Colorado Buffaloes football

The Colorado Buffaloes football program represents the University of Colorado Boulder in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The team is a member of the Pac-12 Conference, having previously been a charter member of the Big 12 Conference. Before joining the Big 12, they were members of the Big Eight Conference. The CU football team has played at Folsom Field since 1924.[1] The Buffs all-time record is 714–517–36 (.578 winning percentage) as of the end of the 2020 season. Colorado won a National Championship in 1990. The football program is 26th on the all-time win list and 37th in all-time winning percentage.

Colorado Buffaloes football
2020 Colorado Buffaloes football team
First season1890
Athletic directorRick George
Head coachKarl Dorrell
1st season, 4–2 (.667)
StadiumFolsom Field
(Capacity: 50,183[1])
Year built1924[1]
Field surfaceNatural Grass
LocationBoulder, Colorado
NCAA divisionDivision I FBS
ConferencePac-12 (2011–present)
DivisionSouth (2011–present)
Past conferencesIndependent (1890–1892)
CFA (1893–1904)
Independent (1905)
CFA (1906–1908)
RMAC (1909–1937)
Skyline (1938–1947)
Big Eight (1948–1995)
Big 12 (1996–2010)
All-time record714–517–36 (.578)
Bowl record12–17 (.414)
Claimed national titles1 (1990)
Conference titles27
Division titles5 (4 Big 12 North)
(1 Pac-12 South)
RivalriesNebraska (rivalry)
Colorado State (rivalry)
Utah (rivalry)
Consensus All-Americans30 (5 unanimous)[2]
Current uniform
ColorsSilver, Black, and Gold[3]
              
Fight songFight CU
MascotRalphie
Marching bandGolden Buffalo Marching Band
WebsiteCUBuffs.com

History
See also: List of Colorado Buffaloes football seasons
Colorado's first Football Team in 1890.

Beginning in 1890, Colorado football has enjoyed much success throughout its more than 135 years of competitive play.

The Buffaloes have appeared in numerous bowl games (28 appearances in bowl games (12–16), 36th all-time), and won 27 conference championships, 5 division championships and a national championship.

Folsom Field was built in 1924, and since then, Colorado has a 308–169–14 record at home through the 2016 season. The road game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on November 24, 2006 was Colorado's 1,100th football game. The game on September 12, 2015 against Massachusetts was the school's 1,200th football game.

Conference affiliations

Championships

National championships

Colorado has won one national championship in program history.[4]:114 This consensus national championship is claimed by the school.[4]:120[5]

Season Coach Selectors Record Bowl Result
1990Bill McCartneyAP, Berryman, Billingsley, DeVold, FACT, FB News, Football Research, FW, Matthews, NCF, NFF, Sporting News, USA/CNN11–1–1OrangeW 10–9
1990 season
Main article: 1990 Colorado Buffaloes football team

Colorado won the national championship in 1990 under the direction of head coach Bill McCartney, who helmed the team from 1982 to 1994. The national title was split with Georgia Tech who won the United Press International Coaches Poll, whereas Colorado won the Associated Press and Football Writers Association of America polls. The largest arguments against Colorado were that they had a loss and a tie, whereas Georgia Tech had a tie and no losses, and Colorado's "unfair" win in the Fifth Down Game against Missouri. Another major controversy was a Colorado's Orange Bowl win over Notre Dame, which Colorado won in part because of a controversial clipping call that brought back a Notre Dame touchdown. The major argument for Colorado was that they played a more difficult schedule than Georgia Tech.[6] Colorado capped the season with a 10–9 win over Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl, a rematch of the 1989 season Orange Bowl Game which Notre Dame won 21–6. Colorado's tie came against Tennessee, who was ranked No. 8, the first week of the season when Colorado was ranked No. 5. The second week gave the Buffs a scare, scoring with 12 seconds left in the game on a 4th and Goal attempt. The next week gave Colorado its only loss of the season, losing 23–22 to Illinois and dropping Colorado to No. 20 in the polls. Colorado then went on to beat teams ranked (at the time) No. 22 Texas, No. 12 Washington, No. 22 Oklahoma, and No. 3 Nebraska. They ended the season 7–0 in the Big Eight Conference for the second straight season. They then capped the season with a win over Notre Dame who were number 1 until a loss in their second to last game of the regular season.[7]

Conference championships

Colorado has won 27 conference championships in over a century of college play, spanning through five conferences.

Year Conference Coach Overall record Conference record
1894Colorado Football AssociationHarry Heller8–15–0
1895Colorado Football AssociationFred Folsom5–13–0
1896Colorado Football AssociationFred Folsom5–02–0
1897Colorado Football AssociationFred Folsom7–12–0
1901Colorado Football AssociationFred Folsom5–1–12–0
1902Colorado Football AssociationFred Folsom5–14–0
1903Colorado Football AssociationDave Cropp8–24–0
1908†Colorado Football AssociationFred Folsom5–23–1
1909Rocky Mountain Athletic ConferenceFred Folsom6–03–0
1910Rocky Mountain Athletic ConferenceFred Folsom6–03–0
1911Rocky Mountain Athletic ConferenceFred Folsom6–04–0
1913Rocky Mountain Athletic ConferenceFred Folsom5–1–13–0–1
1923Rocky Mountain Athletic ConferenceMyron E. Witham9–07–0
1924Rocky Mountain Athletic ConferenceMyron E. Witham8–1–15–0–1
1934Rocky Mountain Athletic ConferenceBill Saunders6–1–26–1
1935Rocky Mountain Athletic ConferenceBunny Oakes5–45–1
1937Rocky Mountain Athletic ConferenceBunny Oakes8–17–0
1939Mountain States ConferenceBunny Oakes5–35–1
1942Mountain States ConferenceJames J. Yeager7–25–1
1943Mountain States ConferenceJames J. Yeager5–22–0
1944Mountain States ConferenceFrank Potts6–22–0
1961Big Eight ConferenceSonny Grandelius9–27–0
1976†Big Eight ConferenceBill Mallory8–45–2
1989Big Eight ConferenceBill McCartney11–17–0
1990Big Eight ConferenceBill McCartney11–1–17–0
1991†Big Eight ConferenceBill McCartney8–3–16–0–1
2001Big 12 ConferenceGary Barnett10–37–1

† Co-champions

Division championships
Year Division Coach Opponent CG result
2001†Big 12 NorthGary BarnettTexasW 39–37
2002Big 12 NorthGary BarnettOklahomaL 7–29
2004†Big 12 NorthGary BarnettOklahomaL 3–42
2005Big 12 NorthGary BarnettTexasL 3–70
2016Pac-12 SouthMike MacIntyreWashingtonL 10–41

† Co-champions

Head coaches
Main article: List of Colorado Buffaloes head football coaches

The Buffaloes have played in 1,109 games during their 125 seasons, through 2014. In those seasons, ten coaches have led Colorado to postseason bowl games: Bunny Oakes, Dallas Ward, Bud Davis, Eddie Crowder, Bill Mallory, Bill McCartney, Rick Neuheisel, Gary Barnett, Dan Hawkins and Mike MacIntyre. The Buffs are bowl-eligible in 2020 as well, led by head coach Karl Dorrell, who will become the eleventh coach to lead the program to a bowl game.[8] Ten coaches have won conference championships with the Buffaloes: Fred Folsom, Myron Witham, William Saunders, Oakes, Jim Yeager, Sonny Grandelius, Mallory, McCartney and Barnett. The Buffaloes won the national championship in 1990, and have won a total of 28 conference championships.

McCartney is the all-time leader in games coached with 153, total wins with 93, and conference wins with 58.[9] Folsom had the longest tenure as head coach, remaining in the position for 15 seasons. Harry Heller and Willis Keinholtz are tied for the highest overall winning percentage. Each served a single season and won eight of his nine games for a winning percentage of .889. Of coaches who served more than one season, Folsom leads with a .765 winning percentage. Davis, in terms of overall winning percentage, is the worst coach the Buffaloes have had with a .200 winning percentage. No Colorado coach has been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, although McCartney was inducted into the Orange Bowl Hall of Fame in 1996.

Mike MacIntyre is the most recent head coach to see success with the program. Hired on Dec. 10, 2012,[10] MacIntyre compiled a 30-44 record over five-plus seasons at Colorado. In 2016, MacIntyre lead Colorado to a 10-2 regular season and a trip to the Pac-12 Championship Game. It was the first winning season for Colorado since 2005, ending a 10-year streak of finishing below .500. 2016 was also the best season for the Buffaloes since 2001. As well, it marked their first time playing in a conference championship game since the 2005 Big 12 Championship Game. The team also went 8-2 in the Pac-12 after having five conference wins in the previous five seasons. Mike MacIntyre was named the Walter Camp 2016 Coach of the Year by the Walter Camp Foundation, the second Colorado football coach to earn the honor (Bill McCartney in 1989). MacIntyre was also awarded the 2016 Pac-12 Coach of the Year, American Football Coaches Association's coach of the year and comeback coach of the year awards, the Associated Press coach of the year, and the Eddie Robinson coach of the year by the Football Writers Association of America. In 2018, the Buffaloes started out the season 5-0 with wins against rivals Colorado State, Nebraska, Arizona State, and UCLA - however, MacIntyre was fired as the head coach on November 18, 2018 after a six-game losing streak.[11]

The head coach is Karl Dorrell, who was hired February 23, 2020[12] following Mel Tucker's departure for Michigan State. Previously the Miami Dolphins' receivers coach, Dorrell signed a five year, $18 million deal with the Buffs. Dorrell has deep ties to the University of Colorado - he coached receivers from 1992-1993 and was their offensive coordinator from 1995-1998. Dorrell has started fast with a 3-0 record in the pandemic-shortened season to give Colorado bowl eligibility for the first time since 2016.[8]

Venues

Rivalries

Nebraska
Main article: Colorado–Nebraska football rivalry

A traditional college football rivalry with the Nebraska Cornhuskers restarted in the 1980s (many historical documents show the importance of this game going back to 1898) when Bill McCartney declared the conference opponent to be their rival. His theory was since Nebraska was such a powerhouse team, if Colorado was able to beat them then they would be a good team. Colorado began to repeatedly threaten Nebraska in the late 1980s, following their win over the Huskers in 1986, and then surpassed the Huskers for the Big 8 crown in 1989.

In 1990, Colorado beat Nebraska 27–12 in Lincoln for the first time since 1967, en route to their first national title. From 1996–2000, the series was extremely competitive, with the margin of victory by NU in those five years being only 15 points combined. The rivalry was further buoyed by the introduction of the Big 12 Conference in 1996, which moved Oklahoma and Oklahoma State to the southern division with the four new schools from Texas, formerly in the Southwest Conference. Nebraska had traditionally finished the Big 8 conference schedule with a rivalry game with Oklahoma, but the two were now in different divisions, which meant they met every other year in the regular season. Colorado replaced Oklahoma as Nebraska's final conference game of the regular season, which further intensified the rivalry. In 2001 No. 1 Nebraska came to Folsom Field undefeated and left at the short end of a nationally televised 62–36 blowout. Both teams departed the Big 12 in 2011, as NU headed east to join the Big Ten and the future of the rivalry was in doubt. On February 7, 2013, Colorado and Nebraska agreed to renew the rivalry.[13][14][15][16][17][18] Colorado traveled to Lincoln in 2018 and won 33–28 (winning against Nebraska for the first time since 2007 and the first time in Lincoln since 2004). On September 7, 2019, Colorado mounted an improbable comeback after being down 17–0 at half, to win the game in overtime, 34–31. After a 3-year break, Nebraska will go to Boulder in 2023 and then host CU again the next year to finish the series. Nebraska leads the series 49–20–2 through the 2019 season.[19]

Colorado State
Main article: Rocky Mountain Showdown

Colorado's in-state rival is the Colorado State Rams of the Mountain West Conference, located north of Boulder in Fort Collins. The two schools are separated by 45 miles (72 km) and both consider it important and noteworthy to beat the other for bragging rights for the next year. The two football teams annually compete in the Rocky Mountain Showdown for the Centennial Cup, played in Denver, Fort Collins, and Boulder. The trophy takes its name from the state of Colorado's nickname of "The Centennial State". Colorado leads the series 67–22–2 through the 2019 season.[20]

Utah
Main article: Rumble in the Rockies

The rivalry with Utah ran from 1903–62, in which Utah and Colorado played each other nearly every year; through 1962 they had met 57 times.[21] At the time, it was the second-most played rivalry for both teams (Utah had played Utah State 62 times;[22] Colorado had played Colorado State 61 times[23]). The rivalry was dormant until 2011, when both teams joined the Pac-12, renewing the rivalry on an annual basis. The Colorado–Utah rivalry remains the fifth-most played rivalry in Utah's history, and eighth-most in Colorado's history.[24][25] Colorado leads the series 32–31–3 through the 2019 season.[26]

Bowl games
Main article: List of Colorado Buffaloes bowl games

Colorado has participated in 29 bowl games, with a record of 12–17 (.414).

Season Coach Bowl Opponent Result Attendance Network
1937Bunny OakesCottonRiceL 14–2835,000—
1956Dallas WardOrangeClemsonW 27–2172,552CBS
1961Sonny GrandeliusOrangeLSUL 7–2562,391ABC
1967Eddie CrowderBluebonnetMiami (FL)W 31–2130,156ABC
1969LibertyAlabamaW 47–3350,144ABC
1970LibertyTulaneL 3–1744,500ABC
1971Astro-BluebonnetHoustonW 29–1754,720ABC
1972GatorAuburnL 3–2471,114ABC
1975Bill MalloryAstro-BluebonnetTexasL 21–3852,728ABC
1976OrangeOhio StateL 10–2765,537NBC
1985Bill McCartneyFreedomWashingtonL 17–2030,961Lorimar
1986BluebonnetBaylorL 9–2140,470Raycom
1988FreedomBrigham YoungL 17–2035,941Raycom
1989OrangeNotre DameL 6–2181,191NBC
1990OrangeNotre DameW 10–977,062NBC
1991BlockbusterAlabamaL 25–3052,644CBS
1992FiestaSyracuseL 22–2670,224NBC
1993AlohaFresno StateW 41–3044,009ABC
1994FiestaNotre DameW 41–2473,968NBC
1995Rick NeuheiselCottonOregonW 38–658,214CBS
1996HolidayWashingtonW 33–2154,749ESPN
1998AlohaOregonW 51–4334,803ABC
1999Gary BarnettInsight.comBoston CollegeW 62–2835,762ESPN
2001FiestaOregonL 16–3874,118ABC
2002AlamoWisconsinL 28–31OT50,690ESPN
2004HoustonUTEPW 33–2827,235ESPN
2005Mike HankwitzChamps SportsClemsonL 10–1931,470ESPN
2007Dan HawkinsIndependenceAlabamaL 24–3047,043ESPN
2016Mike MacIntyreAlamoOklahoma StateL 8–3859,815ESPN
2020Karl DorrellAlamoTexasL 23–5510,822ESPN

Notable players
See also: Colorado Buffaloes football statistical leaders

Awards

Heisman Trophy

Year Name Position Rank in Heisman voting Points
1937Byron WhiteHB2nd264
1961Joe RomigOG/LB6th279
1969Bobby AndersonTB11th100
1971Charlie DavisTB16th28
1989Darian HaganQB5th242
1990Eric BieniemyTB3rd798
Darian HaganQB17th17
Mike PritchardWR50th2
1991Darian HaganQB20th12
1992Ronnie BlackmonCB30th4
1993Charles JohnsonWR15th24
Michael WestbrookWR61st1
1994Rashaan SalaamTB1st743
Kordell StewartQB13th16
2002Chris BrownTB8th48

Players

Coach
1989 Bill McCartney
2016 Mike MacIntyre
  • Dodd Trophy as Coach of the Year
2016 Mike MacIntyre
  • Associated Press Coach of the Year Award
2016 Mike MacIntyre
2016 Mike MacIntyre
  • FWAA/Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award
2016 Mike MacIntyre
  • Pac-12 Conference Football Coach of the Year
2016 Mike MacIntyre

College Football Hall of Fame
Name Induction Ref
Byron White1952[30]
Joe Romig1984[31]
Dick Anderson1993[32]
Bobby Anderson2006[33]
Alfred Williams2010[34]
John Wooten2012[35]
Bill McCartney2013[36]
Herb Orvis2016[37]

All-Americans

The following is a list of Consensus All-Americans from CU as listed in NCAA record books.[2]

Future non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of January 17, 2020.[38]

2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030
Sept. 5
at Colorado State		 Sept. 4
Northern Colorado		 Sept. 3
TCU		 Sept. 2
at TCU		 Aug. 31
North Dakota State		 Aug. 30
Georgia Tech		 Sept. 5
at Georgia Tech		 Sept. 4
Colgate		 Sept. 2
UMass		 Sept. 8
Florida		 Sept. 7
at Missouri
Sept. 12
Fresno State		 Sept. 11
Texas A&M		 Sept. 10
at Air Force		 Sept. 9
Nebraska		 Sept. 7
at Nebraska		 Sept. 6
at Houston		 Sept. 12
Houston		 Sept. 11
Northwestern		 Sept. 9
at Florida
Sept. 19
at Texas A&M		 Sept. 18
Minnesota		 Sept. 17
at Minnesota		 Sept. 16
Colorado State		 Sept. 14
at Colorado State		 Sept. 20
Missouri		 Sept. 19
at Northwestern		 Sept. 18
Kansas State		 Sept. 16
at Kansas State

References
  1. "Folsom Field Home". CUBuffs.com. Retrieved 2007-03-06.
  2. "NCAA Football Award Winners" (PDF). NCAA Football Records. NCAA. 2009. p. 13. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-06-11. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  3. "Color | Brand and Messaging | University of Colorado at Boulder". Retrieved December 31, 2016.
  4. 2018 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. August 2018. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
  5. "1990 National Champions". CUBuffs.com. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-01-29. Retrieved 2009-01-03.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. "The McMNC for 1990: Georgia Institute of Technology – rec.sport.football.college | Google Groups". Groups.google.com. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
  8. "CU Buffs become bowl eligible with win over San Diego State". The Denver Post. 2020-11-29. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  9. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-05-21. Retrieved 2015-05-19.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) "All-Time Record" (PDF). CUBuffs.com. 2014-06-28. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-05-21. Retrieved 2015-05-19.
  10. http://www.cubuffs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=600&ATCLID=205823352&SPID=255&SPSID=3843 "MacIntyre Named Head Football Coach At Colorado". CUBuffs.com. 2012-12-10. Retrieved 2015-05-19.
  11. "Colorado fires football coach Mike MacIntyre after six-game losing streak". The Denver Post. 2018-11-18. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  12. "Colorado hires Dolphins' Dorrell as next coach". ESPN.com. 2020-02-22. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  13. "Colorado Buffaloes renew football rivalry with Nebraska Cornhuskers". denverpost.com.
  14. "Colorado and Nebraska schedule 4-Game Football Series". FBSchedules.com.
  15. "Nebraska Cornhuskers, Colorado Buffaloes to renew rivalry in 2018". ESPN.
  16. "Colorado & Nebraska To Renew Football Rivalry". CUBuffs.com.
  17. "Huskers and Colorado Agree to Four-Game Series". Huskers.com.
  18. "Agreement reached on resuming Colorado-Nebraska rivalry". nbcsports.com.
  19. http://www.winsipedia.com/colorado/vs/nebraska
  20. http://www.winsipedia.com/colorado/vs/colorado-state
  21. "Colorado vs Utah". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on 2004-05-20. Retrieved 2010-06-19.
  22. "Utah vs Utah St". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on 2011-05-25. Retrieved 2010-06-19.
  23. "Colorado vs Colorado St". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on 2010-06-10. Retrieved 2010-06-19.
  24. "Utah Opponents". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on 2010-09-14. Retrieved 2010-06-19.
  25. "Colorado Opponents". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on 2010-02-16. Retrieved 2010-06-19.
  26. http://www.winsipedia.com/colorado/vs/utah
  27. "NCAA Football Award Winners" (PDF). NCAA Football Records. NCAA. 2009. p. 19. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-06-11. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  28. "NCAA Football Award Winners" (PDF). NCAA Football Records. NCAA. 2009. p. 20. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-06-11. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  29. "NCAA Football Award Winners" (PDF). NCAA Football Records. NCAA. 2009. p. 21. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-06-11. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  30. Byron White at the College Football Hall of Fame
  31. Joe Romig at the College Football Hall of Fame
  32. Dick Anderson at the College Football Hall of Fame
  33. "Throwin' You A Bohn – CUBuffs.com | University of Colorado Buffaloes Athletics". CUBuffs.com. Retrieved 2017-06-19.
  34. "Alfred Williams Elected To College Football Hall Of Fame – CUBuffs.com | University of Colorado Buffaloes Athletics". CUBuffs.com. Retrieved 2017-06-19.
  35. "John Wooten Named To College Football Hall Of Fame – CUBuffs.com | University of Colorado Buffaloes Athletics". CUBuffs.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2017-06-19.
  36. "Bill McCartney To Enter College Football Hall of Fame – CUBuffs.com | University of Colorado Buffaloes Athletics". CUBuffs.com. Retrieved 2017-06-19.
  37. "Herb Orvis, former CU Buffs pass rusher, named to College Football Hall of Fame". Denverpost.com. MediaNews Group, Inc. January 8, 2016. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  38. "Colorado Buffaloes Future Football Schedules". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
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