No. 4 Back Lifts No. 13 Colorado

Brian Calhoun, a freshman who is No. 4 on Colorado’s tailback depth chart, ran for 137 yards Friday as the No. 13 Buffaloes defeated Nebraska, 28-13, in a Big 12 Conference game at Lincoln, Neb.

It was Colorado’s first victory at Lincoln since 1990.

Fullback Brandon Drumm added two touchdowns for the Buffaloes (9-3, 7-1 Big 12). Colorado clinched the Big 12’s North Division championship and will play Oklahoma on Dec. 7 in the conference championship in Houston.

Calhoun had all but one of his 20 carries in the second half while Bobby Purify sat out after suffering a bruised knee and sprained ankle. Purify had been filling in for Chris Brown, the nation’s third-leading rusher, who did not play because of a bruised sternum.

Coach Gary Barnett opted to go with Calhoun instead of third-stringer Marcus Houston once Purify left for good in the third quarter.

“I wasn’t surprised,� Calhoun said. “I knew Chris wouldn’t be able to go, so I prepared myself all week to be the man to carry the ball.�

The Cornhuskers (7-6, 3-5) ended their worst regular season since 1961, when they were 3-6-1. The Buffaloes denied the Cornhuskers a chance to extend their unprecedented streak of nine-victory seasons to 34. Nebraska could have reached nine by winning Friday’s game and a bowl.

The Cornhuskers, who have lost four of six games, had a losing conference mark for the first time since 1968, when they went 3-4. They came back to go 9-2 overall the following season and won the national title in 1970 with an 11-0 record.

“The bottom line is that we were in the ballgame,� Nebraska Coach Frank Solich said, “but we didn’t get the things done that needed to get done in order to make it work.�

Nebraska’s loss marked the first time since 1990 it had failed to beat a ranked opponent. That year, the No. 9 Buffaloes came to Lincoln and won, 27-12.

Nebraska will get invited to a bowl, and the Cornhuskers must win that game to increase their streak of winning seasons to 41.

*

No. 10 Texas 50, Texas A&M; 20 -- Chris Simms passed for 278 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Longhorns at Austin, Texas.

The game was played four days after Aggie freshman defensive tackle Brandon Fails died after collapsing in his dorm. Aggie players wore stickers on their helmets with his No. 89.

Fails will be buried today.

Texas (10-2, 6-2) broke open a tight game with 27 consecutive points in the second half.

Texas A&M; (6-6, 3-5) had six turnovers.

The blowout could mean the end of R.C. Slocum’s 14-year tenure as Texas A&M; coach. He is the Aggies’ winningest coach with 123 victories, but is only 29-23 the last four years.

“I’m disappointed -- and that’s as mild as I can put it -- about this season,� said Slocum, who said he has no plans to quit.