Time Is Finally Right for Buffaloes : Colorado: Third-rated team defeats Oklahoma for first time since 1976, and No. 4 Nebraska is up next.

Third-ranked Colorado picked the perfect time to end its 13-year drought against Oklahoma.

With their 20-3 victory Saturday, the Buffaloes improved to 8-0 for the first time since 1937 and set up a showdown with fourth-ranked Nebraska next week.

Both Nebraska and Colorado are 4-0 in the Big Eight, and a victory would give the Buffaloes a strong shot at their first outright league title since 1961.

“This put us in a position to play the biggest game we’ve ever played in Boulder,” Coach Bill McCartney said. “To come in here and win, it’s special.”

Colorado had not defeated Oklahoma since 1976 and had not beaten the Sooners in Norman since 1965.

The Buffaloes did it this time with the running of quarterback Darian Hagan and tailback J.J. Flannigan, and the Colorado defense smothered the Sooners.

Hagan gained 107 yards in 21 carries and Flannigan carried 25 times for 103 yards. Each scored a touchdown as the Buffaloes amassed 284 yards rushing against a defensive unit that had given up an average of 105 per game.

Oklahoma (5-3 and 3-1) had only 169 yards rushing--174 below its average.

“We dominated them today,” Colorado defensive tackle Arthur Walker said. “We stopped them and whatever they threw at us.”

McCartney said he thought the Buffaloes might have to throw 20 times to win. Instead, they threw only six passes while forcing the Sooners to throw.

Oklahoma’s Tink Collins didn’t complete a pass in six tries in the first half, so first-year Sooner Coach Gary Gibbs decided to use another redshirt freshman, Steve Collins, in the second half. Steve Collins was three for 15 for 79 yards.

“Colorado is a great football team,” said Gibbs. “Our defense played an outstanding game, and offensively we had opportunities but did not capitalize on them.”

Colorado struggled on offense early, gaining 35 yards on its first three possessions. But the Buffaloes followed with scoring drives of 55 and 53 yards in the second quarter plus a 48-yard drive that ended at Oklahoma’s 32 with a fumble.

Ken Culbertson kicked a 30-yard field goal midway through the second quarter to give Colorado a 3-0 lead, then Flannigan scored on a one-yard run with 1:51 left in the half. Hagan set up the score with a 40-yard dash to the Sooners’ 13-yard line.

Oklahoma cut the deficit to 10-3 on a 34-yard field goal by R.D. Lashar early in the fourth quarter, but Culbertson hit again from 27 yards and Hagan had an eight-yard touchdown run with 3:26 remaining to secure the victory.

“We were a little conservative in the first half, then things began to open up in the second half,” Hagan said. “That’s the way we’ve played all year. The second half we just took it to them.”

Colorado’s defense controlled the game from the outset. Oklahoma went 40 yards on its first possession, then gained no more than 22 yards on its next five possessions of the half.

After Oklahoma took over on downs at Colorado’s 42-yard line in the first quarter, the Sooners managed only two yards on three plays and had to punt.

The Buffaloes stopped Oklahoma on fourth and two from the 25 on one third-quarter drive, then forced the field goal after Oklahoma had first and 10 at the 21.

In the fourth quarter, Oklahoma drove to the Colorado 22 with the score 13-3, but three plays netted minus nine yards, and Lashar missed a 49-yard field goal.

“Times have changed and today was a symbol of that,” linebacker Alfred Williams said. “Maybe the reporters will give us some credit after this.”