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Colorado Buffaloes football

The Colorado Buffaloes football team represents the University of Colorado at Boulder in the Big 12 Conference at the NCAA Division I-A level in college football. Dan Hawkins has been the head coach since the 2006 season. The football team has played at Folsom Field since 1923. The Buffs all-time record is 658-419-36 (.608 winning percentage) through the finish of the 2007 season. The football program is 16th on the all-time win list and 22nd in all-time winning percentage.

History

Folsom Field was built in 1924, and since then, Colorado has a 283-146-14 record at home.

The road game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on November 24, 2006 was Colorado's 1,100th football game.

Beginning in 1890, Colorado has enjoyed much success through its history. The team has won numerous bowl games (27 appearances in bowl games (12-15), 23rd (tied) all-time prior to 2004 season), 8 Colorado Football Association Championships (1894-1897, 1901-1908), Colorado Faculty Athletic Conference (1909), 7 RFMAC Championships (1911, 1913, 1923, 1924, 1934, 1935, 1937), 4 Mountain States Conference Championships (1939, 1942-1944)), 5 Big Eight (Six) conference championships (1961, 1976, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1 Big 12 conference championship (2001), 4 Big 12 North Championships (2001, 2002, 2004, 2005), and an Associated Press National Championship in 1990.

The following was taken from the Silver & Gold newspaper of December 16 1898. It was a recollection of the birth of Colorado football written by one of CU’s original gridders, John C. Nixon, also the school’s second captain. It appears here in its original form:

At the beginning of the first semester in the fall of ’90 the boys rooming at the dormitory on the campus of the U. of C. being afflicted with a super-abundance of penned up energy, or perhaps having recently drifted from under the parental wing and delighting in their newly found freedom, decided among other wild schemes, to form an athletic association. Messrs Carney, Whittaker, Layton and others, who at that time constituted a majority of the male population of the University, called a meeting of the campus boys in the old medical building. Nixon was elected president and Holden secretary of the association.
It was voted that the officers constitute a committee to provide uniform suits in which to play what was called “association football”. Suits of flannel were ultimately procured and paid for assessments on the members of the association and generous contributions from members of the faculty.
The University at that time had about the best base-ball team in the state composed of such star players as Ingram, Blake, Carnahan, Rust, Neighoff and others. But it was a reflection upon us that although it was styled the University base-ball team, it was composed mainly of outsiders, who had no connection with the U. of C.
It was the object of the newly organized association to ultimately absorb the base-ball team, even if it was mercilessly whipped in that, as it was afterwards scourged in football.
Whatever may have been said of their playing, the boys were made of that stuff called “American Grit,” and had no conception of what the word failure meant. To them defeat was simply a severe lesson which was to teach them how to win in the future.
Taking up the game of association football the boys practiced quite regularly and under the instruction of Hosford, who was an Englishman of extraordinary proficiency in the game, they soon became adepts in the art of running at full speed and keeping the ball almost fairly between the feet. I called this an art, as I consider excellence in any athletic sport an art. The graceful swing of a trained foot-runner is as fair a sight as the rhythmic waltzer, or as creditable a performance as that of an opera singer. After becoming proficient in this game we learned that all other football teams of the state played what was called the Rugby game, and as we could not attain state or national renown playing among ourselves, it became a question whether we would make a change or not. Only two in the association had ever seen a Rugby game and it was reported as fiendish beyond comprehension. The rush of a Rugby team was likened to the stampede of a herd of Texas cattle: nevertheless the boys decided to throw themselves in front and die a la Leon idas, and succeeding events showed that they had not over estimated the opposition.
The association had two factions—no live organization is ever harmonious—and the lesser faction always opposed the propositions of the majority. In this instance they had secured the individual promises of the eleven of the twenty four members to oppose a change of the game, and as it required the assent of two-thirds to accomplish this the remaining members decided to adopt the tactics of wearing out their opponents in the meeting. The session lasted one entire afternoon until darkness came upon them, during which, bursts of orator, pro and con, and imminent danger of pugilistic strife pervaded the atmosphere. The vote stood 16-8 in favor of a change and the University football team was launched on a broader basis. This vote was followed by our throwing the association open for membership to the whole student body, (and a limited number of outsiders, if we should need them), but time showed that the vim and snap of the college man was not possessed by those outside.
Holden was sent as our representative to a meeting of the state league and bound us for the forthcoming games with only two weeks of preparation, learning the game almost entirely from the rule book, nine of the eleven having never seen a Rugby game clad in the flannel suits without padding, the average weight of the team being about 140 pounds, we went to Denver and lined up against the D.A.C. team, composed of graduate college players. It was also their first game, they having just organized, and they way they ran out ends was astonishing, but in this game our team developed a characteristic which it has even since maintained, which was this, that although our line was much lighter then that of our opponents, they would be carried steadily back whenever they attempted a line play against us.
One week later, with four of our best men too maimed and bruised to play, the Golden giants came down on us. Our boys went down like a row of pins and the Goldenites went over the top. Score 103 to 0. In the return game with Golden, Darley made our first touchdown: score 44-4, and Golden prophesied our future success. We lost one game with Colorado Springs and the Springs and the D.A.C. team which forfeited, giving us third place in the percentage list. We paraded that percentage list before our eyes with unbounded satisfaction. It mattered not how we came by it, we had it.
President Hale, who from the first took a kindly interest in the team, also did other members of the faculty, advanced the money with which to buy padded suits, but we did not obtain them in time to use that season. The following year the team commenced training as soon as the semester opened, and has since taken its true position as one of the most formidable teams in the west. Of the original team, James, Carney, Layton, Putnam and others, became among the best players in the state.
The Athletic Association should now invigorate its base-ball and place it at par with its football team; and it certainly has the material with which to do it. The U of C should henceforth lead the state and possibly the west in athletic sports.
The style of football playing has altered considerably; by the old rules, all men in front of the runner with the ball, were offside, consequently we could not send backs through and break the line ahead of the ball as is done at present. The notorious V was then in vogue, which gave a heavy team too much advantage. The mass plays being now barred, skill on the football field is more in demand than mere weight and strength.
To the physically weak, football appears like a relic of barbarism at par with the Spanish bull fight, but, considering the course of training that the player must take, he becomes hardened and inured to danger, in serious causalities become few. The player develops physical strength and mental composure in the face of fierce and determined opposition, which enables him to better battle with the competition and business worries succeeding school life, of which the average student knows nothing and with which he usually buffets helplessly for years. A successful football team will advertise a University and attract as many male students as its educational facilities. This is avowedly admitted by Yale and Princeton authorities, hence the game should be encouraged by college faculties. It is not to the discredit of the American youth that he is thus attracted. It is indicative that he possesses hardihood and vigor and will not sink into lassitude and degeneracy which characterize the population of a degenerate nation.
It is often said, how little we know: so with a modest sense of humility, college graduate I after years look back, not to the mountain of learning that he or she surmounted, but the incidents in college life that bind them to so many friends, intellectual ennobling friends. Thoughts of those exercises in sports, fraught with just a little danger, will continue to the end as a refreshing fountain inspiring new life.|4=Silver & Gold|5=

1990 National Champions

Colorado won its first and only National Championship in 1990 under the direction of head coach Bill McCartney (1982-1994). However, they split the title with Georgia Tech who won the United Press International poll while Colorado won the Football Writers Association of America and Associated Press polls. The largest arguments against Colorado was they had a loss, when Georgia Tech did not, and Colorado's unfair "win" in the Fifth Down Game against Missouri. The major argument for Colorado was they played a more difficult schedule than Georgia Tech. Colorado capped the season with a win over Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl, 10-9, a rematch of the 1989 season Orange Bowl game which Notre Dame won 21-6. Colorado's tie came against Tennessee, who was ranked number 8, the first week of the season when Colorado was ranked number 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 number 20 in the polls. Colorado then went on to beat teams ranked (at the time) 22 Texas, 12 Washington, 22 Oklahoma, and 3 Nebraska. They ended the season 7-0 in the Big Eight Conference for the second season in the row. They then capped the season with a win over Notre Dame who were number 1 until a loss their last game of the regular season.

1990 Final AP Poll
Rank	School	Record (W-L-T)	Points
1	Colorado (39)	11-1-1	1,475
2	Georgia Tech (20)	11-0-1	1,441
3	Miami, Fla. (1)	10-2-0	1,388
4	Florida State	10-2-0	1,303
5	Washington	10-2-0	1,246
6	Notre Dame	9-3-0	1,179
7	Michigan	9-3-0	1,025
8	Tennessee	9-2-2	993
9	Clemson	10-2-0	950
10	Houston	10-1-0	940
11	Penn State	9-3-0	907
12	Texas	10-2-0	887
13	Florida	9-2-0	863
14	Louisville	10-1-1	775
15	Texas A&M	9-3-1	627
16	Michigan State	8-3-1	610
17	Oklahoma	8-3-0	452
18	Iowa	8-4-0	370
19	Auburn	8-3-1	288
20	So. California	8-4-1	266
21	Mississippi	9-3-0	253
22	Brigham Young	10-3-0	246
23	Virginia	8-4-0	188
24	Nebraska	9-3-0	185
25	Illinois	8-4-0	146

Yearly Results in Big 12

Colorado Buffaloes yearly results since Big 12 Conference play began in 1996.

Yearly Game Results 2000 to present

Opponents final record after their name. Conference opponent signified with *. Team championship listed at top, if any. Losses are highlighted with red background, wins are highlighted with green background, bowl games and championship games are highlighted in yellow. Colorado's score is always listed first and the opponent's score is always listed second. Away games are indicated with an @ before the opponent name. Neutral site games are listed with the location in the Notes section.

2000 3-8 (3-5 Big 12)
Date	Opponent	Result	Score		Notes
September 2	vs. Colorado State (10-2)	L	24	28	@ Denver, CO
September 9	@ Southern California (5-7)	L	14	17
September 16	vs. Washington (11-1)	L	14	17
September 30	vs. *Kansas State (11-3)	L	21	44
October 7	@ *Texas A&M (7-5)	W	26	19
October 14	vs. *Texas (9-3)	L	14	28
October 21	@ *Kansas (4-7)	L	15	23
October 28	vs. *Oklahoma State (3-8)	W	37	21
November 4	@ *Missouri (3-8)	W	28	18
November 11	vs. *Iowa State (9-3)	L	27	35
November 24	@ *Nebraska (10-2)	L	32	34
			252	284

2001 10-3 (7-1 Big 12) Big 12 Champions
Date	Opponent	Result	Score		Notes
August 26	vs. Fresno State (11-3)	L	22	24	@ Boulder, CO Jim Thorpe Classic
September 1	vs. Colorado State (7-5)	W	41	14	@ Denver, CO
September 8	vs. San Jose State (3-9)	W	51	15
September 22	vs. *Kansas (3-8)	W	27	16
October 6	@ *Kansas State (6-6)	W	16	6
October 13	vs. *Texas A&M (8-4)	W	31	21
October 20	@ *Texas (11-2)	L	7	41
October 27	@ *Oklahoma State (4-7)	W	22	19
November 3	vs. *Missouri (4-7)	W	38	24
November 10	@ *Iowa State (7-5)	W	40	27
November 23	vs. *Nebraska (11-2)	W	62	36
December 1	vs. *Texas (11-2)	W	39	37	@ Dallas, TX Big 12 Championship Game
January 1	vs. Oregon (11-1)	L	16	38	@ Tempe, AZ Fiesta Bowl
			412	318

2002 9-5 (7-1 Big 12) Big 12 North Champions
Date	Opponent	Result	Score		Notes
August 31	vs. Colorado State (10-4)	L	14	19	@ Denver, CO
September 7	vs. San Diego State (4-9)	W	34	14
September 14	vs. Southern California (11-2)	L	3	40
September 21	@ UCLA (8-5)	W	31	17
October 5	vs. *Kansas State (11-2)	W	35	31
October 12	@ *Kansas (2-10)	W	53	29
October 19	vs. *Baylor (3-9)	W	34	0
October 26	vs. *Texas Tech (9-5)	W	37	13
November 2	@ *Oklahoma (12-2)	L	11	27
November 9	@ *Missouri (5-7)	W	42	35
November 16	vs. *Iowa State (7-7)	W	41	27
November 29	@ *Nebraska (7-7)	W	28	13
December 7	vs. *Oklahoma (12-2)	L	7	29	@ Houston, TX Big 12 Championship Game
December 28	vs. Wisconsin (8-6)	L	28	31	@ San Antonio, TX Alamo Bowl
			398	325

2003 5-7 (3-5 Big 12)
Date	Opponent	Result	Score		Notes
August 30	vs. Colorado State (7-6)	W	42	35	@ Denver, CO
September 6	vs. UCLA (6-7)	W	16	14
September 13	vs. Washington State (10-3)	L	26	47
September 20	@ Florida State (10-3)	L	7	47
October 4	@ *Baylor (3-9)	L	30	42
October 11	vs. *Kansas (6-7)	W	50	47
October 18	@ *Kansas State (11-4)	L	20	49
October 25	vs. *Oklahoma (12-2)	L	20	34
November 1	@ *Texas Tech (8-5)	L	21	26
November 8	vs. *Missouri (8-5)	W	21	16
November 15	@ *Iowa State (2-10)	W	44	10
November 28	vs. *Nebraska (10-3)	L	22	31
			319	398

2004 8-5 (4-4 Big 12) Big 12 North Champion
Date	Opponent	Result	Score		Notes
September 4	vs. Colorado State (4-7)	W	27	24
September 11	vs. Washington State (5-6)	W	20	12	@ Seattle, WA
September 18	vs. North Texas (7-5)	W	52	21
October 2	@ *Missouri (5-6)	L	9	17
October 9	vs. *Oklahoma State (7-5)	L	14	42
October 16	vs. *Iowa State (7-5)	W	19	14
October 23	@ *Texas A&M (7-5)	L	26	29
October 30	vs. *Texas (11-1)	L	7	31
November 6	@ *Kansas (4-7)	W	30	21
November 13	vs. *Kansas State (4-7)	W	38	31
November 26	@ *Nebraska (5-6)	W	26	20
December 4	vs. *Oklahoma (12-1)	L	3	42	@ Kansas City, MO Big 12 Championship Game
December 29	vs. Texas-El Paso (8-4)	W	33	28	@ Houston, TX Houston Bowl
			304	332

2005 7-6 (5-3 Big 12) Big 12 North Champion
Date	Opponent	Result	Score		Notes
September 3	vs. Colorado State (6-6)	W	31	28
September 10	vs. New Mexico State (0-12)	W	39	0
September 24	@ Miami (Florida) (9-3)	L	3	23
October 1	@ *Oklahoma State (4-7)	W	34	0
October 8	vs. *Texas A&M (5-6)	W	41	20
October 15	@ *Texas (13-0)	L	17	42
October 22	vs. *Kansas (7-5)	W	44	13
October 29	@ *Kansas State (5-6)	W	23	20
November 5	vs. *Missouri (7-5)	W	41	12
November 12	@ *Iowa State (7-5)	L	16	30
November 25	vs. *Nebraska (8-4)	L	3	30
December 3	vs. *Texas (13-0)	L	3	70	@ Houston, TX Big 12 Championship Game
December 27	vs. Clemson (8-4)	L	10	19	@ Orlando, FL Champs Sports Bowl
			305	307

2006 season 2-10 (2-6 Big 12)

2007 season 6-7 (4-4 Big 12)

Bowl Results

Colorado Bowl Scoreboard (Won 12, Lost 15)
Date	Bowl	Opponent	Result	Score		Attendance	TV
1938	Cotton	Rice	L	14	28	35,000
1957	Orange	Clemson	W	27	21	72,552	NBC
1962	Orange	LSU	L	7	25	62,391	NBC
1967	Bluebonnet	Miami (FL)	W	31	21	30,156	ABC
1969	Liberty	Alabama	W	47	33	50,144	ABC
1970	Liberty	Tulane	L	3	17	44,500	ABC
1971	Bluebonnet	Houston (N)	W	29	17	54,720	ABC
1972	Gator	Auburn	L	3	24	71,114	ABC
1975	Bluebonnet	Texas	L	21	38	52,728	ABC
1977	Orange	Ohio State (N)	L	10	27	65,537	NBC
1985	Freedom	Washington	L	17	20	30,961	Lorimar
1986	Bluebonnet	Baylor	L	9	21	40,470	Raycom
1988	Freedom	Brigham Young (N)	L	17	20	35,941	Raycom
1990	Orange	Notre Dame (N)	L	6	21	81,191	NBC
1991	Orange	Notre Dame (N)	W	10	9	77,062	NBC
1991	Blockbuster	Alabama (N)	L	25	30	52,644	CBS
1993	Fiesta	Syracuse	L	22	26	70,224	NBC
1993	Aloha	Fresno State	W	41	30	44,009	ABC
1995	Fiesta	Notre Dame	W	41	24	73,968	NBC
1996	Cotton	Oregon	W	38	6	58,214	CBS
1996	Holiday	Washington (N)	W	33	21	54,749	ESPN
1998	Aloha	Oregon	W	51	43	34,803	ABC
1999	Insight.com	Boston College	W	62	28	35,762	ESPN
2002	Fiesta	Oregon	L	16	38	74,118	ABC
2002	Alamo	Wisconsin (N)(OT)	L	28	31	50,690	ESPN
2004	Houston	Texas-El Paso	W	33	28	27,235	ESPN
2005	Champs Sports	Clemson	L	10	19	31,470	ESPN
2007	Independence	Alabama	L	24	30	47,043	ESPN

Coaches

The current coach is Dan Hawkins beginning in 2006.

Colorado Coaches, sorted by wins, through December 30, 2007
Coach (Alma Mater)	Seasons	Years	Games	W	L	T	Pct.	Pts.	Opp.'
Bill McCartney (Missouri 1962)	1982-1994	13	153	93	55	5	.624	3977	3039
Fred Folsom¹ (Dartmouth)	1895-1899; 1901-1902; 1908-1915	15	102	77	23	2	.765	1813	555
Eddie Crowder (Oklahoma 1955)	1963-1973	11	118	67	49	2	.571	2528	2105
Myron Witham (Dartmouth 1905)	1920-1931	12	96	63	26	7	.693	1525	841
Dallas Ward (Oregon State 1927)	1948-1958	11	110	63	41	6	.600	2497	1743
Gary Barnett (Missouri 1969)	1999-2005	7	88	49	39	0	.557	2395	2275
Bill Mallory (Miami, Ohio 1958)	1974-1978	5	57	35	21	1	.623	1358	1163
Rick Neuheisel (UCLA 1984)	1995-1998	4	47	33	14	0	.702	1398	1008
Bunnie Oakes (Illinois 1923)	1935-1939	5	41	25	15	1	.662	685	332
Jim Yeager (Kansas State 1931)	1941-1943; 1946-1947	5	43	24	17	2	.581	663	590
Sonny Grandelius (Michigan State 1951)	1959-1961	3	31	20	11	0	.645	468	414
Frank Potts (Oklahoma 1927)	1940; 1944-1945	3	25	16	8	1	.660	494	236
William Saunders (Auburn/Navy 1916)	1932-1934	3	24	15	7	2	.667	413	137
Dave Cropp (Lenox/Wisconsin)	1903-1904	2	19	14	4	1	.763	384	112
Willis Keinholtz (Minnesota)	1905	1	9	8	1	0	.889	359	28
Harry Heller (Baker/Colorado 1885)	1894	1	9	8	1	0	.889	288	32
Dan Hawkins (UC Davis 1982)	2006-present	2	24	8	17	0	.320	549	650
Frank Castleman (Colgate)	1906-1907	2	17	7	6	4	.529	155	96
Melbourne "Bob" Evans (James Millikin U.)	1916-1917	2	15	7	7	1	.500	154	218
Chuck Fairbanks (Michigan State 1955)	1979-1981	3	33	7	26	0	.212	469	1047
T.C. Mortimer (Simpson 1896/Chicago)	1900	1	10	6	4	0	.600	150	78
Joe Mills (Denver)	1918-1919	2	11	4	6	1	.409	130	138
Bud Davis (Colorado 1951)	1962	1	10	2	8	0	.200	122	346
None¹	1890-1893	4	20	7	13	0	.350	310	463
Totals		117	1,100	652	412	36	.609	22,929	17,263

¹Folsom’s first game as a coach was the second game of the 1895 season. The first game is included under the None category.

Players

Current NFL players

Source, last updated 2007-09-12

Tom Ashworth - Seattle Seahawks - Offensive Tackle
Justin Bannan - Baltimore Ravens - Defensive Tackle
Jeremy Bloom - Pittsburgh Steelers - Wide Receiver
Tyler Brayton - Oakland Raiders - Defensive End
Chris Brown - Tennessee Titans - Running Back
Mason Crosby - Green Bay Packers - Kicker
Christian Fauria - Washington Redskins - Tight End
Daniel Graham - Denver Broncos - Tight End
Andre Gurode - Dallas Cowboys - Center
D.J. Hackett - Carolina Panthers - Wide Receiver
Brian Iwuh - Jacksonville Jaguars - Linebacker
Joe Klopfenstein - St. Louis Rams - Tight End
Michael Lewis - San Francisco 49ers - Strong Safety
Chris Naeole - Jacksonville Jaguars - Offensive Guard
Hannibal Navies - San Francisco 49ers - Linebacker
Donald Strickland - San Francisco 49ers - Cornerback
Quinn Sypniewski - Baltimore Ravens - Tight End
Lawrence Vickers - Cleveland Browns - Fullback
Abraham Wright - Miami Dolphins - Linebacker
Terrence Wheatley - New England Patriots - Cornerback
Jordon Dizon - Detroit Lions - Outside Linebacker

Former NFL players

Brad Bedell - Houston Texans - Offensive guard
Eric Bienemy - Cincinnati Bengals - Running back
Mitch Berger - New Orleans Saints - Punter
Chad Brown - Pittsburgh Steelers - Linebacker
Rae Carruth - Carolina Panthers - Wide receiver
Brian Daniels - Minnesota Vikings - Offensive Guard
Mark Fenton - Denver Broncos - Center
Charles Johnson - Pittsburgh Steelers - Wide Receiver
Matt Lepsis - Denver Broncos - Offensive Tackle
Vaka Manupuna - Washington Redskins - Defensive Tackle
Matt McChesney - New York Jets (Frankfurt Galaxy) - Defensive Tackle
Gabe Nyenhuis - Indianapolis Colts - Defensive End
Michael Pritchard - Atlanta Falcons - Wide Receiver
Rashaan Salaam - Chicago Bears - Running Back
Kordell Stewart - Pittsburgh Steelers - Quarterback
Thaddaeus Washington - Buffalo Bills - Linebacker
Michael Westbrook - Washington Redskins - Wide Receiver
Sam Wilder - San Francisco 49ers - Offensive Tackle
Alfred Williams - Denver Broncos - Defensive End
Darrin Chiaverinni - Cleveland Browns - Wide Receiver

Awards

Heisman Trophy

Rashaan Salaam won Colorado's only Heisman Trophy in 1994, though the Buffaloes have had many other players receive votes:

Year	Name	Position	Rank in Heisman Voting	Points
1937	Byron White	HB	2nd	264
1961	Joe Romig	OG/LB	6th	279
1969	Bobby Anderson	TB	11th	100
1971	Charlie Davis	TB	16th	28
1989	Darian Hagan	QB	5th	242
1990	Eric Bieniemy	TB	3rd	798
	Darian Hagan	QB	17th	17
	Mike Pritchard	WR	50th	2
1991	Darian Hagan	QB	20th	12
1992	Deon Figures	CB	30th	4
1993	Charles Johnson	WR	15th	24
1993	Michael Westbrook	WR	61st	1
1994	Rashaan Salaam	TB	1st	1743
1994	Kordell Stewart	QB	13th	16
2002	Chris Brown	TB	8th	48

Other Award Winners

Colorado's All-Century Team 1890-1989

Taken from the 2005 Colorado Football Media Guide:
The University of Colorado selected an “All-Century Football Team,” as public balloting in 1989 tabbed 11 All-Americans among the top 25 selected to the 100-year squad. Over 6,200 ballots were received in the public selection process, with over 150,000 votes cast from those ballots. Former CU players pared a list of 881 lettermen down to 118, which were in turn presented to the public for the final team selection. Byron “Whizzer” White, the U.S. Supreme Court Justice who was CU’s first All-American (1937), received 5,812 of a possible 6,265 votes. Bobby Anderson, who starred at both quarterback and tailback between 1967 and 1969, was the second leading vote-getter with 5,636, and two-way-star Joe Romig, who led CU to its first outright Big Eight Championship in 1961, was third with 5,145. White (#24), Anderson (#11) and Romig (#67) are the only Buffs to ever have their numbers retired. One other player topped the 5,000 vote mark, as flashy Cliff Branch, whose name still frequently appears in the CU record book and who played a big part in the Buffs’ No. 3 national ranking of 1971, captured 5,111 votes. The player with the fifth most votes, 3,989, was the only active Buff at the time to make the top 25, tailback Eric Bieniemy (a junior in 1989).
Joining White, Anderson and Romig as All-Americans on the century squad were Dick Anderson (’67), Pete Brock (’75), Mark Haynes (’79), Dave Logan (’75), Herb Orvis (’71) and Bob Stransky (’57). Four players in the early years of CU football made the team, led by Walt Franklin, who played center and end between 1917 and 1921. Back Lee Willard (’21), Judge Hatfield Chilson (’25) and guard Bill McGlone (’26) round out the quartet which represents the formative seasons of CU football, when the team was known as the “Silver and Gold.” Other familiar names on the team include Hale Irwin, who starred at defensive back in the mid-60’s but gained his fame on the PGA Tour; John Stearns, another pivotal player of the 1971 team who went on to be a star catcher with the New York Mets; Dave Logan, a veteran of 10-plus NFL seasons and current sportstalk celebrity in Denver; Carroll Hardy, who played in the early 1950’s and is the only man ever to pinch-hit for Ted Williams; and John Wooten, one of the first African-American players at CU who has spent several years in the scouting departments of the NFL Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles. Listed below are the 25 members of the University of Colorado All-Century (1890-1989) Football Team, selected by lettermen and the public over a three-month voting period.

Bobby Anderson, QB/TB (1967-68-69)
Dick Anderson, DB (1965-66-67)
Eric Bieniemy, TB (1987-88-89-90)
Cliff Branch, WR/KR (1970-71)
Pete Brock, OC (1973-74-75)
Hatfield Chilson, B (1923-24-25)
Boyd Dowler, QB (1956-57-58)
Walt Franklin, C/E (1917-19-20-21)
Carroll Hardy, HB (1951-52-53-54)
Mark Haynes, CB (1976-77-78-79)
Hale Irwin, DB (1964-65-66)
Zack Jordan, HB/P (1950-51-52)
William "Kayo" Lam, B (1933-34-35)
Dave Logan, WR (1972-73-74-75)
Bill McGlone, G (1923-24-25-26)
Herb Orvis, DE (1969-70-71)
Mickey Pruitt, DB (1984-85-86-87)
Joe Romig, OG/LB (1959-60-61)
John Stearns, DB/P (1970-71-72)
Bob Stransky, HB (1955-56-57)
Billy Waddy, RB (1973-74-75-76)
Gale Weidner, QB (1959-60-61)
Byron "Whizzer" White, B (1935-36-37)
Lee Willard, B (1918-19-20-21)
John Wooten, G (1956-57-58)

Retired Numbers

#24 Byron "Whizzer" White

Colorado’s first All-American and one of the greatest students in the history of the school, Byron (Whizzer) White, retired as a justice of the Supreme Court in March, 1993, after serving 31 years on the nation’s high court. White made all the All-America teams after a brilliant 1937 season in which he led CU to an 8-0 record and Cotton Bowl bid as he set national records with 1,121 rushing yards and 122 points. Those marks, erased nationally only after colleges went to 10- and 11-game schedules, set CU records.

White was a Phi Beta Kappa, Rhodes Scholar, two-time All-Pro halfback with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Detroit Lions, leading graduate of the Yale Law School in 1946, decorated naval intelligence officer in World War II, leading Denver attorney, and deputy attorney general for the United States. White is a member of the NFL Hall-of-Fame, the National Football Foundation’s College Football Hall-of-Fame, the GTE Academic Hall-of-Fame, and was selected to CU’s All-Century Team. In 1998, he was the first inductee into CU’s Athletic Hall-of-Fame. He died at the age of 84 on April 15, 2002.

#67 Joe Romig

Romig was a two-time All-American selection, a member of the Big Eight Hall-of-Fame and the National Football Foundation’s College Football Hall of Fame. As of 2004, a senior research associate in radio physics in Boulder, Romig was the Buffs’ 1961 team captain and the United Press International Lineman of the year. Romig had no peers as a linebacker, as he ranged far and fiercely from his middle linebacker position behind a four-man line. Fast and strong, he was consistently in on most of CU’s tackles. Offensively, Romig developed into an excellent straight-ahead and pulling blocker. Like White, he was an inspirational leader gifted with extraordinary physical and mental abilities.
Romig was an excellent student, earning all A’s his last six semesters and a 3.9 grade-point average. As a Rhodes Scholar, Joe received his master’s degree in physics at Oxford University and a doctorate in physics at Colorado in 1975.

#11 Bobby Anderson

Anderson set 18 single-game, single-season and career marks during his three-season career with the Buffs along with earning All-Big Eight and All-American honors. A professional player with the Denver Broncos (the team’s No. 1 draft choice), Washington Redskins and New England Patriots, Anderson started his CU career as a quarterback but switched to tailback for the third game during his senior season (1969). In his career, he rushed for 2,729 yards and had over 5,000 yards in total offense. Anderson concluded his Colorado career with a 254-yard rushing effort in the 1969 Liberty Bowl. As of 2004, he is a Denver-area businessman, and has worked over two decades for KOA-Radio handling pre- and postgame shows as well as sideline reporting on the CU Football Network. He is a member of CU’s All-Century Team. In 1999, he received the University Medal, awarded to those who have performed outstanding service to or for the University.

National Play-of-the-Year

In 1992, Nu Skin International and CoSIDA started sponsorship of "The National Play-of-the-Year," honoring the most outstanding play annually in college football. Notre Dame won the inaugural honor in 1992, but the University of Colorado won for both the 1993 and 1994 seasons. Here’s a closer look at CU’s winning plays:

1993

October 16: Colorado 27, Oklahoma 10
Lamont Warren throws a 34-yard touchdown pass to Charles Johnson on the halfback option play. What made it special? Warren slipped on the slick artificial surface as he threw the ball, and some 40 yards later in the end zone, Johnson made the catch on the ground after he was interfered with. The play defied imagination, and is truly appreciated when looked at in slow motion.

1994

September 24: Colorado 27, Michigan 26
College football’s play of the decade, this effort also won an Espy Award from ESPN for the play of the year for college football in 1995. As time expired, Kordell Stewart throws a 64-yard touchdown pass to Michael Westbrook, who made the catch after a Blake Anderson deflection. CU had trailed, 26-14, with under four minutes remaining, and trailed by five with 15 seconds left on its own 15-yard line after stopping Michigan on defense.