As a freshman in 1993, he missed the first 2 contests and did not enter the starting lineup until the eighth game of the season.
He led the team with 120 tackles (67 solo) and was named the Western Athletic Conference Mountain Division Defensive Player of the Year.
He left ranked fifth in the SMU's career tackles list (420) and became just the tenth player in school history to be named to three All-conference teams.
In 1999, although he was considered slow for the position, he showed enough athletic ability to start 12 games at middle linebacker and register 59 tackles.
[5] In 2000, the Dallas Cowboys had a lot of turnover at linebacker and one of the moves made to improve the depth was trading for Bordano.
[6] He was passed on the depth chart by rookie Orantes Grant and was released to make room for cornerback Phillippi Sparks on August 28.
[8] He appeared in 2 games as a backup, before fracturing a neck vertebra and being placed on the injured reserve list on September 19.