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Colorado football bowl history: Every bowl game the Buffaloes have played in

By Josh Yourish

2 JAN 1995: COLORADO HEAD COACH BILL MCCARTNEY IS CARRIED OFF THE FIELD AFTER HIS TEAM DEFEATED NOTRE DAME 41-24 IN THE FIESTA BOWL AT SUN DEVIL STADIUM IN TEMPE, ARIZONA. Mandatory Credit: Otto Greule/ALLSPORT
2 JAN 1995: COLORADO HEAD COACH BILL MCCARTNEY IS CARRIED OFF THE FIELD AFTER HIS TEAM DEFEATED NOTRE DAME 41-24 IN THE FIESTA BOWL AT SUN DEVIL STADIUM IN TEMPE, ARIZONA. Mandatory Credit: Otto Greule/ALLSPORT /
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Quarterback Darian Hagan of the Colorado Buffaloes runs down the field during a game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida. Colorado won the game 10-9.
Quarterback Darian Hagan of the Colorado Buffaloes runs down the field during a game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida. Colorado won the game 10-9. /

Orange Bowl (1-3)

1957: Colorado 27 Clemson 21

20 years after the school’s first-ever bowl game appearance, Colorado got its first-ever bowl game win. It took the Buffaloes 20 years to get back into a bowl game, but Dallas Ward led his team to a 7-2-1 record in the regular season to claim a spot in the Orange Bowl.

The only reason the Buffs got the bid to the bowl game is because the Big Seven Conference prohibited schools from consecutive bowl appearances. So, Big Seven runner-up Colorado was sent to Miami over Big Seven champs Oklahoma.

John Bayuk opened the scoring with a rushing touchdown for Colorado and also closed the game out with another TD in the fourth quarter.

1962: LSU 25 Colorado 7

1977: Ohio State 27 Colorado 10

1990: Notre Dame 21 Colorado 6

The Buffaloes were perfect in the regular season and came into their Orange Bowl matchup with No. 4 Notre Dame at a perfect 11-0, ranked No. 1 in the nation. A win would have secured a national championship, but after a scoreless first half, Anthony Johnson and Rocket Ismail ran for touchdowns in the third to give Notre Dame a 14-0 lead that the Fighting Irish did not relinquish.

1991: Colorado 10 Notre Dame 9

This time the Buffaloes came out on top. Again, Colorado was ranked first in the country despite a record of 10-1-1 with a loss at Illinois and a tie against Tennessee. The Buffaloes played the toughest schedule in the country, facing six ranked opponents in the regular season.

Eric Bienemy finished third in Heisman voting for the 1990 season and scored the game-winning touchdown for the Buffaloes at the end of the third quarter. The win claimed Colorado’s only football national championship.

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