game was competitive …

No. 10 Illinois – Jeff George falls / A Farewell to Sal

//posted 9.16.1989

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— September 16th – Boulder No. 8 Colorado 38, No. 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 …

Colorado State – Bieniemy goes for three scores in comeback win

//posted 9.9.1989

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— September 9th – Boulder No. 9 Colorado 45, Colorado State 20 — The Colorado State Rams were 1-10 in 1988, and were 0-1 coming to Boulder to face the ninth-ranked Buffs. Still, Colorado State’s opening loss was a 17-14 heartbreaker at Tennessee, and nothing was being conceded by the Rams to their neighbors to the south. Colorado State, under new head coach Earle Bruce, raced out to a 14-7 first quarter lead against the heavily-favored Buffs. It would take an offensive explosion on the part of the Buffs in …

Texas – Hagan goes for 75 yards on 2nd play of the season

//posted 9.4.1989

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— September 4th – Boulder No. 14 Colorado 27, Texas 6 — The Texas Longhorns entered the 1989 season sailing in unfamiliar waters. Texas had stumbled to 4-7 record in 1988, the worst season in Austin since 1956. In order to turn matters around, and to avoid back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since the Depression, Texas and third-year head coach David McWilliams looked to the game against Colorado for redemption. The game would be played before a national ESPN television audience on Labor Day night. The game did turn …

Colorado v. BYU – Freedom Bowl Blues

//posted 12.28.1988

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— December 28th – Freedom Bowl, Anaheim, California 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 its first lead and the victory. It was a frustrating loss for Colorado, as two costly turnovers and nine penalties relegated the Buffs to their fifth consecutive bowl loss. No doubt, Colorado had …

Kansas State – Freedom Bowl bound!

//posted 11.19.1988

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— November 19th – Boulder Colorado 56, Kansas State 14 — The Buffs had a great deal to play for in the season finale against Kansas State. Fortunately for CU fans, the Buffs came out smoking against the hapless Wildcats, rolling to a 56-14 win. J.J. Flannigan scored the Buffs= first touchdown on Colorado=s opening possession. By the end of the first quarter, the score was 21-0, Buffs, and the rout was on. Flannigan, playing for the injured Eric Bieniemy, set a new personal best of 151 yards and three touchdowns. …