2001 Colorado Buffaloes football team

The 2001 Colorado Buffaloes football team represented the University of Colorado at Boulder during the 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team played their home games at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado. They participated in the Big 12 Conference in the North Division. They were coached by head coach Gary Barnett. Colorado won the Big 12 Championship Game for the first time and secured its first BCS bowl berth. Colorado has not won the Big 12 since.

2001 Colorado Buffaloes football
Big 12 champion Big 12 North co-champion
Big 12 Championship Game, W 39–37 vs. Texas
Fiesta Bowl, L 16–38 vs. Oregon
Conference	Big 12 Conference
Division	North Division
Ranking
Coaches	No. 9
AP	No. 9
Record	10–3 (7–1 Big 12)
Head coach	Gary Barnett (3rd season)
Offensive coordinator	Shawn Watson (2nd season)
Offensive scheme	Multiple
Co-defensive coordinator	Tom McMahon
Co-defensive coordinator	Vince Okruch
Base defense	Multiple 4–3
MVP	Daniel Graham
Captains	Justin Bannan Andre Gurode Michael Lewis John Minardi
Home stadium	Folsom Field
Seasons ← 2000 2002 →

2001 Big 12 Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
North Division
No. 9 Colorado xy$		7	–	1					10	–	3
No. 8 Nebraska x%		7	–	1					11	–	2
Iowa State		4	–	4					7	–	5
Kansas State		3	–	5					6	–	6
Missouri		3	–	5					4	–	7
Kansas		1	–	7					3	–	8
South Division
No. 5 Texas xy		7	–	1					11	–	2
No. 6 Oklahoma		6	–	2					11	–	2
Texas Tech		4	–	4					7	–	5
Texas A&M		4	–	4					8	–	4
Oklahoma State		2	–	6					4	–	7
Baylor		0	–	8					3	–	8
Championship: Colorado 39, Texas 37
$ – BCS representative as conference champion % – BCS at-large representative x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 26	6:00 pm	Fresno State*		Folsom Field Boulder, CO (Jim Thorpe Classic)	ESPN2	L 22–24	47,762
September 1	1:30 pm	vs. No. 24 Colorado State*		Invesco Field at Mile High Denver, CO (Rocky Mountain Showdown)	ABC	W 41–14	75,022
September 8	1:30 pm	San Jose State*		Folsom Field Boulder, CO		W 51–15	40,338
September 22	1:30 pm	Kansas		Folsom Field Boulder, CO		W 27–16	47,495
October 6	10:30 am	at No. 12 Kansas State		KSU Stadium Manhattan, KS (rivalry)	FSN	W 16–6	51,101
October 13	1:30 pm	No. 25 Texas A&M	No. 20	Folsom Field Boulder, CO	PPV	W 31–21	49,521
October 20	1:30 pm	at No. 9 Texas	No. 14	Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium Austin, TX	ABC	L 7–41	83,156
October 27	6:00 pm	at Oklahoma State	No. 25	Lewis Field Stillwater, OK	FSN	W 22–19	41,070
November 3	1:00 pm	Missouri	No. 25	Folsom Field Boulder, CO		W 38–24	45,942
November 10	6:00 pm	at Iowa State	No. 21	Jack Trice Stadium Ames, IA	FSN	W 40–27	39,204
November 23	1:30 pm	No. 2 Nebraska	No. 14	Folsom Field Boulder, CO (rivalry)	ABC	W 62–36	53,790
December 1	7:00 pm	vs. No. 3 Texas	No. 9	Texas Stadium Irving, TX (Big 12 Championship Game)	ABC	W 39–37	65,675
January 1	2:30 pm	vs. No. 2 Oregon*	No. 3	Sun Devil Stadium Tempe, AZ (Fiesta Bowl)	ABC	L 16–38	74,118
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Mountain time

Note: Colorado was scheduled to play at Washington State on September 15 but the game was canceled due to the September 11 attacks.

Roster

2001 Colorado Buffaloes football team roster
Players			Coaches
Offense Pos. # Name Class RB 22 Chris Brown So WR 81 Jason Burianek Jr WR 14 Cedric Cormier Sr FB 33 Brandon Drumm Jr TE 89 Daniel Graham Sr G 65 Andre Gurode (C) Sr WR 5 Roman Hollowell Sr RB 21 Marcus Houston So RB 27 Cortlen Johnson Sr C 78 Wayne Lucier Jr WR 2 John Minardi (C) Sr QB 1 Craig Ochs So QB 4 Bobby Pesavento Sr RB 42 Bobby Purify So	Defense Pos. # Name Class DT 97 Justin Bannan (C) Sr DE 99 Tyler Brayton Jr DT 94 DeAndre Fluellen So DE 30 Marques Harris So LB 43 Joey Johnson Jr SS 31 Michael Lewis (C) Sr DE 60 Matt McChesney So FS 9 Robbie Robinson Sr CB 26 Roderick Sneed Jr CB 4 Donald Strickland Jr LB 54 Sean Tufts So LB 16 Drew Wahlroos Jr	Special teams Pos. # Name Class K 25 Pat Brougham Jr K 3 Jeremy Flores Sr P 8 Mark Mariscal Jr	Head coach Gary Barnett Coordinators/assistant coaches Shawn Watson – Offensive coordinator Tom McMahon – Co-Defensive coordinator Vince Okruch – Co-Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph Graduate Assistant Eric Bieniemy – Running backs Jon Embree – Wide receivers/ kicking Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt Roster

Game summaries

Fresno State

Fresno State at Colorado

1 2 3 4 Total • Bulldogs 14 7 0 3 24 Buffaloes 0 13 3 6 22 Date: August 26 Location: Folsom Field, Boulder, Colorado Game start: 6:06 pm MDT Elapsed time: 3:30 Game attendance: 47,762 Referee: Chuck McFerrin Television network: ESPN2 Source: Box score

Scoring summary 1 6:23 FS David Carr 1-yard run (Asen Asparuhov kick) FSU 7–0 3:34 FS Paris Gaines 1-yard run (Asen Asparuhov kick) FSU 14–0 2 6:03 COL Roma Hollowell 77-yard punt return (Pat Brougham kick) FSU 14–7 1:58 FS Marque Davis 21-yard pass from David Carr (Asen Asparuhov kick) FSU 21–7 0:56 CU John Minardi 8-yard pass from Craig Ochs (kick blocked) FSU 21–13 4 12:29 FS Asen Asparuhov 43-yard field goal FSU 24–16 7:51 CU John Minardi 16-yard pass from Craig Ochs (pass failed) FSU 24–22

See also: 2001 Fresno State Bulldogs football team and Jim Thorpe Classic

vs. No. 24 Colorado State

No. 24 Colorado State vs. Colorado

1 2 3 4 Total No. 24 Rams 7 0 0 7 14 • Buffaloes 14 3 14 10 41 Date: September 1 Location: Invesco Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado Game attendance: 75,022 Television network: ABC

See also: 2001 Colorado State Rams football team and Rocky Mountain Showdown

San Jose State

San Jose State at Colorado

1 2 3 4 Total Spartans 0 9 0 6 15 • Buffaloes 21 14 9 7 51 Date: September 8 Location: Folsom Field, Boulder, Colorado Game attendance: 40,338 Source: Box score

See also: 2001 San Jose State Spartans football team

Kansas

Kansas at Colorado

1 2 3 4 Total Jayhawks 3 10 0 3 16 • Buffaloes 10 0 3 14 27 Date: September 22 Location: Folsom Field, Boulder, Colorado Game start: 1:32 pm MDT Elapsed time: 3:15 Game attendance: 47,495 Source: Box score

See also: 2001 Kansas Jayhawks football team

at No. 12 Kansas State

Colorado at No. 12 Kansas State

1 2 3 4 Total • Buffaloes 7 0 6 3 16 No. 12 Wildcats 0 0 0 6 6 Date: October 6 Location: KSU Stadium, Manhattan, Kansas Game attendance: 51,101 Television network: FSN Source: Box score

See also: 2001 Kansas State Wildcats football team

^[1]

No. 25 Texas A&M Aggies

No. 25 Texas A&M at No. 20 Colorado

1 2 3 4 Total No. 25 Aggies 0 14 0 7 21 • No. 20 Buffaloes 3 11 3 14 31 Date: October 13 Location: Folsom Field, Boulder, Colorado Game attendance: 49,521

See also: 2001 Texas A&M Aggies football team

Playing as a ranked team and clinging to a 3-point lead in the final minute of play, the Buffs forced a fumble and returned it for a touchdown to close out a win over a second straight ranked opponent.^[2]

at No. 9 Texas

Colorado at No. 9 Texas

1 2 3 4 Total Buffaloes 0 7 0 0 7 • No. 9 Longhorns 7 17 10 7 41 Date: October 20 Location: Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin, Texas Game attendance: 83,156 Television network: ABC Source: Box score

See also: 2001 Texas Longhorns football team

at Oklahoma State

No. 25 Colorado at Oklahoma State

1 2 3 4 Total • No. 25 Buffaloes 7 0 7 8 22 Cowboys 0 16 3 0 19 Date: October 27 Location: Lewis Field, Stillwater, Oklahoma Game attendance: 41,070 Television network: FSN Source: Box score

See also: 2001 Oklahoma State Cowboys football team

Missouri

Missouri at No. 25 Colorado

1 2 3 4 Total Tigers 0 14 7 3 24 • No. 25 Buffaloes 0 17 14 7 38 Date: November 4 Location: Folsom Field, Boulder, Colorado Game attendance: 45,942

See also: 2001 Missouri Tigers football team

at Iowa State

No. 21 Colorado at Iowa State

1 2 3 4 Total • No. 21 Buffaloes 10 13 7 10 40 Cyclones 14 0 0 13 27 Date: November 10 Location: Jack Trice Stadium, Ames, Iowa Game attendance: 39,024 Source: Box score

See also: 2001 Iowa State Cyclones football team

No. 2 Nebraska

No. 2 Nebraska at No. 14 Colorado

1 2 3 4 Total No. 2 Cornhuskers 3 20 7 6 36 • No. 14 Buffaloes 28 14 0 20 62 Date: November 23 Location: Folsom Field, Boulder, Colorado Game attendance: 53,790 TV announcers (ABC): Brent Musburger (Play–by–play), Gary Danielson (Color) & Jack Arute (Sideline)

Scoring summary 1 13:00 COL Bobby Purify 39-yard run (Brougham kick) COL 7–0 12:03 COL Daniel Graham 21-yard pass from Bobby Pesavento (Brougham kick) COL 14–0 5:45 COL Bobby Pesavento 1-yard run (Flores kick) COL 21–0 3:31 Neb Josh Brown 28-yard field goal COL 21–3 1:50 COL Chris Brown 11-yard run (Flores kick) COL 28–3 2 12:21 COL Chris Brown 1-yard run (Flores kick) COL 35–3 9:37 Neb Steve Kriewald 25-yard run (Brown kick) COL 35–10 6:03 Neb Dahrran Diedrick 32-yard run (two-point conversion failed) COL 35–16 3:19 COL Chris Brown 36-yard run (Flores kick) COL 42–16 2:53 Neb Dahrran Diedrick 1-yard run (Brown kick) COL 42–23 3 4:17 Neb Eric Crouch 6-yard run (Brown kick) COL 42–30 4 12:50 COL Chris Brown 1-yard run (Flores kick) COL 49–30 11:38 COL Chris Brown 13-yard run (kick failed) COL 55–30 9:41 COL Chris Brown 8-yard run (Flores kick) COL 62–30 7:30 Neb Eric Crouch 6-yard run (two-point conversion failed) COL 62–36

See also: 2001 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team and Colorado–Nebraska football rivalry

^[3][4]

vs. No. 3 Texas (Big 12 Championship Game)

No. 3 Texas vs. No. 9 Colorado

1 2 3 4 Total No. 3 Longhorns 7 10 3 17 37 • No. 9 Buffaloes 7 22 7 3 39 Date: December 1 Location: Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas Game start: 7:07 pm Elapsed time: 3:31 Game attendance: 65,675 Game weather: 61 °F (16 °C), Partly cloudy, Wind S 8 mph (13 km/h) Referee: John Laurie TV announcers (ABC): Brent Musburger, Gary Danielson, Jack Arute Source: Big 12 game summary

Scoring summary 1 9:56 TEX Cedric Benson 5-yard run (Dusty Mangum kick) TEX 7–0 2:21 COL Chris Brown 10-yard run (Jeremy Flores kick) Tied 7–7 2 14:24 COL Jeremy Flores 39-yard field goal COL 10–7 11:36 COL Chris Brown 1-yard run (Jeremy Flores kick failed) COL 16–7 5:49 TEX Dusty Mangum 50-yard field goal COL 16–10 3:48 COL Daniel Graham 22-yard pass from Bobb Pesavento (Bobb Pesavento pass failed) COL 22–10 2:32 COL Medford Moorer 64-yard interception return (Jeremy Flores kick) COL 29–10 1:47 TEX B. J. Johnson 79-yard pass from Major Applewhite (Dusty Mangum kick) COL 29–17 3 11:32 COL Chris Brown 11-yard run (Jeremy Flores kick) COL 36–17 7:32 TEX Dusty Mangum 26-yard field goal COL 36–20 4 13:42 TEX Dusty Mangum 38-yard field goal COL 36–23 9:10 TEX Roderick Babers 54-yard interception return (Dusty Mangum kick) COL 36–30 1:58 COL Jeremy Flores 43-yard field goal COL 39–30 0:31 TEX B. J. Johnson 1-yard pass from Major Applewhite (Dusty Mangum kick) COL 39–37

See also: 2001 Texas Longhorns football team and 2001 Big 12 Championship Game

^[5][6]

vs. No. 2 Oregon (Fiesta Bowl)

No. 3 Colorado vs. No. 2 Oregon

1 2 3 4 Total No. 3 Buffaloes 7 0 0 9 16 • No. 2 Ducks 7 14 7 10 38 Date: January 1 Location: Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Arizona Game start: 5:00 p.m. PST Game attendance: 74,118 TV announcers (ABC): Brent Musburger, Gary Danielson, Jack Arute

Scoring summary 1 6:26 COL Brandon Drumm 1-yard run (Brougham kick) COL 7–0 1 3:48 ORE Keenan Howry 28-yard pass from Joey Harrington (Siegel kick) Tied 7–7 2 3:13 ORE Samie Parker 79-yard pass from Harrington (Siegel kick) ORE 14–7 2 2:29 ORE Onterrio Smith 6-yard pass from Harrington (Siegel kick) ORE 21–7 3 12:33 ORE Maurice Morris 49-yard run (Siegel kick) ORE 28–7 4 12:03 ORE Jared Siegel 47-yard field goal ORE 31–7 4 9:38 ORE Justin Peelle 4-yard pass from Harrington (Siegel kick) ORE 38–7 4 5:47 COL Flores 39-yard field goal ORE 38–10 4 0:18 COL Daniel Graham 4-yard pass from Ochs (kick failed) ORE 38–16

Main article: 2002 Fiesta Bowl

See also: 2001 Oregon Ducks football team

^[7]

Rankings

Further information: 2001 NCAA Division I-A football rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	Final
AP	—	—	—	—	—	—	20	14	25	25	21	15	14	9	4	3	9
Coaches	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	17	—	25	20	16	14	10	5	3	9
BCS	Not released								—	—	—	14	15	7	4	3	Not released

Awards and honors

• Daniel Graham, TE – John Mackey Award, Consensus First-team All-American
• Andre Gurode, G – Consensus First-team All-American
• Gary Barnett – Big 12 Coach of the Year

See also: 2001 All-Big 12 Conference football team and 2001 College Football All-America Team

References

1. "Kansas State Is Stunned by Colorado". The Los Angeles Times. October 7, 2001. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
2. "Colorado 31, Texas A&M 21". United Press International. October 14, 2001. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
3. "Colorado 62, Nebraska 36: Huskers trampled in Boulder". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. November 23, 2001. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
4. Murphy, Austin (December 3, 2001). "RUN TO GLORY ONRUSHING COLORADO SCRAMBLED THE NATIONAL TITLE PICTURE BY STEPPING ALL OVER NO. 2 NEBRASKA". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
5. "2001 Dr Pepper Big 12 Football Championship Set: Colorado Faces Texas". Big 12 Conference. November 24, 2001. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
6. "2001 Sixth Annual Dr Pepper Big 12 Football Championship" (PDF). Big 12 Conference. December 1, 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 26, 2019. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
7. "Ducks snuff Buffs". Missoulian. January 2, 2002. Retrieved June 23, 2019.