1959 Colorado Buffaloes football team

The 1959 Colorado Buffaloes football team was an American football team that represented the University of Colorado in the Big Seven Conference during the 1959 college football season. Led by first-year head coach Sonny Grandelius, the Buffaloes compiled an overall record of 5–5 with a mark of 3–3 in conference play, tying for third place in the Big 7. The team played its home games on campus at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado.^[1]

1959 Colorado Buffaloes football
Conference	Big Seven Conference
Record	5–5 (3–3 Big 7)
Head coach	Sonny Grandelius (1st season)
MVPs	Gale Weidner Joe Romig
Captain	Bob Salerno
Home stadium	Folsom Field
Seasons ← 1958 1960 →

1959 Big Seven Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 15 Oklahoma $	5	–	1	–	0			7	–	3	–	0
No. 18 Missouri	4	–	2	–	0			6	–	5	–	0
Colorado	3	–	3	–	0			5	–	5	–	0
Iowa State	3	–	3	–	0			7	–	3	–	0
Kansas	3	–	3	–	0			5	–	5	–	0
Nebraska	2	–	4	–	0			4	–	6	–	0
Kansas State	1	–	5	–	0			2	–	8	–	0
$ – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

Previously an assistant for five years at his alma mater, Michigan State University, under Duffy Daugherty, the 29-year-old Grandelius was hired as the Buffs' head coach in February, succeeding Dallas Ward. He signed a four-year contract at $14,000 per year.^[2]

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 19	Washington*	Folsom Field Boulder, CO	L 12–21	23,678	[3][4]
September 26	Baylor*	Folsom Field Boulder, CO	L 7–15	23,761	[5]
October 3	at Oklahoma	Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Norman, OK	L 12–42	53,745
October 10	at Kansas State	Memorial Stadium Manhattan, KS (rivalry)	W 20–17	10,000
October 17	Iowa State	Folsom Field Boulder, CO	L 0–27	34,469
October 24	at Arizona*	Arizona Stadium Tucson, AZ	W 18–0	21,000	[6]
October 31	Missouri	Folsom Field Boulder, CO	W 21–20	28,422
November 7	Kansas	Folsom Field Boulder, CO	W 27–14	27,513
November 14	at Nebraska	Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE (rivalry)	L 12–14	26,000
November 28	Air Force*	Folsom Field Boulder, CO	W 15–7	40,000	[7]
*Non-conference game Homecoming

^[8][9][10]

Coaching staff

• Bob Ghilotti (ends)
• Chuck Boerio (LB)
• Buck Nystrom (line)
• John Polonchek (backs)^[11]