SHREVEPORT, La. — It didn’t quite match the game-winning, 15-lateral touchdown by Trinity University against Millsaps in October, but Colorado made Alabama fans hold their breath at the end of Sunday night’s Independence Bowl.
On the game’s final play from the CU 20, quarterback Cody Hawkins completed a pass to Scotty McKnight for 15 yards. Then CU tossed multilaterals before Alabama made the game-ending tackle at CU’s 45.
“We called a play and then it was ‘Buff Ball,’ ” said CU coach Dan Hawkins, referring to a rugby-like game he invented to let players have fun after practices.
“It actually looked pretty good there for a while. Those ‘Buff Ball’ games paid off.”
That didn’t last long.
The Buffaloes entered the game with 10 consecutive turnover-free bowl quarters. But Cody Hawkins was intercepted on CU’s first offensive play.
Alabama middle linebacker Rolando McClain returned the pick 17 yards to the Colorado 15, setting up the first of three field goals by Leigh Tiffin.
Sea of red.
Colorado sold about 3,000 tickets to the game, and CU supporters were vastly outnumbered by Alabama fans. But Colorado athletic director Mike Bohn said he was pleased with the support.
“The good thing is, the fans that are here and the team fully embraced the bowl experience and are having a great time,” Bohn said.
Footnotes.
Colorado assistant coaches received bonuses totaling four weeks pay. As is customary for programs in BCS conferences, expenses for coaches’ families to attend the bowl game were picked up by CU. That was not the case for Colorado’s most recent bowl appearance, the 2005 Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando, Fla. “(CU) President (Hank) Brown was the leader in having us change some of that back,” Bohn said. Alabama’s 27-point run in the first half was the largest ever against Colorado in a bowl game. Mike Rhoades, the umpire in the game’s Western Athletic Conference officiating crew, was taken to a hospital after suffering an apparent torn rotator cuff during the first half. Rhoades had planned for this to be his final officiating assignment before retiring. Former Buff Chauncey Billups introduced the CU lineups during the ESPN telecast.
