Travel back with me. Travel back to a time when Colorado football was ranked in the top 10, back when Colorado could even play football, back when having a web page for yourself was a big deal, back to 1995 when the seventh-ranked Colorado Buffaloes hosted the #3 team in the country, the Texas A&M Aggies.
Some of you may know that this weekend was scheduled to be the first meeting between the two teams since 2009, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In lieu of that, let’s revisit a classic.
The 1995 Colorado Buffaloes were a team filled with unknowns. Gone were last year’s Heisman Trophy-winning running back Rashaan Salaam, Miracle at Michigan quarterback Kordell Stewart, All-American wide receiver Michael Westbrook, and head coach Bill McCartney, who led Colorado to a national championship back in 1990. In their place, rookie head coach Rick Neuheisel led Koy Detmer, younger brother of 1990 Heisman trophy winner Ty Detmer, and the Buffaloes against a hungry Aggies team.
Ranked #3 at the time, the Aggies were 2-0 and coming off an unbeaten season; despite their perfect record, Texas A&M was ineligible for bowl contention because of an NCAA probation. Thus, 1995 was the year for the Aggies. Led by Heisman hopeful Leeland McElroy, nicknamed ‘Lectric Leeland, at running back, the Aggies had it all: a veteran quarterback in Cory Pullig, a star receiver in junior college transfer Albert Connell and a vaunted defense.
Despite their ranking and record, Coach Neuheisel told Sports Illustrated that the Buffaloes were not afraid. “We all have a great deal of respect for (Texas A&M). But we feel like we’re right with ’em and we’re not going to back down to anybody. And if those are fightin’ words, so be it. We’re ready to play Texas A&M.” Ready to play they were. The Buffaloes kicked off against the Aggies in front of a record crowd of 53,849 at Folsom Field.
Things did not go to plan, however. Early in the first quarter, Texas A&M defensive back Ray Mickens stripped Colorado QB Koy Detmer of the football. The ball rolled its way to the Colorado end zone where Aggie David Maxwell fell on it to give the visitors a 7-0 lead.
Detmer would find his rhythm though. Late in the first quarter, he led the Buffaloes charging into the red zone before tragedy struck. In a non-contact injury, Detmer tore his ACL. The injury would keep him out the rest of the game, and ultimately ended his season. Redshirt sophomore John Hessler, hailing from down the road in Brighton, Colorado, stepped into the game despite only having three career snaps under center.
The drive stalled under Hessler, but kicker Neil Voskeritchian knocked a field goal through with 41 seconds left in the first to make the score 7-3 Aggies.
Fortune turned for the Buffaloes on the following Aggie drive, as sophomore Elton Davis intercepted a pass from Pullig that went off the hands of Connell. Davis returned the interception to the A&M one-yard-line. On the first play of the second quarter, Hessler scrambled into the end zone for a touchdown to give CU its first lead of the day.
A few drives later Hessler found paydirt once again. After a 58-yard completion to wide receiver Rae Carruth, Hessler punched in another touchdown from three yards out to give the Buffaloes a 17-7 lead over the Aggies.
Not to be outdone, the Aggies rallied back and claimed a 21-20 lead by virtue of two touchdowns and a Colorado field goal. A&M looked to put the game out of reach when they recovered a Colorado fumble on its own half of the field. The Colorado defense was up to the task and held the Aggies to a field goal attempt. Senior defensive lineman Kerry Hicks blocked the kick for the Buffaloes to keep the score 21-20 Aggies.
Though it may have been easy for the inexperienced Hessler to feel the pressure, he seized the moment. Colorado marched 61 yards down the field, capped off by Hessler’s first passing touchdown of the day to TE Tennyson McCarthy on a 20-yard strike 32 seconds into the fourth quarter. The Buffaloes now led 26-21. Coach Neuheisel decided now was the time to go for two. The Buffaloes failed to get the conversion, but only after Texas A&M were forced to burn two timeouts to discuss defensive alignments against wacky Colorado offensive formations.
The rest of the game remained fruitless for the Aggies as Colorado’s “Swarm Troopers” nullified Leeland McElroy. The Buffaloes defense employed a five man front which limited the Aggie running back to 162 rushing yards on 23 carries, falling way short of his average of 322 all-purpose yards a game. Voskeritchian tacked on his third field goal to give Colorado a 29-21 victory.
Following the win, the Buffaloes rose up to #4 in the polls. Newcomer John Hessler received the Big Eight Offensive Player of the Week award; Hessler finished 10-20 for 177 yards and one throwing touchdown in addition to his two rushing scores. Not to be outdone, Matt Russell was named the Big Eight Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts. He totaled 12 tackles, including eight unassisted, and two tackles for a loss.
The Buffaloes moved to 4-0 after the victory but would soon lose twice — including to rival Nebraska at home. They would finish 10-2 with a victory over the University of Oregon in the Cotton Bowl.
