1986 Season Archive

No. 14 Baylor – Bluebonnet Bowl – “On the Road Again”

//posted 12.31.1986

— On the Road Again — The 1986 season was a watershed in Colorado football history. Yes, the Buffs had finished 1985 with a winning season (7-5), and had gone to a bowl game for the first time in almost a decade, but it is the 1986 season which is seen as the turning point in Buff fortunes. Still, when the Buffs opened the 1986 campaign 0-4, it was hard not to consider that 1985 was an aberration, and that the aura of losing was once again to permeate the …

Kansas State – Despite 6-1 Big 8 record, Buffs sweat out bowl bid

//posted 11.22.1986

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— November 22nd – at Kansas State Colorado 49, Kansas State 3 — Colorado rebounded from the poor offensive showing against the Sooners with its highest scoring output of the season, routing the Wildcats from Kansas State, 49-3. Quarterback Mark Hatcher did not play, but it didn’t matter, as backup freshman quarterback Marc Walters was perfect in the air, completing all four passes he threw for 111 yards and a touchdown. On the ground, the Buffs rambled for 407 yards and six touchdowns. Walters chipped in 88 yards and two touchdowns, …

No. 4 Oklahoma – Goaaalllposts … Goaaalllposts!

//posted 11.15.1986

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— Goaaaalposts …. Goaaaalposts — On October 25th, as the final seconds of the Nebraska game ticked away, the chant of “Goaaaalposts …. Goaaalposts” drifted through the student section. The indication was clear – the goalposts were coming down. In the stands before the start of the Oklahoma game, the chant returned. The confidence that lightning really could strike twice, that the Buffs really could conquer both of the “Big Two” in the same season, was only enhanced when the a 120-yard gold ribbon was unfurled just before the kickoff of …

Kansas – Buff defense preserves early 17-0 lead

//posted 11.8.1986

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— November 8th – Boulder Colorado 17, Kansas 10 — In a reverse from the Oklahoma State game the week before, Colorado played well early, then hung on late to post a 17-10 win over Kansas. Rolling to a 17-0 second quarter lead, the Buffs scored on a one yard run by junior halfback Mike Marquez, a 24-yard field goal by Dave DeLine, and a 34-yard reverse by freshman split end Jeff Campbell. The latter score was a reprise of the two reverses Campbell ran so successfully in the Nebraska game. …

Oklahoma State – Buffs rally from 14-3 deficit to rout Cowboys

//posted 11.1.1986

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— November 1st – at Oklahoma State Colorado 31, Oklahoma State 14 — The undefeated – at least in Big Eight conference play – Colorado Buffaloes traveled to Stillwater, Oklahoma for a game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys, just seven days after accomplishing the impossible in defeating No. 3 Nebraska. How would the Buffs, 3-0 in the Big Eight (for the first time since 1967), 3-4 overall, play against the 3-4 Cowboys? After all, the reality was that Colorado had not defeated Oklahoma State since 1981, and had not won in Stillwater …

No. 3 Nebraska – The Signature Win of All Signature Wins

//posted 10.25.1986

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Video: Jeff Campbell’s reverse and O.C. Oliver’s halfback pass to Lance Carl … The game which helped CU rise from a dark time, setting the stage for a run to the national championship …

Iowa State – 1-4 Buffs roll 4-1 Cyclones

//posted 10.18.1986

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— October 18th – Boulder Colorado 31, Iowa State 3 — For the second week in a row, Colorado put together an excellent effort on both sides of the ball. For the first time all season, though, the Buffs did not have to hope for a fourth quarter stop by the defense to win, routing Iowa State, 31-3. Led by quarterback Mark Hatcher’s 95 yards and O.C. Oliver’s 79 yards, the Buffs rolled up 303 yards on the ground. Behind Oliver’s two early scores, the Buffs were up 17-0 by …

Missouri – John Nairn saves the day

//posted 10.11.1986

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— October 11th – at Missouri Colorado 17, Missouri 12 — The bye week between the non-conference slate and the commencement of Big Eight play could not have come at a better time for the Colorado Buffs. The Buffs were reeling at 0-4, though they could easily have been 3-1. “It (the bye week) gives us a chance to regroup and get a new perspective on the season”, said Coach Bill McCartney, “I think we need to regroup emotionally as much as anything.” Whatever the coaching staff devised to rejuvenate …

No. 10 Arizona – No wins … No hope?

//posted 9.27.1986

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— September 27th – Boulder No. 10 Arizona 24, Colorado 21 — A year earlier, the Arizona Wildcats entered the game against Colorado 3-0, only to be stunned by the Buffs, 14-13, in Tucson. In 1986, Arizona, 3-0 once again, came to Boulder determined to record the Wildcats’ first victory over the Buffs in 13 attempts. The tenth-ranked Wildcats would not be denied, though the hard-fought 24-21 win over the Buffs was anything but easy. The Buffs led throughout the game, but Arizona took the lead from the Buffs when …

Ohio State – Golfing, but listening …

//posted 9.20.1986

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— September 20th – at Ohio State Ohio State 13, Colorado 10 — The Colorado Buffaloes played before the then second largest road crowd in school history, 88,404 (the Buffs played before 91,203 against Michigan in 1974. Subsequent games against Michigan, Ohio State, Texas and Georgia have surpassed both totals), succumbing in the last minute, 13-10. For the third straight game, the Buffs could not put together a complete team effort. Against Colorado State in the opener, the defense had played well, only to be betrayed by the offense and …

Oregon – Words cannot describe …

//posted 9.13.1986

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— September 13th – at Oregon Oregon 32, Colorado 30 — Holding a lead of 30-23 with 3:22 left in the game, the Buffs seemed to be comfortably in control of the game against the Oregon Ducks. Quarterback Mark Hatcher had just scored his second touchdown of the day on a 55-yard run to put the Buffs back on top, and all the Colorado defense had to do was hold Oregon one last time. With under a minute to play, the score remained 30-23. Forty four seconds and nine Oregon …

Colorado State – Off to a bad start

//posted 9.6.1986

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— September 6th – Boulder Colorado State 23, Colorado 7 — All signs pointed toward a victory for Colorado in their opener against Colorado State. Colorado had gone 4-0 at home in 1985 against unranked opponents. Colorado State was predicted to be a good team in 1986, having gone 5-7 in 1985, but the Rams were not considered a threat to BYU’s dominance in the Western Athletic Conference, and was certainly was not a Top 20 team. What was more, the Buffs came into the game against the Rams with …