1985 Season Archive

Washington – Freedom Bowl – Fake punt!

//posted 12.30.1985

— 1985 Freedom Bowl — December 30th – at Anaheim, California Washington 20, Colorado 17 Some 30,961 fans, representing all the interest that the 7-4 Buffs and 6-5 Washington Huskies could muster, were witness to an exciting, if not particularly well played, contest in the second-ever Freedom Bowl. Washington coach Don James and his Huskies, with a 20-17 victory, were able to salvage something from a 1985 campaign which had started with great promise. Washington had been rated highly in the preseason polls (6th in UPI; 12th in AP), only to lose …

Kansas State – Buffs “Bowled over” after shutout win

//posted 11.23.1985

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— November 23rd – Boulder Colorado 30, Kansas State 0 — In 1984, Colorado limped into its finale against Kansas State. Demoralized, cold, and playing before just 17,600 Wildcat fans, the Buffs had nothing to play for, and it showed. The resulting 38-6 humiliation was a fitting end to a 1-10 disaster. What a difference a year makes. The weather was not much better (20 degrees for the 11:00 a.m. kickoff), and the smallest home crowd since the 1983 finale against the same Kansas State squad (28,210 paid, 20,777 actual), …

No. 7 Oklahoma – Buffs run into nation’s No.1 defense

//posted 11.16.1985

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— November 16th – at Oklahoma No. 7 Oklahoma 31, Colorado 0 — Oklahoma came into the Colorado game 6-1 on the season, 4-0 in the Big Eight. With a date with 2nd-ranked Nebraska looming over the Thanksgiving weekend, the Sooners could not afford to look past the Buffs. They did not. Showing Colorado what it was like to run a ball-control rushing offense, Oklahoma ran the ball a total of 81 times, picking up 360 yards and four touchdowns along the way, but it was the Sooner defense which dominated …

Tags: Bill McCartney, Rodney Rogers
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Kansas – “CU on Independence Bowl list” – Dan McMillen sets two records

//posted 11.9.1985

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— November 9th – at Kansas Colorado 14, Kansas 3 — Colorado regained its winning form, but again it was the defense which carried the day as Colorado ran its record to 6-3 with a 14-3 win over Kansas. The mood on the rainy, 40-degree was somber for the 25,000 on hand for Homecoming in Lawrence, and the frigid crowd was silent after the game was only three plays old. On third down in the game’s opening series, safety Mickey Pruitt, the hero of the Oregon game, stepped in front …

No. 12 Oklahoma State – Defense gives Buffs a chance

//posted 11.2.1985

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— November 2nd – Boulder No. 12 Oklahoma State 14, Colorado 11 — Colorado continued to accumulate believers, if not wins, in falling short in a 14-11 loss to 12th-ranked Oklahoma State in Boulder. After a scoreless first quarter, the Buffs scored first on a 29-yard field goal by Larry Eckel to take a 3-0 lead. Oklahoma State, though, came back to take a 7-3 halftime lead on a one-yard plunge by running back Thurman Thomas. The play was controversial as replays showed Thomas failed to break the plane of the goal …

No. 5 Nebraska – Road trip to Lincoln and Kansas City

//posted 10.26.1985

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— October 26th – at Nebraska No. 5 Nebraska 17, Colorado 7 — “Resurgent Colorado”, as the Buffs were called in the Nebraska Homecoming program, met the Cornhuskers in a game televised to the western half of the nation by ABC. It was Colorado’s first nationally televised game since a newly-formed all-sports network by the name of ESPN had televised the 1979 Colorado/Oregon game (the first game ever for ESPN – but it was shown on tape delay). At stake, as strange as it sounded, was nothing less than first place in the Big …

Iowa State – Buffs make it look easy

//posted 10.19.1985

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— October 19th – at Iowa State Colorado 40, Iowa State 6 — What in the name of Fred Folsom was going on? The Colorado Buffaloes, who couldn’t buy a conference win for the first half of the 1980’s, were now making it look easy. A 40-6 romp over Iowa State gave Colorado a 2-0 conference record for the first time since 1971 (the same season the Buffs went on to finish the season ranked No. 3 in the nation), and the Buffs’ largest margin of victory on the road since …

Missouri – Finally, payback for coach McCartney

//posted 10.12.1985

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— October 12th – Boulder Colorado 38, Missouri 7 — After a two week layoff to contemplate their 3-1 record, Colorado played its homecoming game against the Missouri Tigers. For a change, Homecoming played out the way it was supposed to for the Buffs, with the home team beating up against an inferior opponent. True, Colorado had won its homecoming game against Iowa State in 1984, but that came in the last minute, and proved to be the Buffs only win of the year. In 1985, all cylinders were clicking in …

Arizona – Buffs back among “Others receiving votes”

//posted 9.28.1985

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— September 28th – at Arizona Colorado 14, Arizona 13 — A major test for the rejuvenated Buffs would come against Arizona. The game against the Wildcats would be the first road game of the year, and the first night game for Colorado since 1980 (v. LSU). After starting the season 2-1 in 1983, the Buffs succumbed to Notre Dame, and then slid into a five game losing streak. If the 1985 Colorado squad, also possessing a 2-1 record, was to make a statement that black was in fact back, …

No. 7 Ohio State – “We’re going to recover, I can tell you that”

//posted 9.21.1985

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— September 21st – Boulder No. 7 Ohio State 36, Colorado 13 — Colorado in 1984: one win in eleven tries. Colorado in 1985: two for two. Bring on Ohio State? In 1983, Colorado had been in a fairly similar situation. The Buffs had a 2-1 record, and were riding high heading into the Notre Dame game. The Buffs, however, were summarily put in their place by the Fighting Irish, 27-3. Sporting a 2-0 record in 1985, the Buffs were again optimistic, only to again be spanked by a national power, falling to Ohio …

Oregon – “I think that could be a turning point for our program”

//posted 9.14.1985

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— September 14th – Boulder Colorado 21, Oregon 17 — 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 …

Colorado State – Off on the right foot

//posted 9.7.1985

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— September 7th – Boulder Colorado 23, Colorado State 10 — In only the second meeting between the in-state rivals in 25 years, 40,665 looked on as Colorado and the wishbone offense made a successful debut in Boulder, defeating Colorado State, 23-10. Senior quarterback Craig Keenan was out with back problems, so sophomore Mark Hatcher made his starting debut for Colorado, leading the Buffs to 404 yards of total offense, 358 yards coming on the ground. Halfback Ron Brown rushed for 104 yards, with fullback Anthony Weatherspoon contributing 95 yards. …