Buffaloes Stampede Their Way to Top : Big Eight: Colorado expects to be No. 1 after a 64-3 romp over Kansas State.

Colorado used a cast of thousands--well, almost--in achieving a stadium-record point total and putting a fitting finish to its second consecutive unbeaten Big Eight season on Saturday.

The Buffaloes suited up 114 players and might have played every one in crushing Kansas State, 64-3.

Ranked No. 2 but expected to climb to No. 1 after top-ranked Notre Dame’s 24-21 loss to Penn State, the Buffaloes, 10-1-1 overall and 7-0 in the Big Eight, now will prepare for an Orange Bowl matchup with the Irish.

“It’s a great honor for Colorado to finish the regular season as the No. 1 team, if that’s how they vote,” Coach Bill McCartney said when informed of the Notre Dame loss. “It won’t change anything in the Orange Bowl. We still have to beat Notre Dame.

“I was really hoping they’d win. It’s rare when it’s No. 1 vs. No. 2 in a bowl game for the national title. But I knew they were playing a good team.”

Tailback Eric Bieniemy said he was “shocked” by the Notre Dame loss.

“I didn’t think they’d lose. But we’re still in control of our own destiny regardless. They’re still going to come after us in the Orange Bowl. They’re going to want to redeem themselves and make it two in a row over us.”

After the usual stars--Bieniemy, quarterback Darian Hagan and wide receiver Mike Pritchard--helped forge a 40-3 halftime advantage, McCartney turned to his seldom-used seniors and second-and third-stringers.

Senior O.C. Oliver, the team’s leading rusher as a freshman who has been dogged by injuries ever since, scored the final touchdown on an eight-yard run and was mobbed by emotional teammates. Linebackers Alfred Williams and Kanavis McGhee begged the offensive coaches to play tight end. Williams caught a 17-yard pass and McGhee had one broken up.

“We really didn’t want to score that many points,” an apologetic McCartney said. “I had no idea we would. We wanted to have a little fun out there in the last home game. The score did get a little out of hand.”

Actually, it got out of hand in the first half.

Pritchard scored touchdowns on a 70-yard reverse and a 48-yard pass play from Hagan, and Hagan ran for two other touchdowns.

Hagan, who left the game early in the third quarter, passed for 200 yards and ran for 78. Pritchard had 152 yards rushing and receiving, and Bieniemy, the nation’s leading rusher, ran for 115 yards.

Colorado scored on seven of its first eight possessions and amassed 456 total yards by halftime, almost equally distributed between running and passing. Kansas State (5-6, 2-5) had 134 yards at the half.

It was the ninth victory in a row for the Buffaloes.