The 1984 Colorado Buffaloes football team represented the University of Colorado in the Big Eight Conference during the 1984 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by third-year head coach Bill McCartney, the Buffaloes finished at 1–10 (1–6 in Big 8, seventh),[1] their sixth consecutive losing season. Home games were played on campus at sixty-year-old Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado.[2]
The season was marked by the trauma late in the second game at Oregon on September 15, as sophomore tight end Ed Reinhardt of Littleton suffered a career-ending, life-threatening brain injury.[3][4][5][6] Airlifted to Denver a month later,[7][8][9] he was in a coma for 62 days and was partially paralyzed.[10]
Colorado's sole win came in mid-season, by two points over last-place Iowa State on homecoming.[11] The Buffs' previous one-win season was four years earlier; the next was in 2012.
The following spring, McCartney switched to a wishbone offense for 1985.[12]
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|
| September 8 | Michigan State* | | MH Cable | L 21–24 | 35,825 | [13] |
| September 15 | at Oregon* | | | L 20–27 | 25,047 | [14] |
| September 22 | at Notre Dame* | | | L 14–55 | 59,075 | [15] |
| September 29 | No. 17 UCLA* | | | L 16–33 | 38,925 | [16] |
| October 6 | at Missouri | | KATZ | L 7–52 | 38,662 | [17] |
| October 13 | Iowa State | | WOI | W 23–21 | 36,762 | [18] |
| October 20 | No. 5 Nebraska | | | L 7–24 | 51,124 | [19] |
| October 27 | at No. 10 Oklahoma State | | KATZ | L 14–20 | 47,800 | [20] |
| November 3 | Kansas | | KOOD | L 27–28 | 33,166 | [21] |
| November 10 | No. 9 Oklahoma | | KTVY | L 17–42 | 38,888 | [22] |
| November 17 | at Kansas State | | | L 6–38 | 17,600 | [23] |
- *Non-conference game
Homecoming- Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
|
[24][25][26]
Roster
| 1984 Colorado Buffaloes football team roster
|
| Players
|
Coaches
|
Offense
| Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
| WR
|
|
Loy Alexander
|
Jr
|
| G
|
|
Shaun Beard
|
Sr
|
| WR
|
|
Ron Brown
|
Jr
|
| WR
|
|
Jo Jo Collins
|
| OL
|
|
Eric Coyle
|
| TE
|
|
Phil Cross
|
| RB
|
|
Dion Dyson
|
| TE
|
|
Jon Embree
|
So
|
| WR
|
|
Drew Ferrando
|
| OL
|
|
Jeff Glenn
|
| C
|
|
William Gulley
|
Jr
|
| OT
|
|
Tim Harper
|
So
|
| RB
|
|
Mark Hatcher
|
| G
|
|
Junior Iii
|
Sr
|
| QB
|
|
Craig Keenan
|
| QB
|
|
Derek Marshall
|
| RB
|
|
Eric McCarty
|
Fr
|
| QB
|
|
Chuck Page
|
| TE
|
88
|
Ed Reinhardt
|
So
|
| RB
|
|
Lee Rouson (C)
|
Sr
|
| OT
|
79
|
Pat Ryan
|
So
|
| RB
|
|
Sam Smith
|
| QB
|
|
Steve Vogel
|
Sr
|
| RB
|
|
Anthony Weatherspoon
|
| OL
|
|
Jimmy Webb
|
| TE
|
|
Troy Wolf
|
|
Defense
| Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
| DL
|
|
Calvin Beaty
|
| DB
|
|
John Bennett
|
| LB
|
|
Alan Chrite
|
| FS
|
|
Kent Davis
|
Sr
|
| LB
|
|
Don Fairbanks
|
Jr
|
| DT
|
|
Curt Koch
|
So
|
| LB
|
|
Miles Kusayanagi
|
| LB
|
|
Dan McMillen
|
Jr
|
| NG
|
|
Don Muncie
|
Sr
|
| DB
|
|
John Nairn
|
| DB
|
|
Lyle Pickens
|
| SS
|
|
Mickey Pruitt
|
So
|
| LB
|
|
Barry Remington
|
So
|
| CB
|
|
Alvin Rubalcaba
|
Sr
|
| LB
|
|
Darin Schubeck
|
Jr
|
| DT
|
|
George Smith (C)
|
Sr
|
| DB
|
|
Tommy Streeter
|
| CB
|
|
Solomon Wilcots
|
Jr
|
|
Special teams
| Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
| P
|
17
|
Allan Braun
|
Sr
|
| K
|
|
Dave DeLine
|
| K
|
|
Larry Eckel
|
| P
|
|
Barry Helton
|
|
- Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
Injured
Redshirt
|
[27]
References
- ^ "K-State breezes past Buffs, 38-6". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. (Kansas). Associated Press. November 18, 1984. p. 4B.
- ^ Woodling, Chuck (November 4, 1984). "Jayhawks dodge bullets, nudge Colorado 28-27". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. (Kansas). p. 1B.
- ^ Bellamy, Ron (September 16, 1984). "Player critically injured". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). p. 1A.
- ^ "Buffs decked by Ducks, 27-20". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. (Kansas). Associated Press. September 16, 1984. p. 4B.
- ^ Conrad, John (September 17, 1984). "Football player still comatose". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). p. 1A.
- ^ Clark, Bob (September 22, 1984). "Reinhardt's parents prepared to wait". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). p. 1A.
- ^ Withers, Bud (October 16, 1984). "'All we can say is thank you'". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). p. 1B.
- ^ "Reinhardt transferred to Colorado". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). October 17, 1984. p. 1B.
- ^ "Reinhardt's condition 'improving'". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. November 6, 1984. p. 2B.
- ^ "Alumni Recognition Award Winner - Ed Reinhardt". University of Colorado at Boulder. 2016. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
- ^ "Vogel ignites Colorado to first win of season". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. (Kansas). Associated Press. October 14, 1984. p. 8B.
- ^ "On the run: Surprising Buffaloes stampeding thanks to new wishbone". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. October 24, 1985. p. 6B.
- ^ "Spartans survive close call". Jackson Citizen Patriot. September 9, 1984. Retrieved April 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "UO's big plays, special teams corral Colorado". The Sunday Oregonian. September 16, 1984. Retrieved April 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Notre Dame wins a mercy killing, 55–14". The Grand Rapids Press. September 23, 1984. Retrieved April 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "UCLA collars Buffs behind Lee, Green". Tulsa World. September 30, 1984. Retrieved April 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Mizzou rips Buffs, 52–7". The Salina Journal. October 7, 1984. Retrieved April 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Colorado gets first win at Iowa State's expense". The Sioux City Journal. October 14, 1984. Retrieved April 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "'Lackluster' NU rallies for victory over Buffs". The Daily Nonpareil. October 21, 1984. Retrieved April 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Pokes outlast Buffs 20–14". Okmulgee Daily Times. October 28, 1984. Retrieved April 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Kansas rally pins 28–27 loss on Colorado". The Des Moines Register. November 4, 1984. Retrieved April 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "OU's big plays send Colorado to 42–17 loss". The Daily Oklahoman. November 11, 1984. Retrieved April 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "K-State spoils Buffs' Big Eight finale 38–6". The Daily Sentinel. November 18, 1984. Retrieved April 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "1984 Colorado Buffaloes Schedule and Results". College Football @ Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ "1984 Football Schedule". University of Colorado Boulder. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ "Colorado Football 2024 Record Book" (PDF). University of Colorado Boulder. p. 54.p. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ "Starting lineups". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). September 15, 1984. p. 2B.
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