UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO BUFFALOES / SPORTS INFORMATION SERVICE www.CUBuffs.com Fieldhouse Annex #50, 357 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0357 © 2005 CU Athletics Telephone 303/492-5626 (FAX: 303/492-3811; E-mail: [email protected]) David Plati (Associate AD/Sports Information), Lindsay Anhold (Associate SID), Andrew Green (Assistant SID), COLORADO Troy Andre (Assistant SID/Internet Managing Editor), Linda Poncin (Assistant SID), Erich Schubert (Graduate Assistant).
2005 COLORADO Football: GAME 1 — COLORADO STATE Saturday, September 3 in Boulder (1:40 p.m. MDT; TBS National) RELEASE NUMBER 1 (August 29, 2005)
QUICKLY SPEAKING…
The Colorado Buffaloes (8-5, 4-4/1st in the Big 12 North Division in 2004) open their 116th season of intercollegiate football on September 3, as the Buffs host the in-state rival Colorado State Rams (4-7, 3-4/tie for 4th in the MWC) in a 1:40 p.m. kickoff at Folsom Field… TBS televising the game nationally, with Ron Thulin (play-by-play), Charles Davis (analysis) and Craig Sager (sideline reporter) to call the action… This is the second straight CU-CSU game on campus (both in Boulder); the six games from 1998 to 2003 were played in Denver (Mile High Stadium and then INVESCO Field at Mile High in Denver). CSU is the host in 2006 with the game likely returning to Denver… It’s the eighth time in the last nine seasons the Buffs open against CSU but only the 12th time the Rams provide the competition in the opener; the Buffs have won seven of the 11 games, only one of which took place prior to the resumption of the rivalry in 1983… Colorado enters 2005 with a 643-396-36 all-time record (a .615 winning percentage), as the Buffaloes rank 15th all-time in the NCAA in wins and 22nd in winning percentage… A win over the Rams would enable Gary Barnett to pull even at 78-78-1 for his Division I-A coaching tenure; while still waiting to top .500 for the first time, he’s had to come from the depths as he was 16 games under two contests into his fourth year at Northwestern (thus, he’s 68-53 since)… PK Mason Crosby will celebrate his 21st birthday on game day against the Rams… CU’s website, www.CUBuffs.com features game day updates and live stats for all games, home and road… Through the end of business on Monday, there were just under 3,000 tickets remaining for the CU- CSU game (2,987 to be exact). DEPTH CHART ON PAGE 32
IN THE POLLS
CU was unranked in both the Associated Press (media) and USA Today Coaches preseason polls, but received votes (and enough points) to rank 32nd in the AP and 34th by the coaches. The Buffaloes were not ranked in the top 25 at season’s end in 2004, ending 31st in the coaches and 32 in the AP. Prior to the loss to Oklahoma in the ’04 Big 12 Championship game, CU had ascended to its highest point all season, 27th in the AP and 29th in the coaches. The Buffs were last ranked on September 7, 2003, having risen to No. 17 in both after opening 2-0. Dating back to the preseason 1989 polls, CU has been ranked in 182 of the last 264 polls (AP; 69%), which includes 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 (83), trailing Florida (90) and Florida State and Michigan (both 86).
STAT OF THE WEEK
QB Joel Klatt should get to three milestones fairly quickly in 2005: he needs just five attempts for 700 in his career; his 32nd completion will set a school record as he has 425, trailing only Kordell Stewart’s 456; and he is just 321 yards shy of becoming the third player in school history to reach 5,000.
OBSCURE NOTES OF THE WEEK
Colorado leads the CSU series by a 13-4 count since it was resumed after a 25-year dormancy in 1983. The Buffs have outscored the Rams by 524-356 in those games; CU has held the lead in 15 games, CSU in 10 games, and in eight of the 17 games both teams owned a lead. Out of 1,020 minutes of game time, CU has led for 619:57 (61% of the time), CSU for 237:44 (23%; well over half of the Rams time ahead came in their three wins in Denver in 1999, 2000 and 2002: 133:20). Colorado is 6-0 when rushing for 250 or more yards, and is 8-1 when holding the Rams under 100. CU has not registered a shutout in a season opener, nor have the Buffs been held scoreless in a lid-lifter for the last 40 games; in 1965, Colorado traveled to Wisconsin where the game ended in a 0-0 tie, the third-to-last scoreless tie in NCAA history.
2005 COLORADO SCHEDULE (0-0, 0-0 BIG 12)
2004 Date CU* Opponent Opp* TV Result/Time Record Series This-N-That SEPT. 3 NR COLORADO STATE NR TBA 1:40 p.m. 4-7 56-18-2 Buffs gunning for third straight win in series SEPT. 10 NEW MEXICO STATE (FN) FSN 8:00 p.m. 5-6 0- 0-0 First meeting in series for schools in neighboring states Sept. 24 at Miami, Fla. TBA TBA 9-3 5- 2-0 Returning ’93 Hurricane appearance in Boulder Oct. 1 at Oklahoma State TBA TBA 7-5 25-17-1 CU’s win last meeting in Stillwater (’01) started title run OCT. 8 TEXAS A & M (H) TBA TBA 7-5 4- 2-0 Buffs look to avenge 2004 OT loss in College Station Oct. 15 at Texas TBA TBA 11-1 7- 7-0 UT won 3 of last 4, but CU win was in the ’01 title game OCT. 22 KANSAS (FW) TBA TBA 4-7 40-21-3 CU has won 9 of last 10 at Folsom, four straight overall Oct. 29 at Kansas State TBA TBA 4-7 42-17-1 Klatt 64 TD pass to Monteilh with 0:05 left wins ’04 game NOV. 5 MISSOURI TBA TBA 5-6 30-36-3 Barnett 5-1 vs. alma mater (CU leads 17-3 in last 20) Nov. 12 at Iowa State TBA TBA 7-5 46-12-1 CU, ISU garnered majority of preseason Big 12 North votes NOV. 25 NEBRASKA ABC 1:30 p.m. 5-6 17-43-2 CU has won three of last four; NU leads 12-6-1 since ‘86 Dec. 3 Big 12 Championship Game ABC 11:00 a.m. (Houston, Texas) Buffs have appeared in thee of last four title games (All times mountain. KEY: *—AP rank at game time; —Big 12 Conference game; FW—Fireworks Night; H—Homecoming; FW—Family Weekend) 2 | 2005 Colorado Football: The Media Page | 2
MEDIA SERVICES