(Note: With the coronavirus pandemic postponing fall sports in the Pac-12 Conference this year, BuffZone.com is featuring memorable games and players in CU football history. Although the Pac-12 has returned to play, we continue our look back in history. In this installment, we look back at the week of Nov. 23-29.)
In itself, Colorado’s football game on Nov. 28, 1959, wasn’t a big deal.
The Buffaloes were 4-5 under first-year coach Sonny Grandelius as they went into the season finale against Air Force at Folsom Field.
Air Force was in its fifth year as a program and brought a 5-3-1 record to Boulder in coach Ben Martin’s second season.
What made the game unique in CU history was a particular guest. CU legend Byron “Whizzer” White was accompanied by John F. Kennedy, then a United States senator from Massachusetts. A star at CU from 1935-37, White served in the Navy after college and became friends with Kennedy.
About five weeks after the game, Kennedy would officially announce his candidacy for President of the United States, and he was elected to that office on Nov. 8, 1960, defeating Richard Nixon.
To this day, JFK is the only U.S. president – before, during or after his time in office – to ever attend a CU game in Boulder. The stop at Folsom was one of several stops Kennedy made that weekend in Colorado.
As for the game, quarterback Gale Weidner, a sophomore, overcame a rough first half to throw two second-half touchdown passes, to Chuck Weiss and Jerry Steffen, to lead the Buffs to a 15-7 victory.
CU’s defense then made a goal line stand in the final minute. CU All-American Joe Romig broke up an Air Force pass in the end zone on fourth down to preserve the win.
White, who campaigned for Kennedy in Colorado, was named United State Deputy Attorney General by Kennedy in January of 1961. Kennedy then nominated White for the United States Supreme Court in 1962. White would serve as a Supreme Court Justice from 1962-1993.
A look back at some other memorable moments in Colorado football history for the week of Nov. 23-29:
1891 – Nov. 26, Colorado 24, Colorado Springs Athletic Association 4: CU finally earned its first win, in the last game of its second season. CU had lost the first eight games in program history, scoring only 10 points.
1920 – Nov. 25, Colorado 40, Oklahoma A&M 7: To date, that was CU’s most dominant win outside of the state borders. The win capped Myron Witham’s first year as coach, with the Buffs finishing 4-1-2.
1923 – Nov. 29, Colorado 6, Colorado State 3: With the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference title at stake, the Buffs went to Fort Collins to face CSU, then known as Colorado A&M. Art Quinlan kicked a pair of field goals to lead CU to the win and complete a perfect 9-0 season.
1947 – Nov. 27, Denver 26, Colorado 20: It was a loss, but more importantly, it was the end of an era, as it was the last of 44 meetings with DU and the last game for CU as a member of the Mountain States Conference.
1985 – Nov. 23, Colorado 30, Kansas State 0: The Buffs rushed for 352 yards and four touchdowns to wrap up the regular season and secure their first bowl appearance in nine years. CU would play in the Freedom Bowl, its first postseason appearance under coach Bill McCartney.
2001 – Nov. 23, No. 14 Colorado 62, No. 2 Nebraska 36: One of the most satisfying wins in CU history, the Buffs dominated their rivals in Boulder. Chris Brown scored a CU-record six touchdowns to crush the Huskers and earn a spot in the Big 12 title game, which they won a week later.
2007 – Nov. 23, Colorado 65, Nebraska 51: Both teams were unranked and both came into the game needing a win for bowl eligibility. The Buffs scored 41 points after halftime and Hugh Charles ran for 169 yards and three touchdowns. CU earned a spot in a bowl game (its only appearance from 2006-15) and kept Nebraska from the postseason for the second time in four years.
2011 – Nov. 25, Colorado 17, Utah 14: In the season finale, all Utah had to do to win the inaugural Pac-12 South division title was beat the 2-10 Buffs, in Salt Lake City. Tyler Hansen threw a touchdown pass and led CU to the upset, snapping a 23-game road losing streak.
2016 – Nov. 26, No. 9 Colorado 27, No. 21 Utah 22: In the regular season finale, all the Buffs had to do to win the South division was beat the Utes in Boulder. Behind quarterback Sefo Liufau (270 yards, 1 TD) and linebacker Kenneth Olugbode’s fumble recovery for touchdown, they did, finishing 8-1 in conference play.
2019 – Nov. 23, Colorado 20, Washington 14: Playing its final home game of the season, the Buffs came up with their best defensive effort of the year and snapped a nine-game losing streak to the Huskies. Steven Montez threw a touchdown pass to Laviska Shenault and Alex Fontenot added 105 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
