1979 Colorado Buffaloes football
ConferenceBig Eight Conference
Record3–8 (2–5 Big 8)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorDoug Dickey (1st season)
Offensive schemeMultiple
Defensive coordinatorDoug Knotts (1st season)
Base defense3–4
MVPMark Haynes
CaptainStan Brock, Mark Haynes, Brian McCabe, Laval Short, Bill Solomon
Home stadiumFolsom Field
1979 Big Eight Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 3 Oklahoma $ 7 –0 –011 –1 –0
No. 9 Nebraska 6 –1 –010 –2 –0
Oklahoma State 5 –2 –07 –4 –0
Missouri 3 –4 –07 –5 –0
Colorado 2 –5 –03 –8 –0
Iowa State 2 –5 –03 –8 –0
Kansas 2 –5 –03 –8 –0
Kansas State 1 –6 –03 –8 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

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

DateOpponentSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 8Oregon*
ESPNL 19–3344,274
September 15LSU*
  • Folsom Field
  • Boulder, CO
L 0–4446,642[14]
September 22Drake*
  • Folsom Field
  • Boulder, CO
L 9–1340,126
September 29at Indiana*
W 17–1636,100
October 6at No. 3 Oklahoma
L 24–4971,187
October 20Missouridagger
  • Folsom Field
  • Boulder, CO
L 7–1351,123
October 27at No. 2 Nebraska
L 10–3876,158
November 3at Iowa State
L 10–2447,100
November 10Oklahoma State
  • Folsom Field
  • Boulder, CO
L 20–2141,148
November 17at Kansas
W 31–1725,572–31,125
November 24Kansas State
W 21–641,643
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[15][16][17]

Personnel

Roster

1979 Colorado Buffaloes football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
OT 79 Stan Brock (C) Sr
 Defense
Pos.#NameClass
CB 44 Mark Haynes (C) Sr
 Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

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

  1. 1 2 "Buffs belt Wildcats, 21-6". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. (Kansas). Associated Press. November 25, 1979. p. 3B.
  2. ↑ "Buffs surprise Indiana, 17-16". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. (Kansas). Associated Press. September 30, 1979. p. 6B.
  3. ↑ "Fairbanks denies a switch to CU". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. (Kansas). Associated Press. December 18, 1978. p. 17.
  4. ↑ "Colorado lures Fairbanks". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. (Kansas). Associated Press. December 19, 1978. p. 13.
  5. ↑ "Fairbanks tried to stay for duration". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). wire service reports. December 19, 1978. p. 1B.
  6. ↑ "Patriots won't go without fight". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. (Kansas). Associated Press. December 20, 1978. p. 25.
  7. ↑ "Fairbanks returns for playoffs". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. December 21, 1978. p. 3C.
  8. ↑ "Fairbanks chronology". The Day. (New London, Connecticut). Associated Press. April 3, 1979. p. 28.
  9. ↑ "Fairbanks given release to coach Colorado Buffs". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. April 3, 1979. p. 13.
  10. ↑ Braude, Dick (April 3, 1979). "Patriots release Chuck Fairbanks". The Day. (New London, Connecticut). Associated Press. p. 28.
  11. ↑ "CU reveals details of Fairbanks' deal". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. (Kansas). Associated Press. April 4, 1979. p. 19.
  12. ↑ "Fairbanks plans to look first at Colorado running attack". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. (Kansas). Associated Press. April 5, 1979. p. 21.
  13. ↑ Nack, William (October 8, 1979). "Rocky start in the Rockies". Sports Illustrated. p. 80.
  14. ↑ "Woodley, defensive key Tigers past Colorado". The Daily Advertiser. September 16, 1979. Retrieved October 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ "1979 Colorado Buffaloes Schedule and Results". College Football @ Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
  16. ↑ "1979 Football Schedule". University of Colorado Boulder. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
  17. 1 2 "Colorado Football 2023 Record Book" (PDF). University of Colorado Boulder. p. 48. Retrieved October 24, 2023.


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