1979 Colorado Buffaloes football team

1979 Colorado Buffaloes football
Conference	Big Eight Conference
Record	3–8 (2–5 Big 8)
Head coach	Chuck Fairbanks (1st season)
Offensive coordinator	Doug Dickey (1st season)
Offensive scheme	Multiple
Defensive coordinator	Doug Knotts (1st season)
Base defense	3–4
MVP	Mark Haynes
Captain	Stan Brock, Mark Haynes, Brian McCabe, Laval Short, Bill Solomon
Home stadium	Folsom Field

1979 Big Eight Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 3 Oklahoma $	7	–	0	–	0			11	–	1	–	0
No. 9 Nebraska	6	–	1	–	0			10	–	2	–	0
Oklahoma State	5	–	2	–	0			7	–	4	–	0
Missouri	3	–	4	–	0			7	–	5	–	0
Colorado	2	–	5	–	0			3	–	8	–	0
Iowa State	2	–	5	–	0			3	–	8	–	0
Kansas	2	–	5	–	0			3	–	8	–	0
Kansas State	1	–	6	–	0			3	–	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

Date	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Source
September 8	Oregon*	Folsom Field Boulder, CO	ESPN	L 19–33	44,274	[14]
September 15	LSU*	Folsom Field Boulder, CO		L 0–44	46,642	[15]
September 22	Drake*	Folsom Field Boulder, CO		L 9–13	40,126	[16]
September 29	at Indiana*	Memorial Stadium Bloomington, IN		W 17–16	36,100	[17]
October 6	at No. 3 Oklahoma	Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Norman, OK		L 24–49	71,187	[18]
October 20	Missouri	Folsom Field Boulder, CO		L 7–13	51,123	[19]
October 27	at No. 2 Nebraska	Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE		L 10–38	76,158	[20]
November 3	at Iowa State	Cyclone Stadium Ames, IA		L 10–24	47,100	[21]
November 10	Oklahoma State	Folsom Field Boulder, CO		L 20–21	41,148	[22]
November 17	at Kansas	Memorial Stadium Lawrence, KS		W 31–17	25,572–31,125	[23]
November 24	Kansas State	Folsom Field Boulder, CO (rivalry)		W 21–6	22,391	[24]
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

^[25][26][27]

Personnel

Roster

1979 Colorado Buffaloes football team roster
Players			Coaches
Offense Pos. # Name Class OT 79 Stan Brock (C) Sr	Defense Pos. # Name Class CB 44 Mark Haynes (C) Sr	Special teams Pos. # Name Class	Head coach Chuck Fairbanks (1st year) Coordinators/assistant coaches Doug Dickey (OC) Doug Knotts (DC) Ron Marciniak (OL) Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured 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

^[27]

References

1. "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. "Fairbanks CU debut is spoiled". Lincoln Journal Star. September 9, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
15. "Woodley, defensive key Tigers past Colorado". The Daily Advertiser. September 16, 1979. Retrieved October 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
16. "Drake trips Colorado for upset". The Idaho Statesman. September 23, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
17. "Colorado Buffaloes I.U." The Indianapolis Star. September 30, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
18. "Oklahoma downs Colorado..." The Grand Island Independent. October 7, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
19. "Defense gives Missouri triumph". Springfield News-Leader. October 21, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
20. "Redwine gains 206 yards, scores 3 times as No. 2 Huskers rip Buffs". The Des Moines Register. October 28, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
21. "Cyclones corral Buffs 24–10". The Daily Nonpareil. November 4, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
22. "Oklahoma State rallies to edge Colorado, 21–20". The Sioux City Journal. November 11, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
23. "Solomon lifts Colorado". The Grand Island Independent. November 18, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
24. "'79 curtain collapses on Cats". The Manhattan Mercury. November 25, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
25. "1979 Colorado Buffaloes Schedule and Results". College Football @ Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
26. "1979 Football Schedule". University of Colorado Boulder. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
27. "Colorado Football 2023 Record Book" (PDF). University of Colorado Boulder. p. 48. Retrieved October 24, 2023.