CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1997 Colorado

5–⁠6 (3–⁠5 Big 12), coached by Rick Neuheisel. Colorado forfeited five wins; the NCAA and Colorado still count the results on the field.

From the season’s Wikipedia article: “While all five wins were forfeited due to the use of an ineligible player, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and Colorado recognize all the results on the field for their records.”

Schedule and results

Colorado in 1997, game by game: won vs. No. 24 Colorado State 31–21; lost at No. 14 Michigan 3–27; won vs. Wyoming 20–19; lost vs. No. 21 Texas A&M 10–16; lost at No. 20 Oklahoma State 29–33; won vs. Kansas 42–6; won at Texas 47–30; lost vs. Missouri 31–41; won at Iowa State 43–38; lost at No. 10 Kansas State 20–37; lost vs. No. 2 Nebraska 24–27+36−24Won 31–21 vs. No. 24 Colorado State+10No. 24 Colorado StateLost 3–27 at No. 14 Michigan-24No. 14 MichiganWon 20–19 vs. Wyoming+1WyomingLost 10–16 vs. No. 21 Texas A&M-6No. 21 Texas A&MLost 29–33 at No. 20 Oklahoma State-4No. 20 Oklahoma StateWon 42–6 vs. Kansas+36KansasWon 47–30 at Texas+17TexasLost 31–41 vs. Missouri-10MissouriWon 43–38 at Iowa State+5Iowa StateLost 20–37 at No. 10 Kansas State-17No. 10 Kansas StateLost 24–27 vs. No. 2 Nebraska-3No. 2 Nebraska
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 6vs24Colorado StateW 31–⁠2171%
Sep 13at14MichiganL 3–⁠2754%
Sep 27vsWyomingW 20–⁠1967%
Oct 4vs21Texas A&ML 10–⁠1666%
Oct 11at20Oklahoma StateL 29–⁠3353%
Oct 18vsKansasW 42–⁠673%
Oct 25atTexasW 47–⁠3056%
Nov 1vsMissouriL 31–⁠4176%
Nov 8atIowa StateW 43–⁠3881%
Nov 15at10Kansas StateL 20–⁠3730%
Nov 28vs2NebraskaL 24–⁠2729%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Nebraska 27–⁠24; unranked in the final AP poll; tied for 7th in the Big 12.

In program history: The 37th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 125 on file).

AP poll, week by week

  1. Wk 1: 8
  2. Wk 2: 8
  3. Wk 3: 8
  4. Wk 4: 8
  5. Wk 5: 15
  6. Wk 6: 16
  7. Wk 7: 16
  8. Wk 8: 24

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 1997.

Record
5–⁠6
Conference
3–⁠5 tied for 7th in Big 12
AP final
Unranked peak No. 8
Points
300–⁠295
Coach
Rick Neuheisel
Elo
1609 −78 this season
SP+ rating
14.1 No. 24 of 112; offense No. 17, defense No. 42
SRS
7.2 No. 34 of 112 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Offensive coordinator
Karl Dorrell
Defensive coordinator
A.J. Christoff
Most valuable player
John Hessler and Ryan Sutter
Offense
Multiple
Defense
4–⁠3

Drafted in 1998

The 1998 draft
Rd 5Ryan Sutter DBBaltimore Ravens
Rd 5Ron Merkerson LBNew England Patriots
Rd 6Ryan Olson DTPittsburgh Steelers
Rd 7Phil Savoy WRArizona Cardinals
Rd 7Viliami Maumau DTCarolina Panthers
Rd 7Melvin Thomas OGPhiladelphia Eagles

All-Big 12

4 first team, 2 second team

First team

Second team

From Wikipedia’s 1997 all-conference team article, with the selectors that named each player (AP-1: the Associated Press’s first team).

1997 Big 12 standings

Conference page
TeamConf.OverallAP final
Nebraska8–⁠013–⁠02
Kansas State7–⁠111–⁠18
Texas A&M6–⁠29–⁠420
Oklahoma State5–⁠38–⁠424
Missouri5–⁠37–⁠523
Texas Tech5–⁠36–⁠5
Colorado3–⁠55–⁠6
Kansas3–⁠55–⁠6
Texas2–⁠64–⁠7
Oklahoma2–⁠64–⁠8
Baylor1–⁠72–⁠9
Iowa State1–⁠71–⁠10

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