| Game Name: | Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl |
| Date Game Played: | December 31 |
| Year Game Played: | 1971 |
| Football Season: | 1971 |
| Home Name Short: | Houston |
| Home Nickname: | Cougars |
| Home Record: | 9–2 |
| Home Rank Ap: | 15 |
| Home Rank Coaches: | 14 |
| Home 1Q: | 14 |
| Home 2Q: | 0 |
| Home 3Q: | 3 |
| Home 4Q: | 0 |
| Visitor Name Short: | Colorado |
| Visitor Nickname: | Buffaloes |
| Visitor Record: | 9–2 |
| Visitor Rank Ap: | 7 |
| Visitor Rank Coaches: | 7 |
| Visitor 1Q: | 7 |
| Visitor 2Q: | 16 |
| Visitor 3Q: | 0 |
| Visitor 4Q: | 6 |
| Type: | bg |
| Attendance: | 54,720 |
The 1971 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl was a college football bowl game that featured the Colorado Buffaloes and the Houston Cougars.
Colorado finished third in the Big Eight Conference. This their fourth bowl game appearance in five seasons and their first Bluebonnet Bowl since 1967. As for the Cougars, this was their second Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl in three seasons.
Robert Newhouse had 35 carries for 168 yards for Houston. Charlie Davis had 202 yards on 37 carries for Colorado.[1]
The Buffaloes finished third in the final AP Poll. They went to three more bowl games in the decade, including an Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl appearance in 1975. The Cougars (who finished 17th in the final poll) returned to the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl in 1973, en route to four more bowls in the decade.
| Statistics | Houston | Colorado |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 19 | 24 |
| Rushing yards | 219 | 333 |
| Passing yards | 173 | 62 |
| Total offense | 392 | 398 |
| Passing (C–A–I) | 11–25–1 | 7–17–1 |
| Fumbles–lost | 2–2 | 4–0 |
| Penalties–yards | 2–47 | 7–52 |
| Punts–average | 2–37.5 | 3–32.0 |