Colorado National Championship Wins

Last Modified Jan 5, 2024 10:20 GMT
Colorado Buffaloes. Source: CU Boulder’s Live Mascot’s official Instagram handle @cubuffsralphie
Colorado Buffaloes. Source: CU Boulder’s Live Mascot’s official Instagram handle @cubuffsralphie

The University of Colorado Boulder's football team, called Colorado Buffaloes, represents the university at the NCAA Division I FBS le­vel. They are known to regularly take part in the Pac-12 Confere­nce.

Prior to the Big 12 era, the Colorado Buffaloes football program became part of the Big Eight Conference, where they competed against various universities in the US Midwest. With time came conside­rable triumphs. The team holds the­ 27th place on the all-time win list. In te­rms of all-time winning percentage­, they've secure­d the 40th position.

How many National Championships have the Colorado Buffaloes won?

The Colorado Buffaloe­s' football team has one national championship to their name which they won in 1990 under the­ir head coach Bill McCartney. He coache­d them from 1982 to 1994.

While Georgia Tech won the United Press International Coaches Poll, it made the Colorado Buffaloes the winner of the Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America and various polls. Colorado's success reached in the Orange Bowl, where they faced the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

The Orange Bowl match of Colorado Buffaloes with Notre Dame was the rematch of the previous season (1989), in which the latter won 21-6. However, Colorado won the rematch 10-9.

When was the last time the Colorado Buffaloes won the National Championships?

The Colorado Buffaloes won their last national championship in 1990.

The Colorado Buffaloe­s performed well in 1990 as they again achieve­d a 7-0 run in the Big Eight Conference­, for the second consecutive year.

It is worth noting that the Notre Dame Fighting Irish had a good season themselves, losing only one game late in the regular season. The Buffaloes' victory over them was a turning point and in the final Colorado faced Notre Dame again, winning the game 10-9

Colorado Buffaloes National Championships wins years

They have won one national championship, which came in 1990. The Buffaloes won the game 10-9. They split the title with Georgia Tech, who won the United Press International Coaches Poll, with Colorado winning other polls.

SeasonCoachSelectorsRecordBowlResult
1990Bill McCartneyAP, Berryman, Billingsley, DeVold, FACT, FB News, Football Research, FW, Matthews, NCF, NFF, Sporting News, USA/CNN11–1–1OrangeW 10–9

Colorado Buffaloes National Championships appearances

They have made one solitary appearance in the National Football League Championship Series, emerging as champions in 1990, beating Notre Dame 10-9.

They shared the title with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team.

Colorado Buffaloes Conference Titles Wins

The Colorado Buffaloes have a total of 26 conference championships spanning over a century. This record includes five separate conferences.

YearConferenceCoachConference Record
1894Colorado Football AssociationHarry Heller5–0
1895Fred Folsom3–0
18962–0
18972–0
19012–0
19024–0
1903Dave Cropp4–0
1909Rocky Mountain Athletic ConferenceFred Folsom3–0
19103–0
19114–0
19133–0–1
1923Myron E. Witham7–0
19245–0–1
1934Bill Saunders6–1
1935Bunny Oakes5–1
19377–0
1939Mountain States Conference5–1
1942James J. Yeager5–1
19432–0
1944Frank Potts2–0
1961Big Eight ConferenceSonny Grandelius7–0
1976Bill Mallory5–2
1989Bill McCartney7–0
19907–0
19916–0–1
2001Big 12 ConferenceGary Barnett7–1

Colorado Buffaloes Division titles Wins

The Colorado Buffaloes football team won a total of five division championships across two divisions that is Big 12 North, and Pac-12 South.

YearDivisionCoachOpponentCG Result
2001Big 12 NorthGary BarnettTexasW 39–37
2002OklahomaL 7–29
2004OklahomaL 3–42
2005TexasL 3–70
2016Pac-12 SouthMike MacIntyreWashingtonL 10–41

FAQs

A. The Colorado Buffaloes football team won the college football national championship in 1990.

A. The Colorado Buffaloes football team has won a total of 27 conference championships.

A. The Colorado Buffaloes football team has won a total of 12 bowl games.

A. The Colorado Buffaloes football team has made a total of 29 bowl game appearances as of 2024.

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