The Colorado Buffaloes football statistical leaders are individual statistical leaders of the Colorado Buffaloes football program in various categories,[1] [2] including passing , rushing , receiving , total offense , defensive stats, and kicking . Within those areas, the lists identify single-game, single-season, and career leaders. The Buffaloes represent the University of Colorado Boulder in the NCAA Division I FBS Pac-12 Conference .
Although Colorado began competing in intercollegiate football in 1890,[2] the school's official record book considers the "modern era" to have begun in the 1930s. Records prior to this year are often incomplete and inconsistent, and are generally not included in these lists.
These lists are dominated by more recent players for several reasons:
Since 1930s, seasons have increased from 10 games to 11 and then 12 games in length. The NCAA didn't allow freshmen to play varsity football until 1972 (with the exception of the World War II years), allowing players to have four-year careers. Bowl games only began counting toward single-season and career statistics in 2002.[3] The Buffaloes have played in five bowl games since then, allowing players in those seasons an extra game to accumulate statistics. However, unlike virtually all other FBS programs, Colorado does not include bowl game statistics from any season in career statistics, meaning that players' career totals, and even in some cases the ordering of career leaders, differ between Colorado record books and official NCAA statistics.[1] Similarly, the Buffaloes have appeared in the Big 12 Championship Game four times and the Pac-12 Championship Game once, giving players yet another game to accumulate stats. Due to COVID-19 disruptions, the NCAA ruled that the 2020 season would not count against any football player's athletic eligibility, giving all players active in that season the opportunity for five years of play instead of the normal four. These lists are updated through Colorado's game against TCU on September 2, 2023 .
Passing [ edit ] Passing yards [ edit ] Career Rank Player Yards Years 1 Sefo Liufau 9,763[4] 2013 2014 2015 2016 2 Steven Montez 9,710 2016 2017 2018 2019 3 Cody Hawkins 7,731 2007 2008 2009 2010 4 Joel Klatt 7,708 2002 2003 2004 2005 5 Kordell Stewart 6,481 1991 1992 1993 1994 6 Tyler Hansen 5,705 2008 2009 2010 2011 7 Koy Detmer 5,390 1992 1994 1995 1996 8 Mike Moschetti 4,797 1998 1999 9 John Hessler 4,788 1994 1995 1996 1997 10 Steve Vogel 3,912 1981 1982 1983 1984
Single season Rank Player Yards Year 1 Shedeur Sanders 3,230[5] 2023 2 Sefo Liufau 3,200 2014 3 Koy Detmer 3,156 1996 4 Steven Montez 2,975 2017 5 Tyler Hansen 2,883 2011 6 Steven Montez 2,849 2018 7 Steven Montez 2,808 2019 8 Joel Klatt 2,696 2005 9 Mike Moschetti 2,693 1999 Cody Hawkins 2,693 2007
Passing touchdowns [ edit ] Rushing [ edit ] Rushing yards [ edit ] Career Rank Player Yards Years 1 Eric Bieniemy 3,940 1987 1988 1989 1990 2 Rodney Stewart 3,598 2008 2009 2010 2011 3 Phillip Lindsay 3,550[18] 2014 2015 2016 2017 4 Bobby Purify 3,096 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 5 Rashaan Salaam 3,057 1992 1993 1994 6 Charlie Davis 2,958 1971 1972 1973 7 Hugh Charles 2,795 2004 2005 2006 2007 8 Chris Brown 2,787 2001 2002 9 James Mayberry 2,548 1975 1976 1977 1978 10 Herchell Troutman 2,487 1994 1995 1996 1997
Single season Rank Player Yards Year 1 Rashaan Salaam 2,055 1994 2 Chris Brown 1,841 2002 3 Eric Bieniemy 1,628 1990 4 Charlie Davis 1,386 1971 5 Rodney Stewart 1,318 2010 6 James Mayberry 1,299 1977 7 Phillip Lindsay 1,254[18] 2017 8 Phillip Lindsay 1,252[18] 2016 9 Eric Bieniemy 1,243 1988 10 Tony Reed 1,210 1976
Rushing touchdowns [ edit ] Receiving [ edit ] Receptions [ edit ] Receiving yards [ edit ] Career Rank Player Yards Years 1 Nelson Spruce 3,347 2012 2013 2014 2015 2 Shay Fields 2,590[23] 2014 2015 2016 2017 3 Scotty McKnight 2,588 2007 2008 2009 2010 4 Michael Westbrook 2,548 1991 1992 1993 1994 5 Rae Carruth 2,540 1992 1994 1995 1996 6 Charles Johnson 2,447 1990 1991 1992 1993 7 Paul Richardson 2,412 2010 2011 2012 2013 8 Phil Savoy 2,176 1994 1995 1996 1997 9 Derek McCoy 2,038 2000 2001 2002 2003 10 Javon Green 2,031 1997 1998 1999 2000
Single season Rank Player Yards Year 1 Paul Richardson 1,343 2013 2 Nelson Spruce 1,198 2014 3 Charles Johnson 1,149 1992 4 Rae Carruth 1,116 1996 5 Charles Johnson 1,082 1993 6 Michael Westbrook 1,060 1992 7 Nelson Spruce 1,053 2015 8 D.J. Hackett 1,013 2003 9 Laviska Shenault Jr. 1,011[24] 2018 10 Rae Carruth 1,008 1995
Receiving touchdowns [ edit ] Total offense [ edit ] Total offense is the sum of passing and rushing statistics. It does not include receiving or returns.[38]
Total offense yards [ edit ] Career Rank Player Yards Years 1 Sefo Liufau 10,702 [4] 2013 2014 2015 2016 2 Kordell Stewart 7,770 1991 1992 1993 1994 3 Cody Hawkins 7,564 2007 2008 2009 2010 4 Joel Klatt 7,562 2002 2003 2004 2005 5 Tyler Hansen 6,183 2008 2009 2010 2011 6 Darian Hagan 5,808 1988 1989 1990 1991 7 Koy Detmer 5,359 1992 1994 1995 1996 8 John Hessler 5,064 1994 1995 1996 1997 9 Mike Moschetti 4,867 1998 1999 10 Bobby Anderson 4,565 1967 1968 1969
Single season Rank Player Yards Year 1 Sefo Liufau 3,336 2014 2 Shedeur Sanders 3,153 [5] 2023 3 Koy Detmer 3,150 1996 4 Tyler Hansen 2,998 2011 5 Sefo Liufau 2,860 [4] 2016 6 Kordell Stewart 2,823 1993 7 Mike Moschetti 2,818 1999 8 Kordell Stewart 2,710 1994 9 Joel Klatt 2,699 2005 10 Cody Hawkins 2,682 2007
Touchdowns responsible for [ edit ] "Touchdowns responsible for" is the NCAA's official term for combined passing and rushing touchdowns.[41]
Defense [ edit ] Interceptions [ edit ] Tackles [ edit ] Kicking [ edit ] Field goals made [ edit ] Single game Rank Player FGs Year Opponent 1 Jeremy Aldrich 5 1999 Kansas Kevin Eberhart 5[46] 2007 Baylor
Field goal percentage [ edit ] Single season Rank Player FG% Year 1 Jeremy Aldrich 85.7% 1997
References [ edit ] ^ a b "Leaders" (PDF) . 2023 Colorado Football Record Book . Colorado Buffaloes. Retrieved September 2, 2023 . ^ a b "2015 Colorado Buffaloes Media Guide" (PDF) . CUBuffs.com . Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-14. Retrieved 2015-11-07 . ^ "NCAA changes policy on football stats" . ESPN.com . AP. 2002-08-28. Retrieved 2014-09-11 . ^ a b c d e "Sefo Liufau" . ESPN.com . Retrieved 2017-01-15 . ^ a b c d e "Shedeur Sanders" . ESPN.com . ^ a b c d e f "Colorado vs. TCU Box Score" . ESPN.com . September 2, 2023. Retrieved September 5, 2023 . ^ a b c d "California emerges in OT despite Colorado's huge day" . ESPN.com . 2011-09-10. ^ a b c d e f g "California beats Colorado 59-56 in double OT" . ESPN.com . 2014-09-27. ^ "Colorado 50, Kansas 47 (OT)" . ESPN.com . 2003-10-11. ^ a b c "Stanford vs. Colorado Box Score" . ESPN.com . October 13, 2023. Retrieved October 14, 2023 . ^ Aloha Bowl ^ a b "Klatt leads Colorado past CSU" . ESPN.com . 2003-08-31. ^ "Klatt hurls 4 TD passes; Colorado special teams dominate" . ESPN.com . 2005-10-23. ^ "Colorado's defense stifles Iowa St. in last seconds" . ESPN.com . 2008-11-08. ^ a b "Rockets roll up 624 yards total offense in win over Buffs" . ESPN.com . 2009-09-12. ^ "Colorado State vs. Colorado Box Score" . ESPN.com . September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 19, 2023 . ^ a b "USC vs. Colorado Box Score" . ESPN.com . September 30, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2023 . ^ a b c d e "Phillip Lindsay" . ESPN . Retrieved November 3, 2017 . ^ "Colorado vs. Arizona Box Score" . ESPN . December 5, 2020. Retrieved December 6, 2020 . ^ "Arizona's Khalil Tate sets FBS QB rushing mark with 327 yards in a win over Colorado" . ESPN . Associated Press . October 8, 2017. Retrieved November 3, 2017 . ^ a b Liberty Bowl ^ "Liufau leads Buffs past Charleston Southern 43-10" . ESPN.com . 2013-10-19. ^ a b c d "Shay Fields" . ESPN.com . Retrieved 2017-01-15 . ^ a b c "Laviska Shenault Jr" . ESPN . ^ "Devin Ross" . ESPN.com . Retrieved 2017-01-15 . ^ "Xavier Weaver" . ESPN.com . ^ "Spruce leads Colorado past Hawaii 21-12" . ESPN.com . 2014-09-20. ^ "Thompson leads Washington past Colorado 38-23" . ESPN.com . 2014-11-01. ^ "Cougs use second-half surge to seal win" . ESPN.com . 2003-09-13. ^ "Oklahoma St. clips Colorado, keeps pressure on Texas in Big 12 race" . ESPN.com . 2009-11-20. ^ "Kansas runs off 35 straight in fourth to stun Colorado" . ESPN.com . 2010-11-06. ^ a b "Richardson leads Colorado past Cent. Ark. 38-24" . ESPN.com . 2013-09-08. ^ "Colorado beats Cal 41-24 to snap conference skid" . ESPN.com . 2013-11-13. ^ "No. 24 UCLA blows big lead, rallies to beat Colorado" . ESPN.com . 2015-10-31. ^ "No. 15 Colorado squeaks by UCLA 20-10 despite penalties" . ESPN.com . 2016-11-03. ^ "Richardson leads CU to 41-27 win over CSU" . ESPN.com . 2013-09-01. ^ "Colorado crushes Oregon State 47-6 behind Montez, Fields" . ESPN.com . 2016-10-01. ^ "2021 Football Bowl Subdivision Records" (PDF) . NCAA. p. 9. Retrieved December 4, 2021 . ^ "Colorado holds off Oregon in Steven Montez's first career start" . ESPN.com . 2016-09-24. ^ "Liufau scores 3 TDs, No. 10 Colorado beats No. 22 Wash State" . ESPN.com . 2016-11-19. ^ "2021 Football Bowl Subdivision Records" (PDF) . NCAA. p. 12. Retrieved December 4, 2021 . ^ "Harrell's 4 INTs too much as Colorado rolls Texas Tech" . ESPN.com . 2007-10-27. ^ a b c "James Stefanou" . ESPN . ^ a b "Cole Becker" . ESPN . ^ a b "Diego Gonzalez" . ESPN.com . Retrieved 2017-01-15 . ^ "Colorado 43, Baylor 23" . ESPN.com . 2007-10-06. ^ "Alejandro Mata" . ESPN.com .
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