Inspired Colorado Moves a Step Closer to the Big Eight Title

Colorado running back J. J. Flannigan pressed his face against the glass-encased locker of Sal Aunese and cried softly. Tears of joy mixed with sweat. One bead even plopped against Flannigan’s wrist band, the one with “Sal” written on it.

“Sal said he wanted the Oklahoma game, but some of his last words were, ‘Win the Big Eight,’ ” Flannigan said, his eyes ringed in red. “This is what he wanted to live for.”

So another debt was paid here Saturday at Folsom Field, which has housed 65 of Colorado’s mostly forgettable 100 years of football. No. 2-ranked Colorado defeated No. 3-ranked Nebraska, 27-21, in a game that had as much pathos as it had passes, beginning with its ongoing homage to Aunese, the Colorado quarterback who died of inoperable stomach cancer on Sept. 23.

Colorado (9-0) won a game, all right, and with it, an almost certain appearance in the Orange Bowl and an opportunity to wrest a national championship from Notre Dame, the other likely invitee. In the process, it cleared away the last imposing obstacle to that cherished conference championship.

The Buffaloes did it with Darian Hagan, a pint-sized option quarterback from Locke High School in Los Angeles who was once told by then-Oklahoma Coach Barry Switzer that his future was at running back, if that. Hagan swerved and sliced through the Nebraska defense for 86 yards and one touchdown.

They did it with wide receiver Jeff Campbell, a former walk-on who returned three Nebraska punts for 108 yards, two of the runbacks setting up short Colorado touchdown drives.

They did it with cornerback Dave McCloughan, who barely managed to knock the ball from Cornhusker receiver Jon Bostick’s hands on a game-ending, desperation pass into the end zone. McCloughan’s father, Kent, played at Nebraska, Class of ’64.

Goal posts snapped like twigs in the postgame madness that enveloped the field. Boulder police officers did what they could and then simply let the sellout crowd of 52,877 have its way. After a century’s worth of frustration, it seemed the thing to do.

Oranges rained from the stands, reminder of what lies ahead should favored Colorado beat Oklahoma State and Kansas State in its final two Big Eight games. And not five minutes had passed since game’s end when special edition copies of The Denver Post were unloaded from their trucks. Read the headline (in oversized type usually reserved for armistices or earthquakes):

Orange Bowl bound

Buffs beat Nebraska in Game of the Century

Meanwhile, Colorado recruiting director Rick George dialed up every top high school player he knew on the portable cellular phone that he carries with him on the field. Plenty to talk about on a day such as this.

So pleased was Colorado with itself that stadium workers were instructed to keep the scoreboard on until further notice. Things Have Changed it read, a slogan, however dull, coined by Coach Bill McCartney. At last look, the board and that memorable score were still burning bright.

But it was inside the Colorado locker room where emotions bared themselves most often. Begin at the meeting room adjacent to the cramped dressing area. After a heartfelt prayer remembering Aunese, McCartney helped lead his team in a rowdy rendition of the Colorado fight song. Moments later, they punched at the ceiling, sending chunks of plaster and bits of plastic light covers toward the floor. Dust soon filled the room.

“We went a little crazy,” said nose tackle Joel Steed. “A lot of wreckage.”

Nobody seemed to care, including McCartney, who, according to Steed, started the whole thing.

“Obviously, this is the greatest win I have ever been associated with,” McCartney said. “The things that are going through my mind right now center on all the problems we’ve had to overcome to get here.”

And though he didn’t say it, McCartney only would have had to gesture toward Aunese’s locker to show what he meant.

On Friday, school carpenters put the finishing touches on Aunese’s locker. Inside the glass case is Aunese’s jersey, his cleats, a plaque, a photo of Aunese being carried off the field. It is an eerie display, one that Colorado players regard as a shrine of sorts.

Flannigan stopped there first and leaned against the glass for a full five minutes before making his way toward his own locker. A year ago, Flannigan had fumbled away what probably would have been a certain touchdown when he dropped the ball in the open field against Nebraska. The Cornhuskers won that day, 7-0, a fact that occupied a place in Flannigan’s mind--until Saturday.

“I don’t think about that fumble any more,” he said. “I think two touchdowns make up for it.”

Flannigan rushed 18 times for 96 yards, 70 of which came with 8:22 remaining in the first period. Hagan faked a handoff into the middle, which kept the Cornhuskers frozen for precious moments, swerved to the outside, broke free for 30 yards and then pitched the ball to Flannigan, who raced untouched down the sideline for a score.

The touchdown (officially scored as a 70-yard run) was a much-needed answer to Nebraska’s first offensive series, what there was of it. Quarterback Gerry Gdowski tossed a screen pass to fullback Bryan Carpenter, who rambled 51 yards for a touchdown. The field position came courtesy of an interception by Hagan a play earlier.

Colorado took the lead with 5:04 left in the first quarter when Hagan raced past two Nebraska defenders (in perfect position, by the way) for a one-yard touchdown run. The Buffaloes’ scoring drive covered only four yards, thanks to a 47-yard punt return by the aforementioned Campbell, who made a habit of such things Saturday.

Back and forth it went.

The Cornhuskers (8-1) scored on a 12-yard pass from Gdowski to Morgan Gregory with 11:33 left in the second quarter to tie the game.

The Buffaloes waited until the end of the period to regain the lead, 17-14, on a 49-yard field goal by Ken Culbertson with just 12 seconds remaining. During the drive, Hagan broke five tackles on a third-and-17 play to set up the attempt.

Then came the third quarter, when the Buffaloes began to distance themselves with a two-yard scoring run by Flannigan with seven minutes gone in the quarter. The touchdown wasn’t disputed as much as the pass interference call two plays earlier.

What first was ruled a Nebraska interception was later changed to defensive pass interference.

“I thought that we had the interception and the ball and felt real good about it,” Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne said.

The euphoria was short-lived as the ball was placed on the one. Flannigan did the rest, with a little inspiration from Aunese.

“He was with me the whole time,” he said. “I thought I was tired. I thought my ribs were hurting so bad. But I kept going because of him.”

Nebraska narrowed the lead to 24-21 late in the quarter, but it would be as close as they would come. Colorado added another field goal in the fourth quarter.

“Before the game, I talked to (Aunese’s) locker,” defensive tackle Okland Salavea said. “I said there was no way these guys were going to beat us. When I walked around the sidelines, I didn’t see him, but I felt him.”

They all did.