1987 Season Archive

No. 5 Nebraska – Brad incites Cornhusker fans

//posted 11.28.1987

— November 28th – Boulder No. 5 Nebraska 24, Colorado 7 — Colorado had Nebraska right where they wanted them. The Cornhuskers had lost the 1987 Game-of-the-Year to Oklahoma the week before. Nebraska, ranked No. 1 in the nation for the first time all season, fell to No. 2 Oklahoma (which had been ranked No. 1 every week previous) at home, by a final score of 17-7. Nebraska players could have been forgiven for not being up for playing Colorado after absorbing a national championship run-ending defeat. Oklahoma was …

Kansas State – Schedule changes doom bowl hopes

//posted 11.21.1987

(Post your own memories)

— November 21st – at Kansas State Colorado 41, Kansas State 0 — An estimated crowd of only 12,500 fans bothered to attend the final game of the Kansas State Wildcats’ 1987 season, with the announced attendance being the smallest gathering to watch a Colorado Buffaloes football game since 1962. The Wildcats, who would finish 0-10-1 with the 41-0 rout by Colorado, didn’t show up for the game, either. Colorado held the ball for 40:25 of the contest, compared to 19:35 for Kansas State. …

Missouri – Small victories: Buffs claim fourth in the Big Eight

//posted 11.7.1987

(Post your own memories)

— November 7th – Boulder Colorado 27, Missouri 10 — Colorado ran its home record for the year to 4-1 in defeating Missouri 27-10 before 44,050 at Folsom Field. Missouri came into the game with a 5-3 record, 2-2 in the Big Eight. Both teams had lost to Oklahoma State, so it was apparent that this contest would decide which team would finish fourth in the Big Eight conference in 1987 behind Oklahoma, Nebraska and the OSU Cowboys. With the Buffs and the Tigers still aspiring to a bowl invitation, …

Iowa State – Sal Aunese accounts for four scores in rout

//posted 10.31.1987

(Post your own memories)

— October 31st – at Iowa State Colorado 42, Iowa State 10 — The Cyclones came into the Halloween contest at home against Colorado with a 2-5 record, but with wins in two of its last three games. While Colorado was hanging in against Oklahoma the previous Saturday, Iowa State was registering its first conference win of the year in outscoring hapless Kansas, 42-28. After Iowa State jumped out to an early 7-0 lead in the first quarter, the game was dominated by the Colorado offense. By the time the Cyclones …

No. 1 Oklahoma – Buffs garner national respect

//posted 10.24.1987

(There has been 1 comment, post your CU memory now)

— October 24th – at Oklahoma No. 1 Oklahoma 24, Colorado 6 — Coming into the 1987 game against Colorado, the Oklahoma Sooners were on a roll. In the four games leading up to the Colorado contest, Oklahoma had blasted Tulsa, Iowa State, Texas, and Kansas State by scores of 65-0, 56-3, 44-9, and 59-10. For the year, the 6-0 Sooners were dominating their opponents by an average score of 48-6. In Big Eight play, the Sooners had amassed 20 consecutive wins over three seasons. This did not bode well …

Kansas – Buffs pile up 546 yards on Jayhawks

//posted 10.17.1987

(Post your own memories)

— October 17th – Boulder Colorado 35, Kansas 10 — Homecoming for the Colorado Buffaloes was successful for the fourth consecutive year, as the Buffs put together a season-high (and wishbone-high) 546 yards of total offense in a 35-10 rout of Kansas. As had become the pattern in 1987, a new face led the way. Sophomore fullback Erich Kissick, who had carried the ball only nine times for 26 yards on the season coming into the game, lumbered for 122 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. Michael Simmons, …

No. 19 Okla. St. – Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders run up the score on Buffs

//posted 10.10.1987

(Post your own memories)

— October 10th – at Oklahoma State No. 19 Oklahoma State 42, Colorado 17 — The last time the Buffs played on my birthday, they were thumped by Nebraska 59-0 in 1981. I should have recognized the omen. Beaten early and often, the Buffs surrendered three touchdowns and 137 yards on the ground. Leading the charge was Thurman Thomas, who sliced through the Buffs for 110 yards on 23 carries and a five-yard touchdown run. Through the air, Oklahoma State added 257 yards and two more …

Colorado State – Buffs take down Rams in rare game in Ft. Collins

//posted 10.3.1987

(Post your own memories)

— October 3rd – at Colorado State Colorado 29, Colorado State 16 — Exacting revenge for the 23-7 embarrassment in Boulder the year before, the Buffs traveled to Fort Collins for the first time since 1957, taking home a hard-fought 29-16 win. Sal Aunese received his first start as quarterback for the Buffs, and responded with Colorado’s first 100+ yard passing effort of the season. Aunese’s stats: four-of-six passing, 139 yards and one touchdown. The 139 total yards were somewhat inflated, though, by a 79-yard touchdown pass to senior split end …

Washington State – Sal Aunese makes an impression

//posted 9.26.1987

(There has been 1 comment, post your CU memory now)

— September 26th – Boulder Colorado 26, Washington State 17 — Another day, another game, another new Buff making an impression. This time it was sophomore quarterback Sal Aunese, subbing for injured starter Mark Hatcher, who made a splash. Aunese did not start, but played a significant role in leading Colorado to a 26-17 win over Washington State. Aunese carried the ball 22 times for 185 yards and one touchdown. Aunese also completed one of his three passes, a 30-yarder to Eric Bieniemy. Washington State, led by first-year coach Dennis …

Stanford – Fred Casotti – Fun with initials

//posted 9.19.1987

(There has been 1 comment, post your CU memory now)

— September 19th – Boulder Colorado 31, Stanford 17 — Colorado looked to right its ship, and even the 1987 season mark at 1-1, with a game against Stanford. The Cardinal also came into the game 0-1, having lost its season-opener to Washington, 31-21. Stanford was not to be overlooked, however, having posted an 8-4 mark in 1986, including a trip to the Gator Bowl. Stanford’s bowl appearance had been its first in eight years, and the first for fourth-year head coach Jack Elway. Unlike the Oregon game, which …

Oregon – Just when it was getting good …

//posted 9.12.1987

(Post your own memories)

— September 12th – Boulder Oregon 10, Colorado 7 — To open the 1987 season, Oregon returned to Boulder to finish out the four year home-and-home series with the Colorado. The Ducks had won two of the three previous games in the series, but this was 1987. Gone from the Ducks’ lineup was all-everything quarterback Chris Miller, who had accounted for 70 percent of the Oregon attack in 1986. Even with Miller’s talents, Oregon had finished the 1986 campaign 5-6, so the 1987 game would be the Buffs’ opportunity to exact …

1987 Preseason – “Breaking Away” – Buffs hope to build on 1986 success

//posted 8.25.1987

(Post your own memories)

— National and Big Eight recap – 1987 — A pattern established in 1982-83 repeated itself in 1986-87. In 1983, the Miami Hurricanes won the school’s first national championship, a year after Penn State had won its first crown. In 1987, a year after Penn State recorded national championship No. 2, the 1987 Hurricanes again followed suit, giving both schools two titles in the 1980’s. Led by offensive stars quarterback Steve Walsh, running back Melvin Bratton, and wide receivers Michael Irvin and Brian Blades, Miami went 12-0 in 1987. The …