1979 Colorado Buffaloes football team
1979 Colorado Buffaloes football | |
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Conference | Big Eight Conference |
Record | 3–8 (2–5 Big 8) |
Head coach |
|
Offensive coordinator | Doug Dickey (1st season) |
Offensive scheme | Multiple |
Defensive coordinator | Doug Knotts (1st season) |
Base defense | 3–4 |
MVP | Mark Haynes |
Captain | Stan Brock, Mark Haynes, Brian McCabe, Laval Short, Bill Solomon |
Home stadium | Folsom Field |
Seasons |
| Conf | Overall | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 3 Oklahoma $ | 7 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 11 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 9 Nebraska | 6 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 10 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Oklahoma State | 5 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Missouri | 3 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Colorado | 2 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 8 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Iowa State | 2 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 8 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kansas | 2 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 8 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kansas State | 1 | – | 6 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 8 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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* | ESPN | L 19–33 | 44,274 | ||
September 15 | LSU* |
| L 0–44 | 46,642 | [14] | |
September 22 | Drake* |
| L 9–13 | 40,126 | ||
September 29 | at Indiana* |
| W 17–16 | 36,100 | ||
October 6 | at No. 3 Oklahoma | L 24–49 | 71,187 | |||
October 20 | Missouri![]() |
| L 7–13 | 51,123 | ||
October 27 | at No. 2 Nebraska |
| L 10–38 | 76,158 | ||
November 3 | at Iowa State | L 10–24 | 47,100 | |||
November 10 | Oklahoma State |
| L 20–21 | 41,148 | ||
November 17 | at Kansas | W 31–17 | 25,572–31,125 | |||
November 24 | Kansas State |
| W 21–6 | 41,643 | ||
|
[15][16][17]
Personnel
Roster
1979 Colorado Buffaloes football team roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Offense
| Defense
| Special teams
|
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]
References
- ^ a b "Buffs belt Wildcats, 21-6". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. (Kansas). Associated Press. November 25, 1979. p. 3B.
- ^ "Buffs surprise Indiana, 17-16". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. (Kansas). Associated Press. September 30, 1979. p. 6B.
- ^ "Fairbanks denies a switch to CU". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. (Kansas). Associated Press. December 18, 1978. p. 17.
- ^ "Colorado lures Fairbanks". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. (Kansas). Associated Press. December 19, 1978. p. 13.
- ^ "Fairbanks tried to stay for duration". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). wire service reports. December 19, 1978. p. 1B.
- ^ "Patriots won't go without fight". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. (Kansas). Associated Press. December 20, 1978. p. 25.
- ^ "Fairbanks returns for playoffs". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. December 21, 1978. p. 3C.
- ^ "Fairbanks chronology". The Day. (New London, Connecticut). Associated Press. April 3, 1979. p. 28.
- ^ "Fairbanks given release to coach Colorado Buffs". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. April 3, 1979. p. 13.
- ^ Braude, Dick (April 3, 1979). "Patriots release Chuck Fairbanks". The Day. (New London, Connecticut). Associated Press. p. 28.
- ^ "CU reveals details of Fairbanks' deal". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. (Kansas). Associated Press. April 4, 1979. p. 19.
- ^ "Fairbanks plans to look first at Colorado running attack". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. (Kansas). Associated Press. April 5, 1979. p. 21.
- ^ Nack, William (October 8, 1979). "Rocky start in the Rockies". Sports Illustrated. p. 80.
- ^ "Woodley, defensive key Tigers past Colorado". The Daily Advertiser. September 16, 1979. Retrieved October 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "1979 Colorado Buffaloes Schedule and Results". College Football @ Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
- ^ "1979 Football Schedule". University of Colorado Boulder. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
- ^ a b "Colorado Football 2023 Record Book" (PDF). University of Colorado Boulder. p. 48. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
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