The 1990 Colorado Buffaloes football team represented the University of Colorado Boulder as a member of the Big Eight Conference during the 1990 NCAA Division I-A football season.
Led by head coach Bill McCartney, Colorado defeated Notre Dame 10–9 in the 1991 Orange Bowl to conclude the season.
Despite the infamous Fifth Down Game controversy against a 4-7 Missouri Tigers football team, Colorado was selected national champions by AP, Berryman, Billingsley, DeVold, FB News, Football Research, FW, Matthews, NFF, Sporting News, and USA/CNN, and co-champion by both FACT and NCF -all NCAA-designated major selectors.
[2] Georgia Tech finished the season undefeated (with its record only blemished by a tie), and subsequently split the national championship with Colorado.
Mike Pritchard ran for 217 yards and 2 touchdowns as Colorado outgained Tennessee 368-135 on the ground even with Eric Bieniemy sitting out due to a suspension.