Top 40 of the Past 40 – No. 22


Posts Tagged ‘J.J. Billingsley’

2005: Joel Klatt passes for 398 yards and three touchdowns in 41-20 rout of Texas A&M … Essay for the Game: “Too Cool” – spending the A&M game in the CU press box, down on the field, and at the post-game press conference … Player No. 22: Record-setting quarterback Koy Detmer (1992-96) …

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Nebraska 45, Colorado 17

//posted 11.29.2010

Colorado was riding the high of a two-game winning streak, needing one more win to qualify for a bowl game. Instead, the Buffs reverted to old bad habits, falling on the road to No. 16 Nebraska, 45-17. Three Colorado turnovers were all converted into touchdowns by the Cornhuskers, who held the ball for almost 40 minutes of game time. With the loss, Colorado ended its final season as a member of the Big 12 conference with a 5-7 record. Cody Hawkins, who had only two interceptions (and 12 touchdowns) in four games after taking over for an injured Tyler Hansen, threw two interceptions early in the third quarter, allowing Nebraska to turn a close game into a rout.

While it was impossible to know it at the time, the game may have turned on the fifth play from scrimmage. Nebraska took the opening kickoff, and, on second-and-eight at the Cornhusker 47 yard line, Nebraska quarterback Cody Green hit running back Rex Burkhead for a short gain. Burkhead fumbled the ball, with the fumble picked up Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith and returned to the Nebraska 23 yard line. The 3,800 Buff fans in attendance were in full voice – Colorado had the ball and the momentum!

After a booth review, however, the play was ruled an incomplete pass, and Nebraska maintained possession.

It was as close as the underdog Buffs would come to a turnover all day, and as close as Colorado would come to dictating play.

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  — Preseason, 2006 – A New Coach, but Unchanged Expectations — The Colorado Buffaloes entered the 2006 season with four Big 12 North division titles in the past five seasons. Sustained excellence is usually reason enough to expect national respect for a football program. After all, in Division 1-A football, only two other teams could lay claim to earning that many rings since 2001. One was USC, which had won the Pac-10 four years in a row, and had played for the national championship the previous three. The other …

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— October 8th – Boulder           Colorado 41, Texas A&M 20 — Quarterback Joel Klatt completed 28-of-36 passes for 398 yards and three touchdowns, leading Colorado to a 41-20 rout of Texas A&M. The Buffs raced to a 21-0 first quarter lead, never looking back, sending the Homecoming crowd of 50,686 into the cool fall Boulder evening with much to be excited about. While the final score and statistics painted a picture of complete dominance by the Buffs, the issue was still very much in question … in the first minute of play. …

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— Preseason – 2005 — Despite winning the Big 12 North Division title three of the previous four years, and despite having 17 starters returning, the Colorado Buffaloes entered the 2005 season in search of national recognition. The titles of the past and the promise of the future were offset by a lack of overall success. After all, it was argued, the Buffs finished only 8-5 overall in 2004, had played in a lackluster division, and had backed into the 2004 title with a 4-4 conference record when Iowa State failed …

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—  October 2nd – at Missouri          Missouri 17, Colorado 9 — Missouri quarterback Brad Smith generated just enough offense to lead Missouri to a win over Colorado in the Big 12 conference opener for both teams, 17-9.  Pre-season All-American Smith passed for 186 yards and ran for 76 more in leading the Tigers to their first win in six tries against a Gary Barnett-coached Buff squad. Statistically, the Tigers dominated, holding the ball for ten minutes longer than the Buffs, and out-gaining Colorado, 415-254.  But Missouri couldn’t capitalize, missing three field …

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  —  September 4th – Boulder          Colorado 27, Colorado State 24 — A pitch from Colorado State quarterback Justin Holland to running back Tristan Walker was stopped at the Colorado three-yard line by defensive backs  J.J. Billingsley and Lorenzo Sims as time expired, preserving a wild 27-24 Buff win. The frenetic finish, before a record Folsom Field crowd of 54,954, gave Colorado head coach Gary Barnett and his players something other than scandal to talk about for the first time in 2004. The game started out about as well as the …

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After a winter of discontent (sex scandal blowing up), the Buffs won its first two games on goal line stands (the “Marcus Houston Bowl”), sent Nebraska reeling with its first losing season since 1961, and capped the season with CU’s last (most recent) bowl victory …

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— November 1st – at Texas Tech           Texas Tech 26, Colorado 21 — In a game in which the offenses for both teams were supposed to be showcased, the defenses for both Colorado and Texas Tech made surprise appearances, with the Red Raiders holding on to defeat the Buffs, 26-21. The Buff defense created six turnovers, including five interceptions, but that was not enough to prevent Colorado from dropping its third straight to fall to 3-6 on the season. The game started off as well as any Colorado fan could have …

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— November 9th – at Missouri           No. 18 Colorado 42, Missouri 35 OT — The Colorado Buffaloes kept their Big 12 destiny in their own hands, but just barely, defeating Missouri in overtime, 42-35. Chris Brown scored his third touchdown of the game from a yard out in the Buffs’ possession in overtime, with Missouri’s overtime possession ending in a fumble recovery by Colorado linebacker Kory Mossini. The win over the Tigers left the Buffs (7-3, 5-1 in conference play) one win away from capturing a second consecutive Big 12 North title. Colorado …

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— September 14th – Boulder          No. 17 USC 40, No. 18 Colorado 3 — Robert Hodge became the only the second Colorado quarterback since 1959 to make his starting debut as a senior, as he led the Buffs onto the field to face the Trojans of USC. In 1976, senior Jeff Austin made his debut against Texas Tech, only to lose, 24-7. Hodge fared no better, as the Buffs were completely dominated by USC, 40-3. The numbers are numbing: Worst loss since 1992 (52-7 loss to Nebraska in Lincoln); Worst loss at …

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— September 7th – Boulder          No. 17 Colorado 34, San Diego State 14 — The Buffs survived the loss of quarterback Craig Ochs to injury to win their home-opener against San Diego State, 34-14. Ochs suffered a concussion late in the second quarter and did not return. Senior quarterback Robert Hodge teamed with a “bend-but-don’t-break” Colorado defense in the second half to help the Buffs pull away from the Aztecs. Both teams scored on their opening drives of the game. Ochs hit tight end Beau Williams for a 22-yard score to put the …

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