Compiled by Colorado Sports Hall of Fame historian David Plati, the Centennial State’s rich football history features no shortage of dramatic finishes, historic milestones, and unforgettable rivalries. As the calendar turns toward late October and early November, Colorado collegiate football has delivered some of its most iconic moments.
Epic Comebacks and Last-Second Thrills
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October 28, 1978 – The Buffs’ Greatest Comeback: In Columbia, Missouri, the Tigers spotted the University of Colorado a 7-0 lead before rattling off 27 unanswered points to take a 27-7 advantage with 8:14 remaining in the third quarter. What followed remains CU’s largest-ever gridiron comeback. Eddie Ford and Bill Solomon scored rushing touchdowns to narrow the gap, and after a defensive stop, Mike Davis returned a punt 22 yards to set up a 16-yard touchdown run by Ford. Pete Dadiotis added the extra point to cap a stunning 28-27 victory.
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October 29, 2022 – Orediggers’ 27-Point Rally: Host Western Colorado built a commanding 20-3 third-quarter lead over No. 10 Colorado Mines, fueling upset hopes in Gunnison. However, the Orediggers erupted for 27 unanswered points in just 12 minutes. Michael Zeman scored three touchdowns during the surge, including the go-ahead 5-yard score with 7:02 remaining, securing a 30-20 Mines win.
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November 1, 2025 – Top-10 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Showdown: In a rare mid-season meeting between top-10 Division II powers, No. 7 CSU Pueblo faced a daunting 21-0 deficit midway through the second quarter against No. 6 Western Colorado. The ThunderWolves mounted a fierce comeback: two short touchdown runs by Kiahn Martinez and an 88-yard strike from Roman Fuller to Marcellus Honeycutt, Jr., tied the game. Jackson Smith then delivered the game-winning 32-yard field goal as time expired, 24-21.
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November 2, 1996 – The Rams’ Record-Breaking Comeback: Down Interstate 25 in Colorado Springs, Colorado State orchestrated the greatest comeback in program history against Air Force before a crowd of 51,116. Trailing 41-14 with 5:48 left in the third quarter, the Rams stormed back with 28 unanswered points. Facing a fourth-and-10 at the AFA 20-yard line with under a minute left, Moses Moreno hit Jeremy Calhoun for a tying touchdown. Matt McDougal converted the game-winning PAT, after navigating a tense 15-yard celebration penalty, to seal a 42-41 win.
Iconic Rivalries and Traditions
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October 29, 1966 – Rams Upset the Cowboys: In Fort Collins, Colorado State secured its first-ever win over a ranked opponent, stunning No. 10 Wyoming 12-10. Al Lavan broke a 10-year losing streak against the Cowboys with a 26-yard field goal with two minutes left. The Rams’ touchdown came via a memorable bounce-pass trick play: quarterback Bob Wolfe bounced a pass off the turf to Larry Jackson, who launched a 33-yard scoring pass downfield to Tom Pack.
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November 2, 1968 – Birth of the “Bronze Boot”: The inaugural “Border War” game for the coveted Bronze Boot was played in Fort Collins between CSU and Wyoming. Named after a boot worn in Vietnam by Colorado State ROTC instructor Dan Romero, the rivalry features a unique game-ball relay run by ROTC detachments across the state border. Wyoming claimed the first boot encounter, 46-14.
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November 2, 1991 – Boulder Battle Ends in a Stalemate: Colorado and Nebraska locked horns in freezing conditions in Boulder, battling to a 19-19 tie. The Buffaloes stayed alive thanks to Greg Biekert’s remarkable 85-yard return for a two-point defensive conversion and a game-saving blocked field goal by Greg Thomas as time expired. Both teams finished 6-0-1 in Big Eight play, sharing the conference crown.
Record-Setting Performances and Milestones
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October 29, 2016 – Ekeler Crosses the 7,000-Yard Mark: Western Colorado standout Austin Ekeler gained 82 all-purpose yards (67 rushing, 15 receiving) in a tight 10-7 loss to CSU Pueblo. The performance pushed him past the 7,000-yard threshold for his career, making him the first, and to date the only, Colorado collegiate player to top the 7,000-yard all-purpose mark, finishing his illustrious career with 7,092 yards.
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October 28, 2017 – Honoring a Legend: The Colorado Buffaloes retired the jersey No. 19 of legendary Heisman Trophy winner Rashaan Salaam during a halftime ceremony at Folsom Field during the CU-Cal matchup.
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October 29, 2011 – Record-Breaking Night in Greeley: University of Northern Colorado wide receiver Patrick Walker put on an offensive clinic against North Dakota, catching 10 passes for a Big Sky Conference record 315 yards and two touchdowns in a narrow 27-25 defeat.
