1996 Holiday Bowl

1996 Plymouth Holiday Bowl
Colorado Buffaloes Washington Huskies (9–2) (9–2) 33 21 Head coach:  Rick Neuheisel Head coach:  Jim Lambright AP Coaches BA 8 8 8 AP Coaches BA 13 12 12
1 2 3 4 Total Colorado 7 17 3 6 33 Washington 14 7 0 0 21
Date	December 30, 1996
Season	1996
Stadium	Jack Murphy Stadium
Location	San Diego, California
MVP	Offensive: Koy Detmer (Colorado)
Halftime show	Marching bands
Attendance	54,749
Payout	US$1,433,883 per team
United States TV coverage
Network	ESPN

The 1996 Holiday Bowl was a college football bowl game played December 30, 1996 in San Diego, California. It was part of the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season. It featured the Colorado Buffaloes, and the Washington Huskies.

1st half

Washington scored first following a 2-yard touchdown run from running back Corey Dillon, and the Huskies opened up a 7–0 lead. Corey Dillon later scored on a 12-yard touchdown run, increasing Washington's lead to 14–0. 45 seconds later, Colorado quarterback Koy Detmer threw a 75-yard 'bullet' to wide receiver Rae Carruth to close Colorado to within 14–7.

In the second quarter, Nick Ziegler returned a Washington interception 31 yards for a touchdown, tying the game at 14. On the very next play, Jerome Pathon returned the kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown, and Washington reclaimed the lead at 21–14. Koy Detmer later threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Darrin Chiavverini for a 7-yard touchdown pass, and the score was tied at 21. Jeremy Aldrich kicked a 42-yard field goal before halftime, to put Colorado on top 24–21.

2nd half

In the third quarter, Aldrich kicked a 36-yard field goal to increase Colorado's lead to 27–21. In the fourth quarter, Koy Detmer threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Rae Carruth, but the 2-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful, and Colorado was up 33–21. They held on to that lead to win the game by that same margin.