This Day in History—Oct. 24

(Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

This Day in History—Oct. 24

Colorado on Oct. 24—5-10

1891 – Colorado Mines – L 10-6;

1903 – Nebraska L – 31-0;

1908 – Colorado State – W 8-0;

1925 – Utah – L 12-7;

1931 – Colorado State – L 19-6;

1936 – Colorado State – W 9-7;

1942 – Colorado State – W 34-7;

1953 – Oklahoma – L 27-20;

1959 – Arizona – W 18-0;

1964 – Nebraska – L 21-3;

1970 – Missouri – L 30-16;

1981 – Iowa State – L 17-10;

1987 – Oklahoma – L 24-7;

1992 – Kansas State – W 54-7;

1998 – Texas Tech – L 33-17.

Oct. 24th—Colorado—best game on this date

No. 9 Colorado v. Kansas State— Oct. 24, 1992

[The Buffs in 1992 were looking to "four-pete" as Big Eight champions, and were undefeated through the first part of the 1992 season. A 24-24 tie with Oklahoma had dropped the seventh ranked Buffs to ninth, but kept in tact the Buffs' title hopes.]

The 24-24 tie was satisfying only because of the comeback.  The Sooners had been struggling in 1992, but the Buffs made Oklahoma look like world-beaters in surrendering seven turnovers.  “I feel very fortunate to get out of here with a tie under the circumstances,” said McCartney in his post-game comments.  “This keeps us unbeaten (5-0-1, 1-0-1 in Big Eight play) and keeps alive a lot of the things we want to do this season.”

Oct. 24—Boulder No. 9 Colorado 54, Kansas State 7

The ninth-ranked Buffs controlled an entire game for the first time in 1992, dominating Kansas State 54-7.  Colorado scored early and often, lighting up the scoreboard on seven of its first 11 possessions in cruising to a 30-0 halftime lead before a sold-out Folsom Field crowd of 52,235.  The Wildcats, with a respectable 3-2 record coming into Boulder, left town without an offensive touchdown, scoring only on a an interception return after the game was well in hand. 

”It would be an understatement to say that the defense was dominant,” said McCartney. “The fact of the matter is I can’t remember a time our defense was so dominant in a game.”  The numbers backed up the Colorado head coach.  Kansas State was held to three first downs (zero- for-10 on third down attempts), and 16 total yards.  The ineptitude of the Wildcats led to thirteen punts, 10 of which were returned for 167 yards by senior cornerback and kick return specialist Deon Figures.  Both of Figures’ numbers set school records, with the yardage record surpassing a mark set by Byron “Whizzer” White against Utah in 1936.

On offense, Kordell Stewart returned to the helm (despite a broken wrist) to lead the way, passing and running for first half touchdowns.  Also noteworthy on a day when McCartney could afford to scout out his young talent, two freshmen scored their first career touchdowns for Colorado.  Running back Rashaan Salaam scored on a two-yard run in the second quarter, while Duke Tobin connected with wide receiver Rae Carruth on a 20-yard scoring strike to close out the scoring in the fourth.

The Buffs were now 6-0-1, 2-0-1 in conference play.  As fate would have it, when the Associated Press poll came out the week after the Kansas State game, Colorado was tied for 8th in the nation with 1,046 total points.  The team the Buffs were tied with?  It was none other than the opponent up next on the calendar—the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

[The Buffs would fall to Nebraska in Lincoln, 52-7, in the "Halloween massacre" the following week. The Buffs would win their remaining Big Eight games to finish the regular season with a 9-1-1 record, 5-1-1 in Big Eight play. A 26-22 loss to No. 6 Syracuse in the Fiesta Bowl would drop the Buffs to 13th in the final polls.]

Best Games in College Football History— Oct. 24   

1964— No. 5 Nebraska 21, Colorado 3

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