1986 Colorado Buffaloes football team

1986 Colorado Buffaloes football
Bluebonnet Bowl, L 9–21 vs. Baylor
ConferenceBig Eight Conference
Record6–6 (6–1 Big 8)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorGerry DiNardo (3rd season)
Offensive schemeWishbone
Defensive coordinatorLou Tepper (4th season)
Base defense3–4
Captains
Home stadiumFolsom Field
(Capacity: 51,463)
Seasons
← 1985
1987 →
1986 Big Eight Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 3 Oklahoma $ 7 0 0 11 1 0
Colorado 6 1 0 6 6 0
No. 5 Nebraska 5 2 0 10 2 0
Oklahoma State 4 3 0 6 5 0
Iowa State 3 4 0 6 5 0
Missouri 2 5 0 3 8 0
Kansas State 1 6 0 2 9 0
Kansas 0 7 0 3 8 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1986 Colorado Buffaloes football team represented the University of Colorado at Boulder in the Big Eight Conference during the 1986 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by fifth-year head coach Bill McCartney, Colorado opened with four losses,[1] but finished the regular season at 6–5 (6–1 in Big 8, second). It was their best conference record in a quarter century, and they were invited to the Bluebonnet Bowl in Houston on New Year's Eve.[2][3]

The Buffaloes were upset 23–7 in the opener by intrastate rival Colorado State,[4] but defeated Nebraska for the first time in nineteen years, and the first time in Boulder since 1960.[5]

  1. ^ "Arizona comeback foils Buffs, 24-21". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. (Kansas). Associated Press. September 28, 1986. p. 5B.
  2. ^ "Colorado 49, Kansas State 3". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. November 23, 1986. p. 7C.
  3. ^ "Baylor defense corrals Buffs in Bluebonnet". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. (Kansas). Associated Press. January 1, 1987. p. 1B.
  4. ^ "Bartalo shines as CSU surprises Colorado, 23-7". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. (Kansas). Associated Press. September 7, 1986. p. 3B.
  5. ^ "Buffs upset Nebraska, 20-10". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. (Kansas). Associated Press. October 26, 1986. p. 3B.