This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/11/2012
A consensus All American as a junior, and unanimous All American pick as a senior, Joe Garten helped drive the Buffaloes to a National Championship in 1990. Colorado came into the 57th Orange Bowl with an impressive 10-1-1 record and the #1 ranking in both the AP & Coaches polls. One reason for the Buffaloes #1 ranking in the Nation was that they had the toughest schedule of any NCAA football team. Colorado had to take on the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame who were 9-2 with a #5 AP ranking. The game was a rematch of the 1990 Orange Bowl, in which #3 Notre Dame won National Championship by defeating #1 Colorado 21-6. The Buffaloes would get revenge 10-9 in this hard fought rematch . This would be Colorado's first, and only , National Championship in school history.
Garten, who was the Team Captian, set the school record for career starts (44), allowing just 2 sacks and drawing only 3 penalties in more than 2,400 snaps for his career. Joe, a member of Colorado's Back-to-Back Big 8 Championships in 1989 & 1990, was a 2 time unanimous All Big 8 selection , and won Colorado's Derek Singleton Award for team spirit and enthusiasm. Garten helped the Buffaloes to a 37-10-1 record, from 1987-1990, including 2 consecutive Orange Bowl appearances during his 4 years he was with the Buffaloes and was a 1990 Outland Trophy finalist.
This gorgeous National Championship ring showcases a giant #1, made up of 8 sparkling CZ diamonds, set into a large black onyx stone with "COLORADO - 1990 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS" finishing off the top of the ring. On the left shank is "GARTEN #62", and for its time, a unique scroll of every score of that amazing 1990 Colorado season. On the other shank is "WILL TO WIN" at the top, with the stampeding Buffalo in superb detail, and "GOLDEN BUFFALOES" below. Engraved on the inside of this size 11 to 11.5 ring, is the Jostens markings ("C" in a circle "J" in a diamond - "LTM") with "Joe Garten" etched in script. This fantastic item is identical to Joe's original 10K gold ring issued to him but in Lustrium tone metal (LTM) and comes in the original issued Jostens box.