Top 40 of the Past 40 – No. 7

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Top 40 of the Past 40 – No. 7

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Previously posted:

• Game No. 40: 2001 – No. 20 CU 31, No. 25 Texas A&M 21 – “This One’s For Fred Casotti”
• Game No. 39: 2004 – CU 26, Nebraska 20 – Bobby Purify shines as Nebraska Empire crumbles
• Game No. 38: 1995 – No. 4 CU 38, No. 10 Oklahoma 17 – John Hessler sets TD passing record in first start
• Game No. 37: 1998 – CU 51, No. 21 Oregon 43 – Aloha Bowl win sets the stage for Rick Neuheisel bolting
• Game No. 36: 1996 – No. 7 CU 38, No. 12 Oregon 6 – Cotton Bowl rout inadvertently leads to “Nike U”
• Game No. 35: 1999 – CU 38, No. 24 Oklahoma 24 – Mike Moschetti’s four TD’s leads to upset of Sooners
• Game No. 34: 2010 – CU 29, Georgia 27 – Late fumble recovery preserves the home victory for the Buffs
• Game No. 33: 1995 – No. 14 CU 43, No. 21 Wisconsin 7 – Neuheisel debut a huge success; Dave Plati’s Dad
• Game No. 32: 2009 – Buffs rally for 35-34 win over Texas A&M – Also remembered as the “Blue Out” Game
• Game No. 31: 2007 – Cornhuskers sent packing as CU qualifies for bowl game with a 65-51 win in Boulder
• Game No. 30: 1990 – No. 12 CU 33, Missouri 31 – The Fifth Down game puts an asterisk on CU’s title season
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• Game No. 29: 2018 – CU 33, Nebraska 28 – Spoiling Scott Frost’s debut with last minute win
• Game No. 28: 2004 – CU 33, UTEP 28 – Buffs cap Big 12 North title with last (most recent) bowl win
• Game No. 27: 1990 – No. 20 CU 29, No. 22 Texas 22 – Bieniemy rallies the troops in comeback win in Austin
• Game No. 26: 2016 – No. 12 CU 38, No. 20 Washington State 24 – Sefo Liufau’s 300/100 game leads Buffs
• Game No. 25: 2003 – CU 42, No. 23 Colorado State 35 – Joel Klatt’s “Electrifying” Debut in the rain
• Game No. 24: 1989 – No. 3 CU 20, Oklahoma 3 – Pitch to Flannigan; High five in the produce aisle
• Game No. 23: 2007 – CU 27, No. 3 Oklahoma 24 – “They Think They Can Win” – Hawkins’ signature win
• Game No. 22: 2005 – CU 41, Texas A&M 20 – Watching Buffs trash the Aggies … from the press box
• Game No. 21: 2004 – CU 20, Washington State 12 – Buffs escape Seattle with a last minute goal-line stand
• Game No. 20: 1989 – No. 14 CU 27, Texas 6 – Triumphant debut for Darian Hagan at quarterback
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• Game No. 19: 2008 – CU 17, No. 21 West Virginia 14 (OT) – Rocky Mountain High
• Game No. 18: 2019 – CU 34, No. 25 Nebraska 31 (OT) – “Trust the Process”
• Game No. 17: 2004 – CU 27, Colorado State 24 – The Marcus Houston game; “Win One for the Stripper”
• Game No. 16: 2016 – No. 9 CU 27, No. 21 Utah 22 – Buffs clinch Pac-12 South title with stout defensive effort
• Game No. 15: 1989 – No. 8 CU 38, No. 10 Illinois 7 – Buffs take down Jeff George; A Farewell to Sal
• Game No. 14: 2016 – CU 41, Oregon 38 – Montez 300/100 sets record; Witherspoon interception seals win
• Game No. 13: 1998  – CU 42, No. 15 Colorado State 14 – Mile High rout in first-ever college game at Mile High
• Game No. 12: 1995 – No. 4 CU 41, Notre Dame 24 – Bill McCartney’s final game a rout of the Irish
• Game No. 11: 1994 – No. 7 CU 41, Iowa State 20 – Salaam’s run; McCartney’s announcement 
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• Game No. 10: 1989 – No. 5 CU 45, No. 21 Washington 28 – Buffs post emotional road win over ranked Huskies
• Game No.  9: 1990 – No. 20 CU 20, No. 12 Washington 14 – Deon Figures saves the day with interception in final minute
• Game No.  8: 2001 – No. 9 CU 39, No. 3 Texas 37 – Buffs claim only Big 12 championship

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• Player No. 40: Wide receiver Scotty McKnight (2007-10)
• Player No. 39: Punter Barry Helton (1984-87)
• Player No. 38: Quarterback Cody Hawkins (2007-10)
• Player No. 37: Linebacker Greg Biekert (1989-92)
• Player No. 36: Running back Bobby Purify (2000-04)
• Player No. 35: Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon (2014-16)
• Player No. 34: Wide receiver/kick returner Jeff Campbell (1986-89)
• Player No. 33: Linebacker Ted Johnson (1991-94)
• Player No. 32: Offensive Tackle Nate Solder (2006-10)
• Player No. 31: Quarterback Sal Aunese (1987-88)
• Players No. 30: CU’s star offensive linemen
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• Player No. 29: Running back Hugh Charles (2004-07)
• Player No. 28: Linebacker Chad Brown (1989-92)
• Player No. 27: Wide receiver/kick returner Ben Kelly (1997-99)
• Player No. 26: Wide receiver/kick returner Jeremy Bloom (2002-03)
• Player No. 25: Defensive back Mickey Pruitt (1984-87)
• Player No. 24: Linebacker Kanavis McGhee (1987-90)
• Player No. 23: Wide receiver Nelson Spruce (2012-15)
• Player No. 22: Quarterback Koy Detmer (1992-96)
• Player No. 21: Defensive back Chris Hudson (1991-94)
• Player No. 20: Running back Chris Brown (2001-02)
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• Player No. 19: Kicker Mason Crosby (2003-06)
• Player No. 18: Quarterback Joel Klatt (2002-05)
• Player No. 17: Defensive back Victor Scott (1980-83)
• Player No. 16: Linebacker Matt Russell (1993-96)
• Player No. 15: Tight end Jon Embree (1983-86)
• Player No. 14: Wide receiver Laviska Shenault (2017-19)
• Player No. 13: Quarterback Sefo Liufau (2013-16)
• Player No. 12: Running back Rodney Stewart (2008-11)
• Player No. 11: Defensive back Deon Figures (1988-92)
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• Player No. 10: Wide receiver Michael Westbrook (1991-94)
• Player No.  9: Running back Rashaan Salaam (1992-94)
• Player No.  8: Linebacker Barry Remington (1982-86)

As always, I look forward to your comments and suggestions as we count down my favorite 40 games and favorite 40 players of my 40 years as a Buff …

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Top 40 Favorite Games … No. 7

September 14, 1985 – Colorado 21, Oregon 17 – “I think that could be a turning point for our program”

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From the Game Story in the CU at the Game Archives …

Mickey Pruitt’s sack of Oregon quarterback Chris Miller as time expired allowed Colorado to raise its season record to 2-0 for the first time since 1978 with an exciting 21-17 win over the Ducks in Boulder.

The Buffs offense made it look easy in the first quarter, racing to a 14-0 lead. Sophomore fullback Anthony Weatherspoon scored on a ten-yard run, followed shortly thereafter by a three yard touchdown run by quarterback Mark Hatcher.

After the quick start, though, Oregon dominated through the middle quarters, forging a 17-14 advantage early in the fourth quarter.

Then the game really got interesting.

Quarterback Mark Hatcher scored on a 22-yard run early in the fourth quarter to put the Buffs back on top, 21-17. After that, the defense was asked to take over. Specifically, the game, and the fragile confidence of Colorado’s young team, came down to the play of two sophomore defensive backs, David Tate and Mickey Pruitt.

With the Buffs holding on to a tenuous four-point lead after Hatcher’s run, Oregon drove down the field. The drive was thwarted, however, by an interception by David Tate at the Buffs’ 10 yard line. After the pick, the Buffs were held deep in their own territory and were quickly forced to punt. Punter Barry Helton did his part, with a 68-yard kick down to the Ducks 13-yard line.

5:23 still remained. Colorado 21, Oregon 17.

The Ducks, led by future NFL quarterback Chris Miller, methodically drove from its own 13 to the Colorado three-yard line as the clock ticked off the final minutes of the game.

Oregon had a first-and-goal at the Colorado five yard line with a minute left to play. Three plays netted only two yards, however, with Buff fans pleading with the defense to hold on for one more down.

Faced with fourth-and-goal at the Colorado three yard line, Chris Miller called time out.

Only nine seconds remained on the game clock.

The game would come down to one play.

… Continue reading story here …

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Here is the YouTube video of the game’s final play …

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Ed Reinhardt Day

Only 30,373 were in attendance for the 1985 Colorado/Oregon game.

That’s a shame.

The occasion deserved nothing less than a sellout crowd of 50,000+. Not only because of the win, but because of the halftime activities that afternoon. The Oregon game in 1985 was designated at Colorado as “Ed Reinhardt Day”. After collapsing in Eugene after the Colorado/Oregon game the year before, Reinhardt spent two months in a coma. By September, 1985, Reinhardt was in an extensive rehabilitation program at Craig Hospital in Denver.

… Continue reading story here …

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Top 40 Favorite Players … No. 7

Wide receiver Paul Richardson (2010-13)

From his CUBuffs.com bio … Overall, he set or tied 44 school records (he owns 30 by himself), despite playing just three seasons as he declared for the NFL Draft after his junior season… In just 33 career games (he missed four his junior year with a knee injury), he finished his CU career third all-time in receptions (156), fifth in receiving yards (2,423), second in touchdown receptions (21), 18th in yards from scrimmage (2,440), 29th in all-purpose yards (2,454) and 29th in scoring (128 points) …

Richardson had three career 200-yard games (of the school’s five total), with his nine 100-yard plus games third in school history… His 13 career plays of 50 yards or longer set a record (all receptions), and his 21 career touchdowns covered 841 yards, or 40.0 per… In 2013, as the team’s most valuable player, he set CU single-season records of 83 receptions and 1,343 receiving yards, opening with back-to-back 200-plus yard games, the first player in Pac-12 Conference history to ever do so (208 vs. Colorado State, 209 vs. Central Arkansas)… He scored 10 touchdowns, the second-most by receiving in a single-year… Also threw a TD pass, a 75-yard bomb to D.D. Goodson against Oregon, the second-longest CU pass completion by a non-quarterback…

Richardson earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors in 2013, CU’s first all-conference wide receiver in 16 seasons… One of six team captains as a junior… He missed the entire 2012 season after tearing an ACL in spring drills… As a sophomore, he set the CU single-game record with 284 yards on 11 receptions against Cal (the second most single-game yards in the nation in 2011)… In 2010, he garnered second-team Freshman All-American honors was CU’s Co-Male Freshman Athlete of the Year Award for all sports… Selected by Seattle with its first pick in the 2014 NFL Draft (No. 45 overall in the second round).

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Tags: Mickey Pruitt, Paul Richardson
This post, about the Top 40 of the Past 40 game, from the 2020 Season, is filed under Article.
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