Former Colorado football coach Bill McCartney, who guided the Buffaloes to their only national championship, died Friday night at age 84.In a statement, his family said McCartney’s death came after “a courageous journey with dementia.”McCartney spent 13 seasons (1982-94) at the helm of the program and won three Big 8 coach of the year awards, including in 1990, when the Buffaloes finished 11-1-1 and defeated Notre Dame 10-9 in the Orange Bowl for the national championship.His overall record was 93-55-5, making him the winningest coach in school history. In 1982, he took over a program that was 4-18 in the previous two seasons and after three sub-.500 campaigns, the Buffaloes were 86-30-4 over his final 10 seasons and played in nine bowl games.McCartney retired after the 1994 season at age 54 and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2013.Colorado athletic director Rick George, hired by McCartney as recruiting coordinator in 1987, said he had a final visit with McCartney last week.”Coach Mac was an incredible man who taught me about the importance of faith, family and being a good husband, father and grandfather. He instilled discipline and accountability to all of us who worked and played under his leadership,” George said in a story posted to the school’s website. “The mark that he left on CU football and our athletic department will be hard to replicate.”