American college football season
The 1990 Colorado Buffaloes football team represented the University of Colorado Boulder as a member of the Big Eight Conference during the 1990 NCAA Division I-A football season . The Buffaloes offense scored 338 points while the defense allowed 160 points. Led by head coach Bill McCartney , Colorado defeated Notre Dame 10–9 in the 1991 Orange Bowl to conclude the season.
Despite controversy , Colorado was selected national champions by AP , Berryman , Billingsley , DeVold , FB News , Football Research , FW , Matthews , NFF , Sporting News , and USA/CNN, and co-champion by both FACT and NCF -all NCAA-designated major selectors.[2] Georgia Tech took the UPI Coaches poll title,[3] with both Washington and Miami receiving national titles from other selectors.[2]
Georgia Tech finished the season undefeated (with its record only blemished by a tie), and subsequently split the national championship with Colorado.[4]
The victory in the Orange Bowl was Colorado's first bowl win in nineteen years .
Season summary
vs. Tennessee
#5 Colorado vs. #8 Tennessee
1
2 3 4 Total
Buffaloes
0
10 7 14
31
Volunteers
7
3 0 21
31
Scoring summary Q1 7:52 TENN Chuck Webb 4-yard run (Burke kick) TENN 7–0
Q2 9:55 COL George Hemmingway 1-yard run (Harper kick) Tied 7–7
8:09 COL Jim Harper 35-yard field goal COL 10–7
2:54 TENN Greg Burke 47-yard field goal Tied 10–10
Q3 10:49 COL Mike Pritchard 55-yard run (Harper kick) Tied 17–10
Q4 9:34 COL Dave McCloughan 55-yard punt return (Harper kick) COL 24–10
8:53 TENN Alvin Harper 24-yard pass from Andy Kelly (Burke kick)COL 24–17
7:11 COL Mike Pritchard 78-yard run (Harper kick) COL 31–17
5:36 TENN Carl Pickens 14-yard pass from Andy Kelly (Burke kick)COL 31–24
2:25 TENN Chuck Webb 4-yard run (Burke kick) Tied 31-31
Each team dominated with its offensive strength. Mike Pritchard ran for 217 yards and 2 touchdowns as Colorado outgained Tennessee 368-135 on the ground (even with Eric Bienemy sitting out due to a one-game suspension). The Volunteers passed for 368 yards (to Colorado's 68 passing yards), and future NFL wide receivers Carl Pickens and Alvin Harper each had over 100 yards receiving and a touchdown.[5]
Stanford
Stanford at #5 Colorado
1
2 3 4 Total
Cardinal
14
0 0 3
17
• Buffaloes
0
0 14 7
21
Date: September 6Location: Folsom Field , Boulder, CO Game start: 6:08 PM Elapsed time: 3:14Game attendance: 50,699Game weather: 77° F, partly cloudy, Wind NW 5Referee: Dean Cramer
Scoring summary Q1 5:47 STAN Palumbis 1-yard run (Hopkins kick) STAN 7–0
4:09 STAN Vardell 1-yard run (Hopkins kick)STAN 14–0
Q3 8:04 COL Eric Bieniemy 18-yard run (Harper kick) STAN 14–7
5:09 COL Eric Bieniemy 36-yard run (Harper kick) Tied 14–14
Q4 4:17 STAN Hopkins 27-yard field goal STAN 17–14
0:12 COL Eric Bieniemy 1-yard run (Harper kick) COL 21-17
[6]
at Illinois
#9 Colorado at #21 Illinois
1
2 3 4 Total
Buffaloes
7
10 2 3
22
• Fighting Illini
3
7 7 6
23
Date: September 15Location: Memorial Stadium , Champaign, IL Game attendance: 64,351Game weather: 73° F, clear, Wind NW 10Referee: Tom QuinnTelevision network: ABC
Scoring summary Q1 9:14 ILL Doug Higgins 29-yard field goal ILL 3–0
5:38 COL George Hemingway 2-yard run (Harper kick) COL 7–3
Q2 14:55 COL Harper 54-yard field goal COL 10–3
13:02 COL Michael Simmons 32-yard pass from Darian Hagan (Harper kick) COL 17–3
0:28 ILL Elbert Turner 8-yard pass from Jason Verduzco (Higgins kick) COL 17–10
Q3 2:28 ILL Shawn Wax 4-yard pass from Jason Verduzco (Higgins kick) Tied 17–17
0:24 COL Safety, Greg Biekert tackled Griffith in end zone COL 19–17
Q4 12:44 COL Harper 26-yard field goal COL 22–17
1:18 ILL Howard Griffith 1-yard run (conversion failed) ILL 23–22
[7]
at Texas
#20 Colorado at #22 Texas
1
2 3 4 Total
• Buffaloes
7
7 0 15
29
Longhorns
10
3 6 3
22
Date: September 22Location: Texas Memorial Stadium , Austin, TX Game start: 6:39 PM Elapsed time: 3:20Game attendance: 77,273Game weather: 79° F, Cloudy/Low Overcast, Wind NE 15-20Referee: Larry FisherTelevision network: ESPN
Scoring summary Q1 8:46 TEX Kerry Cash 6-yard pass from Gardere (Pollak kick) TEX 7–0
3:30 COL George Hemingway 38-yard pass from Hagan (Harper kick) Tied 7–7
0:16 TEX Pollak 47-yard field goal TEX 10–7
Q2 6:51 COL Eric Bieniemy 2-yard run (Harper kick) COL 14–10
1:26 TEX Pollak 25-yard field goal COL 14–13
Q3 4:44 TEX Brown 2-yard run (Pass failed) TEX 19–14
Q4 14:22 TEX Pollak 22-yard field goal TEX 22–14
10:10 COL Eric Bieniemy 4-yard run (Pass failed) TEX 22–20
5:47 COL Eric Bieniemy 2-yard run (Harper kick) COL 27–22
0:29 COL Safety, Williams tackled Garder in End Zone COL 29–22
Washington
#12 Washington at #20 Colorado
1
2 3 4 Total
Huskies
7
0 7 0
14
• Buffaloes
0
3 14 3
20
Date: September 29Location: Folsom Field , Boulder, CO Game start: 1:31 PM Elapsed time: 2:46Game attendance: 52,868Game weather: 55° F, cloudy, Wind E 3Referee: Dean Cramer
Scoring summary Q1 6:25 WASH Mark Brunell 1-yard run (Dodd kick)WASH 7–0
Q2 0:00 COL Harper 47-yard field goal WASH 7–3
Q3 12:47 COL Darian Hagan 15-yard run (Harper kick) COL 10–7
7:22 WASH Pierce 3-yard pass from Brunell (Dodd kick) WASH 14–10
4:52 COL Darian Hagan 3-yard run (Harper kick) COL 17–14
Q4 13:05 COL Harper 32-yard field goal COL 20-14
at Missouri
#12 Colorado at Missouri
1
2 3 4 Total
• Buffaloes
7
7 3 16
33
Tigers
14
0 7 10
31
Date: October 6Location: Faurot Field , Columbia, MO Game start: 1:33 PM Elapsed time: 2:58Game attendance: 46,856Game weather: 82° F, partly cloudy, Wind S 15-25Referee: J. C. LouderbackTelevision network: KCNC
Scoring summary Q1 11:10 MIZ Bailey 19-yard pass from Kiefer (Jacke kick) MIZ 7–0
3:19 COL Bieniemy 29-yard run (Harper kick) Tied 7–7
1:55 MIZ Mays 49-yard pass from Kiefer (Jacke kick) MIZ 14–7
Q2 1:45 COL Pritchard 68-yard run (Harper kick) Tied 14–14
Q3 10:51 COL Harper 35-yard FG COL 17–14
7:30 MIZ Jones 13-yard run (Jacke Kick) MIZ 21–17
Q4 13:56 COL Pritchard 70-yard pass from Johnson (Harper kick) COL 24–21
11:11 MIZ Jacke 45-yard FG Tied 24–24
3:41 COL Harper 39-yard FG COL 27–24
2:32 MIZ Mays 38-yard pass from Kiefer (Jacke kick) MIZ 31–27
0:00 COL Johnson 1-yard run (conversion failed) COL 33–31
Iowa State
Iowa State at #14 Colorado
1
2 3 4 Total
Cyclones
9
3 0 0
12
• Buffaloes
7
7 14 0
28
Date: October 13Location: Folsom Field , Boulder, CO Game start: 1:32 PM Elapsed time: 2:46Game attendance: 51,861Game weather: 72° F, partly cloudy, Wind S 25-40Referee: John Laurie
Scoring summary Q1 11:34 ISU Patterson 6-yard pass from Pedersen (kick failed) ISU 6–0
9:14 ISU Shudak 36-yard field goal ISU 9–0
4:55 COL Simmons 29-yard pass from Johnson (Harper kick) ISU 9–7
Q2 2:19 ISU Shudak 46-yard field goal ISU 12–7
0:06 COL Brown 29-yard pass from Hagan (Harper kick) COL 14–12
Q3 10:45 COL Eric Bieniemy 1-yard run (Harper kick) COL 21–12
0:28 COL Pritchard 30-yard run (Harper kick) COL 28-12
at Kansas
#14 Colorado at Kansas
1
2 3 4 Total
• Buffaloes
17
3 21 0
41
Jayhawks
0
10 0 0
10
Date: October 20Location: Memorial Stadium Game start: 12:10 PM Elapsed time: 2:48Game attendance: 40,000Game weather: 67° F, partly cloudy, Wind S 15-20Referee: Larry Fisher
Scoring summary Q1 9:25 COL Harper 36-yard field goal COL 3–0
6:46 COL Eric Bieniemy 31-yard run (Harper kick) COL 10–0
0:58 COL Mike Pritchard 44-yard pass from Darian Hagan (Harper kick) COL 17–0
Q2 14:08 KU Drayton 11-yard pass from Hilleary (Eichloff kick) COL 17–7
2:47 KU Eichloff 26-yard field goal COL 17–10
0:01 COL Harper 42-yard field goal COL 20–10
Q3 10:06 COL Eric Bieniemy 41-yard run (Harper kick) COL 27–10
2:51 COL Eric Bieniemy 10-yard run (Harper kick) COL 34–10
0:18 COL McCloughan 90-yard punt return (Harper kick) COL 41–10
Oklahoma
#22 Oklahoma at #10 Colorado
1
2 3 4 Total
Sooners
7
7 3 6
23
• Buffaloes
3
9 6 14
32
Date: October 27Location: Folsom Field , Boulder, CO Game start: 12:31 PM Elapsed time: 3:23Game attendance: 51,967Game weather: 58° F, sunny, Wind E 8Referee: Dean Cramer
Scoring summary Q1 9:00 OU Cale Gundy 5-yard run (Lasher kick) OU 7–0
3:01 COL Harper 48-yard field goal OU 7–3
Q2 6:58 COL Harper 28-yard field goal OU 7–6
6:46 OU Long 80-yard pass from Gundy (Lashar kick) OU 14–6
0:24 COL Pritchard 12-yard pass from Hagan (run failed) OU 14–12
Q3 10:19 COL Eric Bieniemy 69-yard run (pass failed) COL 18–14
5:06 OU Lasher 43-yard field goal COL 18–17
Q4 13:54 COL Smith 85-yard pass from Hagan (Harper kick) COL 25–17
11:24 COL Hagan 3-yard run (Harper kick) COL 32–17
5:51 OU Brewer 6-yard run (run failed) COL 32-23
[8]
at Nebraska
#9 Colorado at #3 Nebraska
1
2 3 4 Total
• Buffaloes
0
0 0 27
27
Cornhuskers
0
6 6 0
12
Date: November 3Location: Memorial Stadium Game start: 3:07 PM Elapsed time: 3:00Game attendance: 76,464Game weather: 38° F, Light rain, Wind N 20-22Referee: John LaurieTV announcers (ESPN): Sean McDonough and Mike Gottfried
Scoring summary Q2 13:14 NEB Barrios 26-yard field goal NEB 3–0
11:25 NEB Barrios 44-yard field goal NEB 6–0
Q3 2:39 NEB Mitchell 48-yard pass from Joseph (pass failed) NEB 12–0
Q4 14:43 COL Bieniemy 1-yard run (Harper kick) NEB 12–7
8:37 COL Bieniemy 2-yard run (pass failed) COL 13–12
4:35 COL Bieniemy 3-yard run (Harper kick) COL 20–12
1:31 COL Bieniemy 5-yard run (Harper kick) COL 27–12
[9] [10] [11] [12]
Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State at #4 Colorado
1
2 3 4 Total
Cowboys
7
0 0 15
22
• Buffaloes
7
10 21 3
41
Date: November 10Location: Folsom Field , Boulder, CO Game start: 1:02 PM Elapsed time: 3:09Game attendance: 51,873Game weather: 67° F, sunny, Wind NE 7Referee: John Laurie
Scoring summary Q1 9:36 COL Hemingway 9-yard pass from Hagan (Harper Kick) COL 7–0
0:09 OSU Mayfield 43 pass from Ford (Blanchard Kick) Tied 7–7
Q2 11:28 COL Pritchard 28-yard pass from Hagan (Harper Kick) COL 14–7
0:03 COL Harper 40-yard field goal COL 17–7
Q3 10:24 COL S.Brown 8-yard pass from Hagan (Harper Kick) COL 24–7
7:48 COL Pritchard 34-yard pass from Hagan (Harper Kick) COL 31–7
0:06 COL Bieniemy 21-yard run (Harper Kick) COL 38–7
Q4 14:24 OSU Hudson 1-yard run (Kirksey pass from Ford) COL 38–15
7:36 COL Harper 50-yard field goal COL 41–15
3:23 OSU Kirksey 19-yard pass from Ford (Blanchard Kick) COL 41-22
Kansas State
Kansas State at #4 Colorado
1
2 3 4 Total
Wildcats
0
3 0 0
3
• Buffaloes
17
23 3 21
64
Date: November 17Location: Folsom Field , Boulder, CO Game start: 12:12 PM Elapsed time: 3:19Game attendance: 51,136Game weather: 65° F, partly cloudy, Wind NE 8Referee: Larry Fisher
Scoring summary Q1 12:02 COL Hagan 23-yard run (Harper kick) COL 7–0
6:28 COL Hagan 9-yard run (Harper Kick) COL 14–0
2:53 COL Harper 28-yard field goal COL 17–0
Q2 12:38 KSU Wright 28-yard field goal COL 17–3
9:35 COL C.S. Johnson 5-yard run (Harper kick) COL 24–3
5:29 COL Pritchard 48-yard pass from Hagan (Harper kick) COL 31–3
5:11 COL Safety, Straw sacked by Howe in endzone, KSU covered fumble COL 33–3
0:06 COL Pritchard 70-yard run (Harper kick) COL 40–3
Q3 10:56 COL Blottiaux 47-yard field goal COL 43–3
Q4 6:54 COL Henry 39-yard pass from Joseph (Blottiaux kick) COL 50–3
4:35 COL C.E. Johnson 26-yard run (Blottiaux kick) COL 57–3
0:04 COL Oliver 8-yard run (Blottiaux kick) COL 64-3
The Buffs scored early and often while totaling 634 yards of total offense (360 rushing).[13] [14]
Notre Dame (Orange Bowl)
#5 Notre Dame vs. #1 Colorado
1
2 3 4 Total
Fighting Irish
0
6 3 0
9
• Buffaloes
0
3 7 0
10
Scoring summary Q2 12:04 CU Jim Harper 22-yard field goal COL 3–0
7:32 ND Ricky Watters 2-yard run (PAT blocked) ND 6–3
Q3 10:10 ND Craig Hentrich 24-yard field goal ND 9–3
4:26 CU Eric Bieniemy 1-yard run (Harper kick) COL 10–9
[15] [16]