1979 Colorado Buffaloes football team
American college football season
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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.
- Chuck Fairbanks (1st season)
| 1979 Colorado Buffaloes football | |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| Captains |
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| Home stadium | Folsom Field |
| 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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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 | [14] | |
| September 15 | LSU* |
| L 0–44 | 46,642 | [15] | |
| September 22 | Drake* |
| L 9–13 | 40,126 | [16] | |
| September 29 | at Indiana* | W 17–16 | 36,100 | [17] | ||
| October 6 | at No. 3 Oklahoma | L 24–49 | 71,187 | [18] | ||
| October 20 | Missouri |
| L 7–13 | 51,123 | [19] | |
| October 27 | at No. 2 Nebraska | L 10–38 | 76,158 | [20] | ||
| November 3 | at Iowa State | L 10–24 | 47,100 | [21] | ||
| November 10 | Oklahoma State |
| L 20–21 | 41,148 | [22] | |
| November 17 | at Kansas | W 31–17 | 25,572–31,125 | [23] | ||
| November 24 | Kansas State |
| W 21–6 | 22,391 | [24] | |
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Personnel
Roster
| 1979 Colorado Buffaloes football team roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Offense
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Defense
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Special teams
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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
