In that era of college football these low scoring games always had a ton of good hitting and I agree they were very exciting.

@@jamiecrawford8133 And I will argue that these 52-49 games are absolutely hard to watch now that they are more common. Give me 10-9 over 52-49 any day...

@@tmarsh0307 I could not agree with you more!

I'm not a huge Irish fan but from watching this I'd say they clearly outplayed Colorado.

@@gregj831 I am a huge Irish fan... I was there (although I was only 9... and was in the nosebleed seats with my dad.) Notre Dame was flat but still played well enough to win (the clipping call was bogus). A lot of miscues though, like the blocked PAT that ended up being the one point difference. Notre Dame squandered a lot of Colorado's mistakes as well.

I'm not a Notre Dame fan at all, but I loved Lou Holtz' teams.

@@tmarsh0307 I hate ND but those were tough Irish teams

and 87 was pretty good Aswell

I don’t think people realize how good they were, especially the 1989 squad. I thought it was better than the 1988 title team. The 1990 team was loaded on offense and the defense still had players from the title team. The Stanford and PSU losses seemed like fluke games, not to take anything away from those playets.

3 times they met in bowl games Colorado leads the series 2-1

What was their recruiting rankings. I Know they didn't have rankings during those days

@@jusprazem1 must’ve been high bc the team was loaded with NFL talent

@@patrickthomas8890 Do you think Colorado can back to recruiting at such a high level. For the past 20 years it seems as if no big time recruit is putting on the Colorado hat. It's mostly the southern teams.

@@jusprazem1 I don’t know. College football has been so cyclical recruiting wise. Notre Dame used to get the best of the best bc of their national tv contracts back when that meant something...now cable tv and internet all air tons of games so it’s not a big draw anymore. The Big 10 also used to get the biggest recruits, then Florida schools were super loaded with talent and now it’s been all SEC. It would be an uphill battle for Colorado to compete with Bama, Clemson, Auburn etc...feels like Ohio State seems to be the ONLY non SEC team with any hope of competing

@@patrickthomas8890 I hear ya, I grew up during the 80s. The way things have changed makes me wonder how those non southern teams were ever good to begin with. I remember when Nebraska was a freight train. Florida and Tennessee was on the tracks in 96 and 97 😳🤦.

I love it too

Check out the last drive for the fifth down game on KZfaq, it will tell you everything you need to know. As for the phantom clip, you're blind

@@timc4693 Agreed. I think the call could have gone either way - it was close - but it occurred on the player who had a chance to make a tackle at the Notre Dame 30 yard line. It was an incredible play by Rocket, but the Notre Dame blocker put it in the ref's hands. No way it was "phantom." It was not on the backside of the play.

Yeah it was written in the referee's book Colorado Buffaloes with fraud

@Delphine Furnia how's it work

@@arthurrobinson4644 damn, a Robinson cry baby, now I'm seen it all! lol

But unfortunately the didn’t lose sorry

Georgia Tech literally played no tough teams in their regular season that year. While CU played Tennessee, Stanford, Illinois, Texas and Washington for their non conference schedule. All but Stanford were ranked when CU played them. Plus of course they had to also play Nebraska and Oklahoma . Altogether they played seven ranked teams that year. Six road games, five home games, and two neutral sites. Probably the toughest schedule any national championship team ever had to play! Georgia Tech is lucky they didn't meet CU in the orange bowl, it would have been a massacre.

@@deerobinson557 1988 Irish played a far more difficult schedule. They played literally the entire Top 5 that season including the defending national champions at home. And they won every single game. No ties.

@@deerobinson557 Virginia was literally #1 in the country. You're literally an idiot.

Georgia Tech was contractually obligated to play in the Citrus Bowl.

@@deerobinson557 1983 Auburn played a much tougher schedule than 1990 Colorado and should have been split national champs with Miami.

?!?! #17 from cu was blatantly blocked in the back. He was also in position to make the tackle

@@asutgriff LOL, no he wasn't. Total BS call. ND got cheated.

@@cgh7337that was obvious clipping he got pushed in the back

@@TCT349 No. It wasn't.

Still should have been able to put up more than 9

Must have had 6-7 NFL players on that starting defense

@@asutgriff 9 defense players and 9 offense players on Colorado played in the NFL from that starting team. I forgot plus their kicker and punter.

​@@deerobinson557 yes indeed 😊

kzfaq.info/get/bejne/qddzkqWjmMmoeps.html

Funny how no one saw the "clip" and the flag was thrown after Ismael was in the clear. Bogus!

@@rickmartin4757: It was actually pretty obvious, and the full broadcast had a replay of it. Go to 34:16 and you'll see the play clearly. Rocket had just broken out of that pile but wasn't back up to speed yet. The Buffs had a guy who was about to tackle Rocket from behind (again, before Rocket got back up to speed), but who got wiped out by what appears to be a block in the back from the broadcast angle. Admittedly, it was a fairly close call as to whether the block was from the back or the side, and I've always thought there's at least some possibility that the block came from the side rather than the rear. Notwithstanding, assuming that the block was indeed from behind, it was a clip under the rules in effect, and it did happen in a pivotal spot that prevented the CU player from having a shot at a tackle that he otherwise had a good chance to make. So, you can argue the merits of the call, but yes, the relevant block was spotted by the broadcast team in real time, and replays were shown and discussed. It wasn't some phantom play that happened somewhere off the screen. It was right at the point of attack.

So, on Colorado's first possession, they elected to punt on 4th and 1 from the Notre Dame 40. Notre Dame sent all 11 guys, and Rouen took his eye off the ball and muffed the snap. On the final punt, Notre Dame SHOWED a 10-man rush and then backed out of it. I think that's why Rouen kicked it right to Rocket. He was super focused on just getting the punt away.

Still should have put up more than 9. Still on them for that

Rick Mirer was God awful in this game. It was a glimpse of his NFL future. I knew he had bust written all over him.

I'd have to side with, “one man to beat and he won’t get him!!!”

I definitely heard Enberg say "won't".

It was my first time to cry over football

Nile, that was stupid but not surprising from a buff fan.

So True, Unfortunately. I HATE ND! Makes the COLORADO BUFFALOES ORANGE BOWL VICTORY EVEN SWEETER!

Why did CU and Ga. Tech not play? To sum it up, bowl game bureaucracy.

Plus, they could have had Notre Dame play Nebraska in the citrus Bowl

Frank Frostbite Plus nobody took the ACC serious back then.

The ACC was locked into the Citrus Bowl through 1991. When the first Bowl Coalition began in 1992, the ACC Champion (which was usually Florida State) could go as an at-large bid to wherever, and play for the National Championship later on. It was later that the ACC entered into an agreement with the Orange Bowl.

@@M.B1s0n CU played Tennessee, Stanford, Illinois, Texas and Washington for their Non-conference schedule. All but Stanford were ranked when CU played them. Plus of course they had to also play Nebraska and Oklahoma . Altogether they played seven ranked teams that year. Six road games, five home games, and two neutral sites. Probably the toughest schedule any national championship team ever had to play!

Huh?!?! #17 of CU was blatantly blocked in the back

Yeah Matt I agree with you I'm a Notre Dame fan have been since the 88 season and I'll tell you the truth they just don't play with that sense of toughness since Lou Holtz left and not all the time where they ranked in the top 10 and still had the ability to play up to the level of competition and that's what's the difference in hose and they played a way tougher schedule and on top of that they were prepared for the big games so they're not going to be the same anymore

And oh yeah you're correct that clipping was so BS that was another National Championship strolling from them

@@asutgriff please

@@arthurrobinson4644 I could go find the numbers myself I guess, but it would take way too much time. During a game either this season or last season they showed a graphic of the number of top 1-5 and 1-1O teams that ND played during Lou’s era compared to Kelly’s era. The difference was staggering. Lou’s teams played top competition all the time. That all ended after he left. ND slowly, but surely watered down their schedule ever since then. I will say that I like what see looking ahead though. They were supposed to play Wisconsin this year, Ohio St in 22 and 23, Texas A&M in 24 and 25. That’s all that’s been scheduled so far, if those teams are still good and there will always be Clemson and USC and now it seems like maybe North Carolina might be making a bit of a run. I like ND’s schedule a bit better now than in the recent past.

He it him from the side...

Thank You and Totally True! Oklahoma Sooners Fan here. I met CU Coach Bill McCartney in 1990 at Weatherford High School ( Weatherford, Tx) trying to trying to Recruit a stupid friend of mine ( Todd Matheson) - who Infamously Said- it's Too Cold in Colorado and they Won't Win the 1990 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. He went to A and M instead. Next time I saw the guy, he Shamefully wouldn't look me in the Eye and made a Point to Avoid me- Because He Missed out On A GOLD NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RING. And Yes, I Heavily had A rooting interest For the Colorado Buffaloes- tied into Sal Aneses cancer story. My Mom also had cancer. It got Her on Sept 14th, 1991. GO BUFFS!

You'd be surprised how bs some natties are. In 84' fuckin byu topped the AP by winning the holiday bowl

@@spadeplaladin5 - As a Washington fan I know all about that.

If you look at Georgia Tech's resume, they were also fortunate to have a split. Colorado played a much tougher schedule and had a better resume with the loss and a tie. Their loss was on the road to a good Illinois team. They tied the SEC Champion Tennessee on a neutral site and beat the SWC Champ Texas on the road. They beat the Pac10 Champion Washington at home. Add Nebraska on the road and a pretty good Oklahoma team at home, and I think that they had a good resume. They also beat Stanford at home, which beat Notre Dame in South Bend. I agree, the 5th down game vs Missouri makes their claim a little more suspect. But really, the best two teams that year were Miami and Notre Dame. But both had two inexplicable losses. And Notre Dame probably should have won this one as well.

Non conference they played Tennessee, Washington, Illinois and Texas. Should they have been penalized for playing those teams instead of Wyoming, Rice, Purdue and Akron?

Still on ND….should have been able to put up more than 9

Still no excuse for putting up only 9 points

@@thefrase7884 Colorado wasn't #1 for no reason... That team was a machine.

Notre Dame played Alabama tougher than Ohio State did in the Playoffs this season.

@@Photograph1974 They were complete shit for so long during the Davie, Willingham, Weiss and most of the Kelly era, but they have seemingly turned things around a little bit lately. They’re still a rung below the “big boys” though. I honestly don’t know what they need to do in order to compete with the Alabama’s, Ohio State’s, Clemson’s, etc. of the college football world. They have all the money and resources available. I think it all comes down to recruiting. The “big boys” seem to get four, five or six 5 star recruits every year. ND hardly ever gets 5 stars. Going back ten years from 2012-2022 they’ve only gotten four 5 star recruits. During that same time period Alabama has gotten 47. So I don’t know if ND simply recruits poorly, or if it’s because many of the top players don’t want to go to school in a northern climate, or if it’s due to academic restrictions, or what, but there’s a huge disparity there.

He played in the nfl many years actually

I know. I stand by my previous statement.

they thought he was going to be the next Joe Montana, I remember. He had the looks, but didn't have much talent.

​@@davidc.992The next Joe Montana?? Only bc he had a weak arm and wore #3. Ron Powlus was supposed to be "the next Montana also"

Was an obvious clip. #17 was in position to make the tackle too

Incorrect

Still on them. Should have been able to put up more than 9

I Absolutely HATE nd and they DID NOT GET ROBBED. ALL THEY EVER GET IS BOTH ANNOUNCERS GOING FOR THEM- Until Or Unless they have to Give another team Credit for Winning

No they didn't. Another moron here who won't give COLORADO any credit

So is your comment. lol

Cerebral

And we all know who shouldn't have even been in this game with their 5th down chance against Mizzou.

​@@flame-sky7148If you look at that 5th down play at Missouri, Charles Johnson was short of the goal line. He slipped. No Instant replay in 1990 though

Colorado got a gift on that call, and they shouldn't have been in this game to begin with- this was the year they got the 5th down on the game-winning drive against Missouri. Put them together, and they got a share of the national championship at 8-3-1.

Wah wah wah. Was an obvious clip. CUs defense dominated all game

@@asutgriff who cares if they "dominated all game"?? It doesnt negate a terrible call! ND was the champ, not Colorado.

@@KD-ns1hn would you like some cheese to go with your whine?

No its was for sure clipping

Obvious clip

If it had counted, it would have been the Rocket's signature play of his career. What an amazing athlete!

Incorrect. Good call

No they didn't

Big 12 champs 2001

In 2001 they beat #1 undefeated Nebraska scoring 62 points on them in the last game, then went on to beat Texas for the Big 12 Championship. 2002, 2004, 2005 Big 12 North Champion. 2016 Pac 12 South Champion. Close Hobie, you were only off by 25 YEARS! lmao

PAC 12 South champion! Hilarious in that cu was the best of the worst.

​@@asutgriffSays a lot about the Big 12. Fresno State won at Colorado that season

So what and Who Cares?!?!?! Stupid comments like this are Equivalent to Saying you Won $27,000,000.00 in the Lottery and haven't Won anything since. When You Do Something LIFE CHANGING YOU DON'T HAVE TO! Or as Dumb as someone Saying they only had 1 DREAMWIFE- You would have still hsd and ENJOYED WHAT MOST GUYS DON'T GET TO ( AS A WORK SLAVE). WHAT HAPPENED TO MANNEES, THANKFULLNESS, AND APPRECIATION?!?!?!? Please, bring it Back.

They cant beat Alabama. They didn't in January 2013 or January 2021 either.

You're so full of it! CU played Tennessee, Stanford, Illinois, Texas and Washington for their Non-conference schedule. All but Stanford were ranked when CU played them. Plus of course they had to also play Nebraska and Oklahoma . Altogether they played seven ranked teams that year. Six road games, five home games, and two neutral sites. Probably the toughest schedule any national championship team has ever had to play! So STFU

@@deerobinson557 and "lost" to Mizzou

@@pudge1963 In your dreams.

Pudge 63, lucky for cu that the buff a holes didn’t have to play Miami, the Canes were CLEARLY the best team in the country by the end of the year, so you can stfu!

And yet ND only put up 9

Interesting engrish

It may have been a bs call but no excuse for ND only putting up 9