Fantastic Folsom Field finishes: See Colorado Buffaloes dramatic moments through the years
On Saturday night, the Colorado Buffaloes authored one of the all-time great games ever to be played at Folsom Field. A successful Hail Mary at the end of regulation followed by a walk-off forced fumble in overtime allowed the Buffs to beat Baylor.
The Hail Mary from Shedeur Sanders to LaJohntay Wester represents only the third time in CU history that a touchdown was scored with no time remaining in a game CU eventually won. While storming the field has become an all too often affair in college football, you'd be hard pressed to blame the students for engulfing Folsom Field.
Saturday night's thrilling win got us to thinking what are the most dramatic, end of game finishes that have ever happened at Folsom Field. There are many, but we decided on these 5:
1985
Colorado defeats Oregon 21-17. The Buffs entered the 1985 season coming off a miserable 1-10 campaign which was part of six straight losing seasons. The Buffs and Bill McCartney had won the first 2 games of 1985 but considered a win over Oregon as an opportunity to legitimize the team's resurgence. Mickey Pruitt's sack of future NFL quarterback Chris Miller as time expired prompted McCartney to call it the "turning point" in the program which would eventually ascend to college football's highest heights.
2004
What's better than a goal line stand against your in-state rival Colorado State? With CU clinging to a 27-24 lead and CSU at the Buffs 3, defensive backs J.J. Billingsley and Lorenzo Sims stopped the Rams' Tristan Walker as time expired to preserve the win in front of a record crowd of over 54,000 fans. The Buffs went on to finish the season 8-5 and win the Big 12 North division title.
2007
Dan Hawkins was looking for his first signature win in Boulder and who better to get it against than old Big 8 rival Oklahoma. The Sooners entered the game ranked third in the nation. Colorado overcame a 17-point deficit when Kevin Eberhart nailed a 45-yard game winner as time expired. CU went on to win 6 games and face Nick Saban and Alabama in the Independence Bowl.
2019
Colorado's thrilling come-from-behind win against Nebraska stuns Cornhusker nation. On this sun-sprayed Saturday, the Buffs at times felt like the road team. Nebraska fans engulfed Folsom Field like never before and for most of the afternoon the Big Red looked like it would give its passionate fan base a victory. Colorado trailed 17-0 at the half, prompting Mel Tucker to tell his team at the break, "We've taken their best shot, not let's give em ours." CU did just that, scoring 34 points after halftime winning a thrilling 34-31 overtime game when Nebraska kicker Issac Armstrong missed a 48-yard field goal in the first overtime.
2024
Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter lead Colorado to a thrilling overtime victory on homecoming vs. Baylor. Sanders threw for 341 yards but none more important than the 43 yard Hail Mary to LaJohntay Wester as time expired in regulation to force overtime.
After the Buffs scored a touchdown on their first series, Travis Hunter forced a Baylor fumble right before the goal line to preserve the victory.
Honorable Mention victories
2004- Joel Klatt's 64 yard TD pass to Ron Monteih with just seconds remaining to beat Kansas State.
2023- CU overcomes 14-point 4th quarter deficit to beat CSU in overtime. Shedeur Sanders drives the Buffs 98 yards in under 2 minutes at the end of regulation to extend the game.
1990- Deion Figures intercepts Washington pass in end zone in final minute to beat the Huskies 20-14.
1990- Eric Bieniemy scores on 4th and goal with 12 seconds left as the Buffs beat Stanford.
1981- Steve Vogel drives CU 94 yards in over a minute throwing a touchdown pass to Brad Parker with 6 seconds left to beat Oklahoma State.
1957 - Bob Stansky scores 1-yard touchdown with 41 seconds left to rally CU to 30-24 win over Utah.
Thanks to CU historian Dave Plati for his input and research on this article.
