UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS Fieldhouse Annex #50, 357 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0357 www.CUBuffs.com Telephone 303/492-5626 (FAX: 303/492-3811; E-mail: [email protected]) David Plati (Assistant AD/Media Relations), Colleen Reilly Krueger (Associate SID), Lindsay Anhold (Assistant SID), Andrew Green (Assistant SID), Troy Andre (Asst. SID/Internet Managing Editor), Barry Rubenstein (Grad Assistant), COLORADO Patrick Gleason (FB Student Assistant). © 2003 CU Athletics. 2003 CU Football: Game 8— Oklahoma SAT., OCT. 25 / Folsom Field, Boulder, Colo. / 5:10 p.m. MDT (TBS Sports) RELEASE NUMBER 7 (Oct. 20, 2003) Quickly The Colorado Buffaloes (3-4, 1-2 Big 12) host the nation’s No. 1 team this Saturday night, as the Oklahoma Sooners (7-0, 3-0 Big 12) make their first visit to Boulder since 1999 for a 5:10 p.m. mountain kickoff at Folsom Field… Oklahoma is ranked first in both the AP and ESPN/USA Today Coaches polls, and is also No. 1 in the season’s initial BCS Standings… The last time the Buffs hosted the nation’s No 1 team was almost 25 years ago to the week, as Oklahoma came into Boulder on Nov. 4, 1978 and beat the Buffs, 28-7, in a game that tied at 7-7 at halftime; it’s the fourth time CU is hosting the nation’s No. 1 team (AP or Coaches; Nebraska was No. 1 in the BCS Standings back in 2001)… The Sooners swept a pair of games from CU last year, winning in Norman (27-11 on Nov. 2) and in Houston (29-7 in the Big 12 title game). OU’s last win in Boulder was a 17-14 escape back in 1988; since, the Buffs own a 3-0-1 edge in games played at Folsom… CU’s official website, www.CUBuffs.com, features game day updates and live stats for all games, home and road… The Oklahoma (Oct. 25) and Nebraska (Nov. 28) games are sold out, while about 2,500 tickets remain for the Missouri contest on Nov. 8. DEPTH CHART ON PAGE 40 National Appeal The CU-Oklahoma game will be broadcast nationally on both television and radio. Superstation TBS will televise the game, its first ever from Boulder, with Ron Thulin (play-by-play), Charles Davis (color commentary), Erin Andrews (sidelines) and Craig Sager (sidelines) behind the microphones. Sports USA Radio will feed the game to several radio stations nationally, with Larry Kahn (play-by-play), Gino Torretta (analyst) and Troy West (sidelines) in Boulder to call the action. Press Box Fundraiser A heads up to media attending this week: we will be doing a fundraiser for the Journalism School and will be requesting a $10 donation for the press box meal (which is a minimum $11.71 value). Funds raised will go directly to purchase small DV cameras, editing accessories or wireless microphones for news and sports classes. In-The-Polls CU was unranked in both the Associated Press (media) and USA Today/ESPN (coaches) polls of Sunday, Oct. 19. The Buffs had climbed to No. 17 in both after opening 2-0, and prior to the 47-26 loss to Washington State. CU opened the year unranked and received votes in each, but entered the rankings after the win over CSU in the opener. CU has been ranked in 182 of the last 239 polls (AP; 76%), including a tremendous run of 143 consecutive between 1989 and 1997 (the 10th longest streak of all- time). Since 1989, CU has played the fourth most ranked teams in the nation (76), trailing Florida (82), Florida State (82) and Michigan (79). Stat of the Week Colorado opponents have taken pretty good care of the ball lately—committing just one turnover in the last 16 quarters (a third quarter fumble by Baylor). CU has 18 on the season, compared to just six for the opponent; CU has scored only seven of its 191 points following a turnover in 2003 (while opponents have turned CU’s 18 into 62 points). Obscure Note of the Week Eight different players have caught 10 or more passes for the Buffs this season; that ties the previous best in that category. Three other times in CU history eight players have caught 10 or more passes in a single year: 1996, 1999 and 2001. Through seven games, CU has completed 175 passes—already the 10th most ever by a Buffalo team. The record, 233 set in 1999, is in real danger of falling. 2003 Colorado Schedule (3-4, 1-2 Big 12) Date CU* Opponent Opp* TV Result/Time Record Series This-N-That Aug. 30 NR Colorado State (in Denver) 23 ESPN W 42-35 5-3 55-18-2 Klatt throws for 402, 4 TDs in prolific starting debut SEPT. 6 24 UCLA NR ABC W 16-14 5-2 2- 4-0 JK-to-JK (Klatt to Klopfenstein) wins it with 2:15 left SEPT. 13 17 WASHINGTON STATE NR PPV L 26-47 6-1 3- 2-0 Five TO’s, kickoff & INT returns for TDs do Buffs in Sept. 20 NR at Florida State 10 ABC L 7-47 6-1 0- 1-0 FSU pulls away late in third, fourth quarters for win Oct. 4 NR at Baylor NR FOX-S L 30-42 3-4 8- 5-0 Five TO’s undo WRs McCoy (171 yds) & Hackett (143) OCT. 11 NR KANSAS (FW) NR none W 50-47 OT 5-2 39-21-3 Buffs rally from 11 down and win on Calhoun 12 run Oct. 18 NR at Kansas State NR none L 20-49 5-3 41-17-1 CU rolls up 422 on O, but 2 blocked punts do CU in OCT. 25 NR OKLAHOMA (H) 1 TBS 5:10 p.m. 7-0 16-36-2 OU sweep in ’02 stopped 8-0-1 Colorado run Nov. 1 at Texas Tech FSN 5:00 p.m. 5-2 3- 3-0 Home team has won all six games in series NOV. 8 MISSOURI TBA TBA 5-2 29-35-3 CU has 16-2 edge since ’85 (8-1 in Boulder) Nov. 15 at Iowa State TBA TBA 2-5 44-12-1 Buffs lead series 18-1 since ’84 (9-0 in Ames) NOV. 28 NEBRASKA ABC 10:00 a.m. 6-1 16-43-2 CU seeking three straight for first time since ’56-58 Dec. 6 Big 12 Championship Game ABC 5:00 p.m. (Kansas City, Mo.) No team has participated three straight times (All times mountain. KEY: *—AP rank at game time; —Big 12 Conference game; H—Homecoming; FW—Family Weekend) 2 | 2003 Colorado Football: The Media Page | 2 Media Services Coach Gary Barnett holds a Tuesday press luncheon in the Dal Ward Athletic Center, starting at 11:30 a.m. with lunch, followed by Barnett beginning the interview session promptly at Noon. This year’s dates: Sept. 2-9-16-30, Oct. 7-14-21-28, Nov. 4-11-24 (Monday), Dec. 2-TBA (bowl). NOTE that there are no organized press luncheons on Sept. 22 and Nov. 18 (Tuesdays of bye weeks). The press conference portion of the luncheon is streamed live on CUBuffs.com (in the Buffs Backstage Pass area); media can watch and listen by contacting David Plati in advance for free access codes ([email protected]). Barnett can be heard Mondays on the Big 12 Football Teleconference Call at 10:40 a.m. mountain time. All coaches participate weekly; please call 913/981-5507 for access (this number is intended for media only). The teleconference is replayed later in the day, and is available by calling 402/222-9912 after 3 p.m. mountain time. Video highlights of CU football games are available Tuesdays on the Big 12 Conference’s satellite highlights package, which can be found at Galaxy 4R (C-band), Transponder 20 (orbital slot 99W; 4100 MHz vertical, standard audio 6.2-6.8 MHz between 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. MT from Aug. 26 through Dec. 9 (trouble number: 817/265-4465). Special requests can be made through CU’s BuffVision (303-735-3637). The Colorado lockerroom (home and road) is closed to all members of the media after games; following the customary 10-minute cooling off period, players will be made available (a list of players will be solicited immediately following the game). Colorado’s football practices are closed to the public and media in 2003. The first 20 minutes of practice are open for photography (video) needs from the end zones and sidelines; after the 20-minute cutoff, all must leave practice at that time. This year’s tentative meeting/practice schedule (mountain time): Sunday (off); Monday (2:00-3:30; 3:30-6:00); Tuesday (2:15-3:30/3:30- 6:00), Wednesday (2:15-3:30/3:30-6:00), Thursday (2:15-3:30/3:30-5:30), Friday (5:30-6:00, evening meetings). Interviews with Colorado players are allowed both pre- and post-practice on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays (the cutoff moves up to post-Tuesday practice for Friday games). Phone interviews with out-of-town media are allowed all three days in both time slots. Interviews on Sundays are at the discretion of the player, as it being the standard player day off (no meetings or practice), CU can’t arrange due to NCAA rules. CU on the Internet Colorado has its information available to both the media and fans alike on the Internet.