[1][2] Burford began his collegiate career playing for Idaho State, and transferred to Cal Poly after the 1998 season.
[2][3][4] On November 4, 2000, Burford passed for 566 yards[5] against 24th-ranked Northern Iowa, a single-game Cal Poly record,[6] in a 43-41 loss.
Two days later on November 6, 2000, ESPN/USA Today selected Burford as the national Division I-AA Offensive Player of the Week.
[9] He was rostered as the number-three quarterback, behind Drew Brees and Doug Flutie, with San Diego for the 2002 season, but didn't play in a regular-season game.
[14] In January 2004, he signed as a free agent with the Kansas City Chiefs, who were hoping to draft him in 2002 before the Chargers took him.