Colorado University Athletics
Colorado
Nebraska
COLORADO KEEPS BIG 12 TITLE HOPES ALIVE WITH 26-20 WIN AT NEBRASKA
November 26, 2004 | Football
LINCOLN, Neb. - Bobby Purify ran for 130 yards and a touchdown and Colorado stayed in alive in the Big 12 North race with a 26-20 victory Friday that sent Nebraska to its first losing season in 43 years.
Colorado (7-4, 4-4) won its third straight and now needs Missouri to win at Iowa State on Saturday to advance to the Big 12 championship game against Oklahoma.
The Cornhuskers (5-6, 3-5), who fired coach Frank Solich after a 9-3 regular season last year, ended the season with four losses in five games under new coach Bill Callahan. Nebraska's worst season since 1961 also snapped the Huskers' NCAA record of 35 consecutive years with a bowl appearance.
Purify, who ran for 101 yards in the first half, became Colorado's No. 3 career rusher on his 9-yard touchdown in the second quarter. The senior tailback has 1,010 yards for the season and 3,009 in his career.
Joel Klatt completed 18 of 29 passes, with one interception, for 222 yards and a touchdown for Colorado.
Blake Mackey had eight catches for 116 yards in his first start. Evan Judge, the Buffaloes' season receiving leader, was out with a viral infection.
With help from Missouri, the Buffaloes will play in the Big 12 championship game for the third time in four years.
Nebraska's Joe Dailey completed his first season as triggerman for Callahan's West Coast offense with another erratic performance. Dailey was 29 of 55 for 306 yards with two touchdowns and four interceptions. Colorado converted three of picks into 13 points.
But Dailey also rallied the Cornhuskers late.
He threw 4-yard touchdown passes to Steve Kriewald and Ross Pilkington in the final four minutes to draw the Huskers within 26-20. But Nebraska couldn't connect on an onside kick with about a minute and a half left, and Colorado hung on for the win.
Cory Ross, the Huskers' 1,000-yard rusher, was held to 35 yards on 11 attempts. He was shaken up, missed the last 6:32 of the first half and carried only once more.
The Huskers opened the game with an onside kick that did work, but fittingly for such a disappointing season, they went three-and-out on the possession.
The Buffaloes then moved 90 yards in 14 plays, with Klatt throwing a 6-yard touchdown pass to Mackey.
After Thaddaeus Washington intercepted Dailey on the third play of Nebraska's next series, Mason Crosby the first of his four field goals from 37 yards out.
The Buffaloes used an interception by Kyle Griffith to set up Purify's touchdown run in the second quarter.
The Huskers cut the deficit to 17-7 on a 2-yard run by Dailey at the end of a 12-play, 80-yard drive.
Crosby's 39-yard field goal as time ran out in the half gave the Buffaloes a 20-7 lead.
Crosby kicked 46- and 20-yarders in the third quarter.
Nebraska's comeback attempt was also fueled by turnovers. Ira Cooper intercepted Klatt and returned it 44 yards to the Colorado 4. Dailey then flipped a 4-yard TD pass to Kriewald. The 2-point conversion toss by Dailey was intercepted by Tom Hubbard.
After a Colorado punt, Dailey moved the Huskers 88 yards in 11 plays, with his touchdown pass to Pilkington coming with 1:38 left.
