Graduating senior CP staff writer recalls his favorite Buff sports memories
As a senior graduating in August, I realize that I won’t have any more sports memories of my beloved CU football and basketball teams as a student.
In twenty years, it won’t be the informative lectures or the hours spent at Norlin library that I remember, but the great sports moment I have witnessed over my four years in college, among other things.
So to the graduating seniors, I present to you the top five sports moments from Fall 2003 to Spring 2007.
Number Five: Sept. 23, 2006; UGA-14 CU-13
How does a loss enter this top-five list? Because I probably was never any prouder of the Buffs than I was during the third quarter of this gut-wrenching defensive battle. CU was up 13-0 late in the game, but eventually fell to the No. 7 Bulldogs on a 20-yard touchdown pass with 46 seconds left.
Sure, it was heartbreaking. The hangover from waking up for a 10:30 a.m. game didn’t help either. Yet looking back on an otherwise dreadful season, this loss always brings out a sense of passion and pride in me.
Number Four: Feb. 25, 2004; CU-94 OU-87 OT
Number Three: Nov. 26, 2004; CU-26 NU-20
There’s really nothing like beating Nebraska. Nebraskans are completely enraptured with Big Red, and to see them in all their pompousness watch their Cornhuskers finish the season 5-6 and fail to reach a bowl game for the first time in a few decades was something special. Oh, and the win also got us into the Big 12 Championship game where we played Oklahoma and, uh, well my memory gets a bit fuzzy there.
Number Two: Aug. 30, 2003; CU-42 CSU-35
For the graduating class, this was their second weekend as a CU student. For many, it was the first time they’d seen Ralphie leading the Black and Gold out onto the field. Lightning caused a delay in the action, but perhaps the single-most memorable play took place that day: A 78-yard touchdown pass from Joel Klatt to Derek McCoy as lightning crashes in the distance to give CU a 35-21 advantage.
Chants of “It sucks.to be.a CSU Ram!” after the game on concourses as the students filed out at Invesco Field at Mile High were an added bonus.
Number One: Sept. 4, 2004; CU-27 CSU-24
When I thought of the idea for this column, one play specifically came to mind. With seconds on the clock, J.J Billingsley stopped CSU running back Marcus Houston at the 1-yard line, and the Buffs prevailed. CU students have rushed the field for some very questionable reasons (Iowa State this past season), but this time it was warranted. Billingsley, always a crowd favorite, will most likely be forever remembered if solely for that play alone.
The past four years have been extremely trying, not just for the athletes themselves, but also for the students who had to endure events with such black eyes as the recruiting/sex party scandals, Katie Hnida and her implications of rape by unnamed teammates, coaching changes in both football and basketball and unusually bad teams.
Hopefully this list will remind us that even during the toughest of times for CU athletics, there’s still always something to be proud of as a student body that bleeds black and gold.
Contact Campus Press Staff writer Evan Acker at evan.acker@thecampuspress.com.
