#1: Denver's Most Heartbreaking Sports Losses - The 1990 Orange Bowl | Shapiro and Piro
On January 1, 1990, the undefeated and top-ranked Colorado Buffaloes entered the Orange Bowl just one win away from a national championship. Led by head coach Bill McCartney and quarterback Darian Hagan, Colorado had completed a perfect regular season and appeared poised to bring a title back to Boulder. Standing in their way was a battle-tested Notre Dame team led by Lou Holtz. What followed was a defensive struggle that slowly turned into heartbreak for Colorado fans. The Fighting Irish capitalized on key mistakes, controlled the game's biggest moments, and handed the Buffaloes a crushing defeat. The loss ended Colorado's dream season and cost them a chance at the national championship.
While Colorado would eventually find redemption by winning a share of the national championship the following season, the 1990 Orange Bowl remains a painful reminder of how close the Buffs came to reaching the top of college football.
Denver's Most Heartbreaking Sports Losses Countdown:
#5 - Super Bowl XII (Broncos-Cowboys)
#4 - Game 1 of the 2009 Western Conference Finals (Nuggets-Lakers)
#3 - The Rahim Moore Game (Broncos-Ravens)
#2 - The 1996 Divisional Round
#1 - The 1990 Orange Bowl
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