The 1979 Colorado Buffaloes football team represented the University of Colorado in the Big Eight Conference during the 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by first-year head coach Chuck Fairbanks, the Buffaloes finished at 3–8 (2–5 in Big 8, tied for fifth),^[1] and played home games on campus at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado.

Colorados's opener against Oregon was the first college football game ever televised by ESPN. A one-point win at Indiana in the fourth game was Colorado's sole victory in their first nine;^[2] they won the final two games of the season and avoided the conference cellar.^[1]

Previously the head coach of the New England Patriots for six years, Fairbanks was hired by athletic director Eddie Crowder in mid-December 1978.^{[3][4][5][6][7]} Difficulties with the NFL club's ownership resulted in a legal battle until early April,^[8] when a group of CU boosters (Flatirons Club) bought out Fairbanks' contract, allowing him to leave the Patriots just days ahead of the start of the Buffs' spring practice.^{[9][10][11][12][13]}

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Source
September 8	Oregon*	Folsom Field Boulder, CO	ESPN	L 19–33	44,274
September 15	LSU*	Folsom Field Boulder, CO		L 0–44	46,642	[14]
September 22	Drake*	Folsom Field Boulder, CO		L 9–13	40,126
September 29	at Indiana*	Memorial Stadium Bloomington, IN		W 17–16	36,100
October 6	at No. 3 Oklahoma	Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Norman, OK		L 24–49	71,187
October 20	Missouri	Folsom Field Boulder, CO		L 7–13	51,123
October 27	at No. 2 Nebraska	Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE		L 10–38	76,158
November 3	at Iowa State	Cyclone Stadium Ames, IA		L 10–24	47,100
November 10	Oklahoma State	Folsom Field Boulder, CO		L 20–21	41,148
November 17	at Kansas	Memorial Stadium Lawrence, KS		W 31–17	25,572–31,125
November 24	Kansas State	Folsom Field Boulder, CO (rivalry)		W 21–6	41,643
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

^[15][16][17]

Personnel

Roster

Starters

• Offense: QB Bill Solomon, HB Lance Olander/Charles Davis, FB Willie Beebe, SE Donnie Holmes, WB Kazell Pugh, TE Bob Niziolek/Greg Willett/Doug Krahenbuhl, LT Stan Brock, LG Paul Butero, C Roger Gunter/Bob Sebro, RG Art Dale Johnson/Guy Thurston, RT Karry Kelley
• Defense: LE George Visger, NT Laval Short, RE Kevin Sazama, OLB Steve Doolittle, ILB Bill Roe, ILB Charles Scott, OLB Brian McCabe/Bob Humble, LCB Mark Haynes, SS Mike E. Davis, FS Tim Roberts, RCB Jesse Johnson/Tim Stampley
• Specialists: K Tom Field, P Lance Olander

^[17]