—
Top 40 of the Past 40 – No. 8
—
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
- —
- 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
- —
- 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
- —
- 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
–
- 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
- —
- 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)
- —
- 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)
- —
- Player No. 10: Wide receiver Michael Westbrook (1991-94)
- Player No. 9: Running back Rashaan Salaam (1992-94)
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 …
—
Top 40 Favorite Games … No. 8
December 1, 2001 – No. 9 Colorado 39, No. 3 Texas 37 – Buffs claim only Big 12 championship
—
From the Game Story in the CU at the Game Archives …
Colorado running back Chris Brown followed up his record six touchdown performance against Nebraska with a three touchdown effort against Texas as the Buffs defeated the Longhorns, 39-37, to win CU’s first and only Big 12 title.
The Buffs turned four turnovers by Longhorn quarterback Chris Simms into 26 first-half points in eliminating yet another contender for the national championship.
The first quarter was dominated early on by the Longhorns, looking very much like a team destined to play for the national title. Freshman running back Cedric Benson scored on a five-yard run to cap a six-play, 85-yard drive on the Longhorns’ first possession. Two series later, Texas was again deep in CU territory, looking to pad its 7-0 lead. Memories of the 41-7 rout of the Buffs by the Longhorns in October were being relived by the 7,000 CU faithful in the highly-partisan crowd. Texas fans waved roses.
Then, the play of the game.
Junior linebacker Aaron Killion picked off a Chris Simms pass, returning it 73 yards to the Texas 12-yard line. Three plays later, Chris Brown scored on a ten-yard run to tie the score and shift the momentum to the Buffs. The Brown touchdown, with 2:21 left in the first quarter, tied the score at 7-7, and set in motion a 29-3 run by the Buffs to put CU in control.
Jeremy Flores gave the Buffs a lead they would never relinquish with a 39-yard field goal on the first play of the second quarter. Simms’ second interception, this one by linebacker Joey Johnson, set up a 64-yard scoring drive by the Buffs, highlighted by a 51-yard run by Bobby Purify. Flores missed the extra point after Brown’s one-yard touchdown, but the Buffs were up 16-7.
After a Texas field goal, the Buffs received a gift from Chris Simms in the form of a fumble. Simms was sacked by DeAndre Fluellen, with the Texas quarterback’s fumble being recovered at the Longhorn 22-yard line by Matt McChesney. It took the Buffs only one play to score, with Bobby Pesavento hitting Daniel Graham for a 22-yard touchdown, putting the Buffs up 22-7.
It took the Buffs only three more plays to score again, as on the third play of the Longhorns’ next possession, Chris Simms was picked off again, this time by safety Medford Moore. The Buff sophomore returned the interception 64 yards for a touchdown, and with 2:32 left in the first half, almost exactly a full quarter after being behind 7-0, Colorado had a 29-10 lead.
As had been the case with Nebraska a week earlier, however, the game was not done. The Longhorns rallied behind quarterback Major Applewhite, subbing for the injured and ineffective Simms. Applewhite hit B.J. Johnson on a 79-scoring strike moments after Moore’s interception, giving the Longhorn faithful hope for the second half.
The Buffs turned a 29-17 halftime edge into a 36-17 lead early in the third quarter on Chris Brown’s third touchdown run, this one from 11 yards out. But it almost wasn’t enough as Texas scored the next 13 points of the game.
… Continue reading story here …
—
From my Essay for the game, “Conference Call” …
Brad couldn’t wait.
As Texas took time out to stop the clock and ice CU kicker Jeremy Flores, the phone rang. I was watching the Colorado/Texas game at home in Bozeman with Randy, and hadn’t expected to talk with Brad until after the contest. I had spoken with Brad at halftime, and all I remember from that conversation was saying that I was as nervous as anyone could rightfully be with their team up 19 points at the break. The pessimist in me feared Major Applewhite and the spark he had provided the Longhorns just before the half, and what that might mean for second half momentum.
Now the Buffs were lining up for what would be a game-clinching field goal. Three points which would give CU a two-score lead with less than two minutes to play, and Brad couldn’t wait. He wanted to be on the phone with Scott and I as the Buffs clinched their first Big 12 championship. He got Scott connected on a conference call, and we watched together as Jeremy Flores kicked his way into CU football lore.
The feeling of euphoria was tempered as Applewhite quickly drove Texas down the field. The Buffs’ defense held off the Longhorns long enough that everyone in the stadium knew that a Texas comeback would hinge on a successful onsides kick. There was silence on the phone line after Texas scored with 31 seconds left and took the field for the onsides effort.
… Continue reading story here …
—
Here is the YouTube highlight video of the game …
And here is a video which contains highlights from all of the 2001 season …
—
Top 40 Favorite Players … No. 8
Linebacker Barry Remington (1982-86)
From his CUBuffs.com bio … An Associated Press honorable mention All-American as a senior in 1986, when he was also a unanimous all-Big Eight performer… Colorado’s all-time leading tackler with 493 total stops, including 245 solo stops… Second leading tackler in the conference behind Oklahoma’s Brian Bosworth his senior season… One of his two career interceptions came late in CU’s 20-10 upset of No. 3 Nebraska in ’86, thwarting the last Cornhusker rally… Posted three straight 100-plus tackle seasons, the first player in CU history to do so… Had five games of 20 or more tackles, the most by any Buff in school history (his career high was 23 at Oklahoma State in 1984) …
Overcame several injuries in his career, ranging from knee surgery as a sophomore (he received an extra year of eligibility as the injury was in the second game), a pinched nerve in his neck and stepping on a bottle that sprayed acid into an eye… Did not play professionally, and has been an executive with Clearchannel (KOA-Radio) in Denver for several years.
–
—–