CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1996 Colorado

10–⁠2 (7–⁠1 Big 12), coached by Rick Neuheisel, finished No. 8 in the AP poll.

Schedule and results

Colorado in 1996, game by game: won vs. Washington State 37–19; won at Colorado State 48–34; lost vs. No. 11 Michigan 13–20; won at Texas A&M 24–10; won vs. Oklahoma State 35–13; won at Kansas 20–7; won vs. Texas 28–24; won at Missouri 41–13; won vs. Iowa State 49–42; won vs. No. 9 Kansas State 12–0; lost at No. 4 Nebraska 12–17; won vs. No. 13 Washington 33–21+28−7Won 37–19 vs. Washington State+18Washington StateWon 48–34 at Colorado State+14Colorado StateLost 13–20 vs. No. 11 Michigan-7No. 11 MichiganWon 24–10 at Texas A&M+14Texas A&MWon 35–13 vs. Oklahoma State+22Oklahoma StateWon 20–7 at Kansas+13KansasWon 28–24 vs. Texas+4TexasWon 41–13 at Missouri+28MissouriWon 49–42 vs. Iowa State+7Iowa StateWon 12–0 vs. No. 9 Kansas State+12No. 9 Kansas StateLost 12–17 at No. 4 Nebraska-5No. 4 NebraskaWon 33–21 vs. No. 13 Washington+12No. 13 Washington
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Aug 31vsWashington StateW 37–⁠1981%
Sep 7atColorado StateW 48–⁠3458%
Sep 14vs11MichiganL 13–⁠2067%
Sep 28atTexas A&MW 24–⁠1054%
Oct 12vsOklahoma StateW 35–⁠1385%
Oct 19atKansasW 20–⁠755%
Oct 26vsTexasW 28–⁠2475%
Nov 2atMissouriW 41–⁠1383%
Nov 9vsIowa StateW 49–⁠4292%
Nov 16vs9Kansas StateW 12–⁠063%
Nov 29at4NebraskaL 12–⁠1733%
Dec 30Bowls & playoffvs13WashingtonHoliday BowlW 33–⁠2159%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Washington 33–⁠21 in the Holiday Bowl; No. 8 in the final AP poll; 2nd in the Big 12.

In program history: The best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 125 on file).

AP poll, week by week

  1. Wk 1: 5
  2. Wk 2: 5
  3. Wk 3: 5
  4. Wk 4: 5
  5. Wk 5: 12
  6. Wk 6: 12
  7. Wk 7: 10
  8. Wk 8: 9
  9. Wk 9: 9
  10. Wk 10: 8
  11. Wk 11: 7
  12. Wk 12: 7
  13. Wk 13: 6
  14. Wk 14: 6
  15. Wk 15: 5
  16. Wk 16: 7
  17. Wk 17: 8
  18. Final: 8

Players on this team

Before 2004 our records hold honors and the draft; these are the players whose college years here, from their Wikipedia articles or their honors, include 1996.

Butkus AwardMatt Russell, LB

2 consensus All-AmericansChris Naeole, OL; Matt Russell, LB

Record
10–⁠2
Conference
7–⁠1 2nd in Big 12
AP final
No. 8 peak No. 5
Points
352–⁠220
Coach
Rick Neuheisel
Elo
1779 +107 this season
SP+ rating
24.6 No. 6 of 111; offense No. 18, defense No. 9
SRS
19.9 No. 9 of 111 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Offensive coordinator
Karl Dorrell
Defensive coordinator
A.J. Christoff
Most valuable player
Rae Carruth and Matt Russell
Offense
Multiple
Defense
4–⁠3

Drafted in 1997

The 1997 draft
Rd 1Chris Naeole OGNew Orleans Saints
Rd 1Rae Carruth WRCarolina Panthers
Rd 2Greg Jones LBWashington Redskins
Rd 4Matt Russell LBDetroit Lions
Rd 7Steve Rosga DBNew York Jets
Rd 7Koy Detmer QBPhiladelphia Eagles

All-Big 12

6 first team, 2 second team

First team

Second team

From Wikipedia’s 1996 all-conference team article, with the selectors that named each player (AP-1: the Associated Press’s first team).

1996 Big 12 standings

Conference page
TeamConf.OverallAP final
Nebraska8–⁠011–⁠26
Colorado7–⁠110–⁠28
Kansas State6–⁠29–⁠317
Texas6–⁠28–⁠523
Texas Tech5–⁠37–⁠5
Texas A&M4–⁠46–⁠6
Missouri3–⁠55–⁠6
Oklahoma3–⁠53–⁠8
Oklahoma State2–⁠65–⁠6
Kansas2–⁠64–⁠7
Baylor1–⁠74–⁠7
Iowa State1–⁠72–⁠9

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.