This Day in History: Nov. 7

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This Day in History: Nov. 7

Colorado record on Nov. 7: 10-7

1891 - Colorado Mines – L 6-0;

1893 – Colorado Mines – L 24-10;

1899 – Colorado College – L 17-5;

1903 – Denver – W 10-0;

1914 – Utah – W 33-0;

1925 – Colorado College – W 23-6;

1931 – Denver – W 25-6;

1936 – Utah – W 31-7;

1942 – Utah – L 13-0;

1953 – Utah – W 21-0;

1959 – Kansas – W 27-14;

1964 – Missouri – L 16-7;

1970 – Kansas – W 45-29;

1981 – Missouri – L 30-14;

1987 – Missouri – W 27-10;

1992 – Oklahoma State – W 28-0;

1998 – Missouri – L 38-14.

Nov. 7: Colorado—best game on this date

Colorado vs Oklahoma State: Nov. 7, 1992

Pac-12?

The week after the Nebraska game was hard on Buffs’ fans. Nebraska had beaten Colorado for the first time in four years, and had beaten CU badly, 52-7. Even with the Buffs’ recent success, the series record stood at 35-14-2, Nebraska. Perhaps the prospect of leaving the Big Red Menace off of future schedules was the reason why an article in the Dallas Morning News the day after the Colorado/Nebraska game received the attention it did.

In a copyrighted story, the Dallas Morning News quoted two officials from the Pac-10 Conference as saying that league officers had met to discuss expanding the 10-team league to 12 teams, with Colorado and Texas to be the targets of the expansion.  “No comment” was the order of the day for athletic directors when questioned, but no one denied that the discussions were taking place.

I thought it was a great idea. The idea of competing in the “Pac-12″ to me meant more opportunities to see the Buffs. A weekend in Seattle had already been done (for the CU/Washington game in 1989), and potential trips to Los Angeles and the San Francisco area had much more appeal to them than trips to Stillwater, Oklahoma, or Manhattan, Kansas. CU recruited heavily in California, and the Buffs’ new offense was more suited for the balanced attacks found on the west coast. It seemed a perfect fit.

It was just a fit, which never quite seemed to work out.

Nov. 7: Boulder—No. 16 Colorado 28, Oklahoma State 0

Oklahoma State was a much improved team in 1992. Rebounding from a disastrous 0-10-1 1991 campaign, the Cowboys were a respectable 4-4 coming into Boulder, including conference wins over Missouri, and Iowa State. But the Cowboys were the Buffs’ Homecoming opponent for a reason. OSU played its role of sacrificial lamb well, succumbing to the Buffs, 28-0.

Colorado posted a touchdown in each quarter, the first coming on a Lamont Warren two-yard run to cap a 12-play drive on the Buffs’ first possession. Warren scored again in the second stanza, as the Buffs provided the Homecoming crowd of 51,559 a 14-0 halftime cushion. With a two score lead, CU was never again threatened. The dominating Buff defense posted its second shutout of the season, forcing a school-record eight turnovers.

In the third quarter, quarterback Kordell Stewart, returning to the starting lineup after sitting out with a broken wrist, connected with Michael Westbrook on a record-setting score.  Westbrook’s 12th career touchdown catch surpassed the record of 11 set by Gary Knafelc in 1952-53.  The fact that the new record was established by a sophomore was testament in itself of the new direction of the Colorado offense.

“Overall, it was a good, sound victory after a humiliating defeat”, said head coach Bill McCartney. “We did a better job of taking care of the football (in committing a season-low one turnover). I think we made some progress and I think we showed some grit.”

The Buffs were now back on track, if not for the Orange Bowl, at least for a New Year's Day bowl game. CU was ranked 13th in the nation, 7-1-1 overall, 3-1-1 in Big Eight play.  Standing in the way of the Buffs’ bowl aspirations now, were the Kansas Jayhawks. 

Surprisingly Kansas was 7-2 on the season, and, more importantly, 4-1 in the conference.  A loss to the 20th ranked Jayhawks would relegate the Buffs to no better than a third place finish in the Big Eight.

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