STILLWATER, OKLA. — Needing a victory to quiet the critics of Colorado coach Dan Hawkins, the Buffaloes finally looked like a football team not intimidated by the road, 12th-ranked Oklahoma State or the bright lights of a national telecast.
Colorado (3-8, 2-5 Big 12) led into the fourth quarter Thursday night but couldn’t hold on, falling 31-28.
Oklahoma State (9-2, 6-1), playing without quarterback Zac Robinson, preserved the victory when it recovered a fumble by CU junior tailback Demetrius Sumler near midfield with 5:21 remaining. Behind third-string quarterback Brandon Weeden, OSU took a 31-28 lead with 8:11 to play on a 28-yard pass to Justin Blackmon.
Colorado, which had not won on the road for more than two years, took a 28-24 lead with 11:11 remaining in the fourth quarter on a 98-yard kickoff return by sophomore Brian Lockridge.
CU took a 21-10 lead with 8:41 remaining in the third quarter when quarterback Tyler Hansen hit fellow sophomore Markques Simas for a 28-yard touchdown pass — an over-the-shoulder catch worthy of a highlight show.
The host Cowboys needed only six plays to race 82 yards for a retaliation touchdown — the final 45 yards coming on a run by tailback Keith Toston up the middle. Toston also caught a 47-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.
Colorado had more chances to score. But Aric Goodman hit the right upright of the goal posts with a 49-yard field goal attempt. On CU’s next possession, the Buffs went for it on fourth-and-3 from the Oklahoma State 29, but a pass from Hansen to tight end Riar Geer fell incomplete.
Robinson, the former Chatfield High School athlete, had been involved in a violent collision late in last weekend’s win over Texas Tech. Oklahoma State is not the same team without him. Robinson’s first-half substitute, junior quarterback Alex Cate, failed to complete a pass in the first two quarters, going 0-for-9 with an interception.
Down 14-10 at halftime, Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy sent in the 26-year-old sophomore Weeden, a former minor-league pitcher, to replace Cate.
Weeden led the Cowboys to two scores and the lead.
Colorado also had a quarterback issue. Junior Cody Hawkins took his first snaps at quarterback in four weeks after Hansen went to the locker room 7 minutes before halftime to have an injured right thumb examined. X-rays of the thumb (the same finger that he fractured in the spring game) were negative, and Hansen stayed on the sideline for the remainder of the second quarter.
In Hawkins’ first two possessions, the Buffs went three-and-out. But the third time was the charm. After a 53-yard field goal attempt by Dan Bailey was blocked by CU defensive end Conrad Obi, Hawkins directed the Buffs offense on a seven-play, 64-yard scoring drive that quieted the orange-clad crowd.
Culminating the march was a 5-yard touchdown pass to Geer, who beat OSU free safety Lucien Antoine to the back of the end zone with 22 seconds left before the break.
With a quick release, Hawkins burned a Cowboys blitz and, showing a nice touch, lobbed the ball softly over the OSU defender.
That put Colorado up 14-10 — its first halftime lead since gaining a 24-7 advantage Oct. 17 against Kansas, which became a Colorado victory.
Once again, Colorado failed to strike first. Before taking a snap from center on offense, Oklahoma State went up 7-0 on a 67-yard punt return by Perrish Cox.
Cox, who doubles as the Cowboys” starting cornerback, was one of 22 OSU seniors to suit up for their final home game. He took the ball in the center of the field, slipped three tackles going left and then cut back toward the right corner.
What was different this time, however, was an answer by Colorado. After CU linebacker Marcus Burton forced and then recovered a fumble by OSU running back Keith Toston, the Buffs drove 47 yards in eight plays to tie the game.
On third-and-goal from the 5, Hansen found junior Scotty McKnight in the back of the end zone for the score. Surprisingly, it was McKnight’s first touchdown since Oct. 1 at West Virginia.
Colorado completes its season with a Nov. 27 home game against Nebraska.
Tom Kensler: 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com
