First Win Against Colorado?

Gophergrandpa

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 17, 2018
Messages
3,841
Reaction score
4,721
Points
113

Here is a nice summary of Gopher factoids going into the Colorado game. News to me: we have played Colorado three times before and own a 0-3 record against them. Last game/loss was 29 years ago, in 1992. Time for the Gophers to put a game in the W column.

If we rely heavily on the run against Colorado, we play into their defensive strength. Maybe that will work for us anyway, if the OL is in top form and we’ve got two or three RBs contributing well. If we can get a good passing game going, putting some stress on the Buffaloes’ safeties, our run game should benefit.

The Buffaloes’ run game is very good, in part because their QB runs a lot and effectively. Hope we have a strategy to bottle up their QB. He is kind of like young Martinez (Nebraska), I think—but perhaps more of a leader and less of a head case. I can see why many pundits think Colorado will win this game, especially after it hog tied Texas A&M for so long. But I think the Gophers will be ready, and, unlike A&M, will be playing an experienced QB. Go Gophers.
 
Last edited:


Here is a nice summary of Gopher factoids going into the Colorado game. News to me: we have played Colorado three times before and own a 0-3 record against them. Last game/loss was 29 years ago, in 1992. Time for the Gophers to put a game in the W column.

If we rely heavily on the run against Colorado, we play into their defensive strength. Maybe that will work for us anyway, if the OL is in top form and we’ve got two or three RBs contributing well. If we can get a good passing game going, putting some stress on the Bison’s safeties, our run game should benefit.

The Bison’s run game is very good, in part because their QB runs a lot and effectively. Hope we have a strategy to bottle up their QB. He is kind of like young Martinez (Nebraska), I think—but perhaps more of a leader and less of a head case. I can see why many pundits think Colorado will win this game, especially after it hog tied Texas A&M for so long. But I think the Gophers will be ready, and, unlike A&M, will be playing an experienced QB. Go Gophers.
To be playing an inexperienced QB a couple horrible things have to happen to us
 


Here is a nice summary of Gopher factoids going into the Colorado game. News to me: we have played Colorado three times before and own a 0-3 record against them. Last game/loss was 29 years ago, in 1992. Time for the Gophers to put a game in the W column.

If we rely heavily on the run against Colorado, we play into their defensive strength. Maybe that will work for us anyway, if the OL is in top form and we’ve got two or three RBs contributing well. If we can get a good passing game going, putting some stress on the Bison’s safeties, our run game should benefit.

The Bison’s run game is very good, in part because their QB runs a lot and effectively. Hope we have a strategy to bottle up their QB. He is kind of like young Martinez (Nebraska), I think—but perhaps more of a leader and less of a head case. I can see why many pundits think Colorado will win this game, especially after it hog tied Texas A&M for so long. But I think the Gophers will be ready, and, unlike A&M, will be playing an experienced QB. Go Gophers.
The gophers are playing Colorado. Not the Bison.
 


Here's a little background about our history with Colorado.

Minnesota Vs. Colorado, series history:
  • 1972, Colorado won in Minneapolis, 38-6.
  • 1991, Colorado won in Boulder, 58-0.
  • 1992, Colorado won in Minneapolis, 21-20
More about Colorado compared to Minnesota:
  • The Buffaloes claim one national title (1990) and have 27 conference titles. (Minnesota claims seven national titles and 18 conference titles)
  • Colorado plays its home games at Folsom Field, a stadium with a 50,183 capacity. (Minnesota plays at Huntington Bank Stadium, a facility with a 50,805 capacity)
  • Colorado has a bowl record of 12-17. (Minnesota's bowl record is 9-12)
Against the state of Colorado:
  • While the Gophers haven't defeated the :Buffaloes, it has better success against other FBS schools in the state. Minnesota is 1-0 Vs. Air Force and 4-0 Vs. Colorado State.
Recent Colorado history compared to Minnesota:
  • 2010, Colorado finished 5-7 (2-6). Minnesota finished 3-9 (2-6)
  • 2011, Colorado finished 3-10 (2-7). Minnesota finished 3-9 (2-6)
  • 2012, Colorado finished 1-11 (1-8). Minnesota finished 6-7 (2-6) with a Car Care Bowl loss.
  • 2013, Colorado finished 4-8 (1-8). Minnesota finished 8-5 (4-4) with a Texas Bowl loss.
  • 2014, Colorado finished 2-10 (0-9). Minnesota finished 8-5 (5-3) with a Citrus Bowl loss.
  • 2015, Colorado finished 4-9 (1-8). Minnesota finished 6-7 (2-6) with a Motor City Bowl win.
  • 2016, Colorado finished 10-4 (8-1) with an Alamo Bowl loss and a 15/17 ranking. Minnesota finished 9-4 (5-4) with a Holiday Bowl win.
  • 2017, Colorado finished 5-7 (2-7). Minnesota finished 5-7 (2-7).
  • 2018, Colorado finished 5-7 (2-7). Minnesota finished 7-6 (3-6) with a Motor City Bowl win.
  • 2019, Colorado finished 5-7, (3-6). Minnesota finished 11-2 (7-2) with a Outback Bowl win and a 10/10 ranking.
  • 2020, Colorado finished 5-2 (3-1) with an Alamo Bowl loss. Minnesota finished 3-4.
Over the above time period, Colorado is 49-82 and Minnesota is 69-65.
 
Last edited:




Here is a nice summary of Gopher factoids going into the Colorado game. News to me: we have played Colorado three times before and own a 0-3 record against them. Last game/loss was 29 years ago, in 1992. Time for the Gophers to put a game in the W column.

If we rely heavily on the run against Colorado, we play into their defensive strength. Maybe that will work for us anyway, if the OL is in top form and we’ve got two or three RBs contributing well. If we can get a good passing game going, putting some stress on the Buffaloes’ safeties, our run game should benefit.

The Buffaloes’ run game is very good, in part because their QB runs a lot and effectively. Hope we have a strategy to bottle up their QB. He is kind of like young Martinez (Nebraska), I think—but perhaps more of a leader and less of a head case. I can see why many pundits think Colorado will win this game, especially after it hog tied Texas A&M for so long. But I think the Gophers will be ready, and, unlike A&M, will be playing an experienced QB. Go Gophers.
It’s only his third start ever. Good runner, but I like our chances if we can avoid getting gashed by the run game. I understand they hung with TAMU, but northern Colorado was also only down 14 into the fourth quarter.
 

Colorado came into the 1972 game a top five or top ten team. It was Cal Stoll’s first home game as coach. I was a fourth grader impressed by the cowboy hats and cowboy boots of the Buffalo fans—the visiting fans sat below us in section 26 at Memorial Stadium.
 

I remember sitting there, 45 minutes outside of Lincoln, NE as a 10 year old with a crappy transistor radio I won at the Care Bears movie listening to a static-filled broadcast of the 58-0 loss to Colorado in 1991.

I can't believe I stuck with it. I don't even have any family who went to the U.
 




I remember sitting there, 45 minutes outside of Lincoln, NE as a 10 year old with a crappy transistor radio I won at the Care Bears movie listening to a static-filled broadcast of the 58-0 loss to Colorado in 1991.

I can't believe I stuck with it. I don't even have any family who went to the U.
I remember listening to that game with my dad and him telling me "it will get better, the Gophers will get back to the rose bowl."

Still waiting
 

Colorado came into the 1972 game a top five or top ten team. It was Cal Stoll’s first home game as coach. I was a fourth grader impressed by the cowboy hats and cowboy boots of the Buffalo fans—the visiting fans sat below us in section 26 at Memorial Stadium.
I love these stories!
 

Its a big game. Power 5 vs Power 5. And yet here we are with many of us scrambling to find a TV option to watch this game, in 2021. Where is MSC when we need it?
 




Colorado came into the 1972 game a top five or top ten team. It was Cal Stoll’s first home game as coach. I was a fourth grader impressed by the cowboy hats and cowboy boots of the Buffalo fans—the visiting fans sat below us in section 26 at Memorial Stadium.

Yes. Let's look at the respective teams for those prior 3 games.

Minnesota Vs. Colorado, series history:

1972, Colorado won in Minneapolis, 38-6. Minnesota finished 4-7 that year while Colorado finished 8-4 and 16th ranked on the AP.

1991, Colorado won in Boulder, 58-0. Minnesota finished 2-9 that year while Colorado finished 8-3-1 and 20th ranked on the AP.

1992, Colorado won in Minneapolis, 21-20. Minnesota finished 2-9 that year while Colorado finished 9-2-1 and 13th ranked on the AP.

This Colorado team is unlikely to finish as well as those above and this Minnesota team is unlikely to finish as badly as any of those above.
 

I remember the '92 game in the dome! Wasn't their starting QB out? Didn't Koy Detmer play?

Shoulda, coulda, didn't.
 


Hope we have a strategy to bottle up their QB.

Indeed. We've been pretty bad at containing good running quarterbacks. Since you mentioned Martinez, we faced him twice in the prior 3 years (one of the games he didn't play) and he had 125 yards in 15 carries in one and 96 yards in 15 carries in another. Even Peyton Ramsey, who wasn't known as much for his running, had 57 yards on 8 carries against us in the last game we played them. Joe Milton of Michigan had 52 yards in 8 carries against us last year; he finished with only 109 rushing yards in 6 games!. Maryland's Tagovailoa had 59 yards in 8 carries against us last year but finished with a net of -15 yards rushing in their 3 remaining games.
 

Indeed. We've been pretty bad at containing good running quarterbacks. Since you mentioned Martinez, we faced him twice in the prior 3 years (one of the games he didn't play) and he had 125 yards in 15 carries in one and 96 yards in 15 carries in another. Even Peyton Ramsey, who wasn't known as much for his running, had 57 yards on 8 carries against us in the last game we played them. Joe Milton of Michigan had 52 yards in 8 carries against us last year; he finished with only 109 rushing yards in 6 games!. Maryland's Tagovailoa had 59 yards in 8 carries against us last year but finished with a net of -15 yards rushing in their 3 remaining games.
We seem particularly susceptible to athletic running QBs. We have had trouble with designed QB option plays, and trouble with QBs who take off down field when coverage is too tight. Coaches obviously are aware of this negative tendency; question is how, given our schemes and personnel, to lessen the impact a good running QB has on our defense … and on the game. Colorado also has some very good RBs, so you have to keep all of them in mind. It’s going to be a hard fought game.

This might be a game where TOP is a valuable defensive maneuver, because Colorado, unlike Ohio State (and to a lesser but meaningful extent, Miami) doesn’t seem to have the ability to counter with an explosive downfield passing game. At least so far …
 

We seem particularly susceptible to athletic running QBs. We have had trouble with designed QB option plays, and trouble with QBs who take off down field when coverage is too tight. Coaches obviously are aware of this negative tendency; question is how, given our schemes and personnel, to lessen the impact a good running QB has on our defense … and on the game. Colorado also has some very good RBs, so you have to keep all of them in mind. It’s going to be a hard fought game.

This might be a game where TOP is a valuable defensive maneuver, because Colorado, unlike Ohio State (and to a lesser but meaningful extent, Miami) doesn’t seem to have the ability to counter with an explosive downfield passing game. At least so far …

That one in particular! I don't know how many times I've yelled to myself "Will someone watch and pickup the damn QB?!"
 


I remember listening to that game with my dad and him telling me "it will get better, the Gophers will get back to the rose bowl."

Still waiting

I remembered the 58-0 Colorado game (and the 56-0 Nebraska loss I attended as a little kid, and 35-0 to K-State on that same junk radio in an unfinished basement in Rice Lake, WI) when I was doing snow angels in the end zone outdoors on campus on November 9, 2019.

All I could think of was "I never quit on this". I've left pro teams, joined up with pro teams, but never wavered on the Gophers. I voted with my tuition. My education. Out of state. We will know that deep in our souls when our boat finally rows in.
 



There are ummm ways to watch but posting them here gets you banned.
Hypothetically speaking, if it were the case that I knew of a website that permitted livestreaming of every NFL game and most college games, would that be a problem to post here?
 

Recent Colorado history compared to Minnesota:
  • 2010, Colorado finished 5-7 (2-6). Minnesota finished 3-9 (2-6)
  • 2011, Colorado finished 3-10 (2-7). Minnesota finished 3-9 (2-6)
  • 2012, Colorado finished 1-11 (1-8). Minnesota finished 6-7 (2-6) with a Car Care Bowl loss.
  • 2013, Colorado finished 4-8 (1-8). Minnesota finished 8-5 (4-4) with a Texas Bowl loss.
  • 2014, Colorado finished 2-10 (0-9). Minnesota finished 8-5 (5-3) with a Citrus Bowl loss.
  • 2015, Colorado finished 4-9 (1-8). Minnesota finished 6-7 (2-6) with a Motor City Bowl win.
  • 2016, Colorado finished 10-4 (8-1) with an Alamo Bowl loss and a 15/17 ranking. Minnesota finished 9-4 (5-4) with a Holiday Bowl win.
  • 2017, Colorado finished 5-7 (2-7). Minnesota finished 5-7 (2-7).
  • 2018, Colorado finished 5-7 (2-7). Minnesota finished 7-6 (3-6) with a Motor City Bowl win.
  • 2019, Colorado finished 5-7, (3-6). Minnesota finished 11-2 (7-2) with a Outback Bowl win and a 10/10 ranking.
  • 2020, Colorado finished 5-2 (3-1) with an Alamo Bowl loss. Minnesota finished 3-4.

Interesting how their basketball program has risen under Tad Boyle as their football program's fortunes have waned. While they haven't had outstanding basketball teams over the last 11 years, they've won 20+ games in 8 of those seasons.
 




Top Bottom