Colorado Holds Aces in Race for No. 1 : Orange Bowl: Top-ranked Buffaloes escape Notre Dame, 10-9, as Johnson saves the day at quarterback and Ismail’s game-winning punt return is called back.

Colorado’s day began with a New Year’s resolution and ended with the Buffaloes hoisting an Orange Bowl trophy above their shoulders.

In between, Colorado lost a starting quarterback, but gained a hero. It lost an All-American linebacker, but gained a measure of respect.

It almost lost the lead when Raghib (the Rocket) Ismail returned a last-minute punt 91 yards for an apparent game-winning touchdown, but instead gained a game-saving penalty flag.

Most important, the Buffaloes lost a reputation--as postseason gaggers--but gained an improbable 10-9 victory against Notre Dame and with it, probably the national championship they have yearned for.

The final poll results will be released today, but as far as Colorado is concerned, there is no need for more balloting. According to the Buffaloes, they ended the regular season ranked first and should stay that way.

“I think historically, you play a team as worthy as Notre Dame and you win in a game like this, well, you should hold your ranking,” Colorado Coach Bill McCartney said. “Comparative scores really mean nothing. If you look what Colorado has done all year, the teams we’ve beaten, we should maintain our ranking.”

Of course, undefeated Georgia Tech would disagree, but not Notre Dame Coach Lou Holtz, who immediately proclaimed the Buffaloes worthy of a national title. In an evening’s time, he saw Colorado avenge last year’s loss to the Irish and do so in rather convincing fashion. It might have been a one-point Colorado victory, but it felt like a dozen.

“We had five turnovers,” Holtz said. “I think they had one and we had one touchdown called back. Three turnovers in four plays is disastrous. You can’t win a football game doing that.”

Moments after shaking hands with Holtz, McCartney turned to the cameras and raised a single index finger. The gesture said, “No. 1,” but his face had the look of someone who couldn’t quite believe what had happened.

Who could blame him? After all, his Buffaloes (11-1-1) had beaten Notre Dame without Darian Hagan, Colorado’s fine option quarterback. Hagan was forced out of the game with 50 seconds to play in the first half. The injury: a ruptured tendon in his left knee. He returned to the field for the second half . . . in street clothes and on crutches.

In Hagan’s place was Charles S. Johnson. This was the same Johnson who replaced Hagan midway in the season, when the Colorado starter suffered a separated shoulder. This was also the same Johnson who led the Buffaloes to three victories, including the infamous “Fifth Down” game against Missouri. In fact, it was Johnson who scored the disputed touchdown that broke Missouri’s heart.

This time, it was Notre Dame that got its feelings stomped, to say nothing of its No. 5 ranking. Johnson, voted the game’s most valuable player, wasn’t flashy, but he was effective and calming. He led Colorado to the go-ahead touchdown late in the third quarter and then played keep-away the remainder of the game.

The Colorado defense took care of the rest. It forced those five Notre Dame turnovers, an Irish season high, and exposed quarterback Rick Mirer for what he was: a first-year starter not yet ready to carry a team.

Mirer was 13 of 31 for 141 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions. The other two fumbles were courtesy of running backs Tony Brooks and Ricky Watters.

In all, Notre Dame gained 264 total yards, its poorest output since last year’s loss to Miami at the Orange Bowl--hardly the Irish’s favorite stadium.

Ismail, meanwhile, had six catches for 57 yards, but only one in the second half.

Still, he almost produced a game-winning miracle. His punt return with less than a minute remaining--a return that would have given the Irish a 15-10 lead--was called back because of a clipping penalty.

“The return by Rocket Ismail was one of the greatest individual efforts I’ve seen,” Holtz said. “I don’t know if the clip had anything to do with the return, but I certainly hope it did.”

Colorado wide receiver Mike Pritchard was standing on the sideline as Ismail went by. He said he remembered feeling absolutely helpless . . . until he saw an official reach into his back pocket for something yellow.

“My heart started again after I saw the flag,” he said.

Six plays later, the game was finished. Fittingly, it was a Colorado interception that did it.

Colorado was also without Kanavis McGhee, the other bookend to its collection of outside linebackers. So good were the Buffaloes Tuesday night, they didn’t even miss him.

The victory also ended a dismal bowl losing streak. The Buffaloes hadn’t won a postseason game in their previous seven tries. And they were 0-4 under McCartney.

More impressive is how far Colorado had come to finish the regular season ranked first. In late September, Colorado had fallen to No. 20 in the Associated Press poll. The Buffaloes didn’t crack the top 10 until late October.

McCartney came prepared this time. He even had his team learn all the words to the school’s fight song. He wanted them to belt out the tune if they happened to beat Notre Dame.

They sang, all right. Out of tune, their voices as bad as Roseanne Barr’s, Colorado players and coaches did a chorus for everyone.

“As for being No. 1,” said Colorado guard Joe Garten, “when you go 11-1-1, what’s that say? All ones.”

At halftime, it didn’t appear Garten and his teammates would have a chance to sign.

Colorado took a 3-0 lead early in the second period on Jim Harper’s 22-yard field goal, but Watters’ two-yard plunge with 7:32 left in the second quarter gave Notre Dame a 6-3 lead. It stayed that way, too, when Craig Hentrich’s extra-point attempt was blocked by Ronnie Bradford.

Despite the Irish errors, they had the lead and their starting quarterback, which is something Colorado couldn’t claim at halftime. On a third and 15 from the Colorado 25, Hagan dropped back to pass, scrambled and was sandwiched by two tacklers after a six-yard gain. Seconds later, he was clutching his injured left knee and being helped off the field. Presumably, Colorado’s chances for a national championship limped with him.

But after Hentrich’s 24-yard field goal gave the Irish a 9-3 lead with 10:10 remaining in the third quarter, Johnson’s first pass completion--a 16-yarder to tight end Sean Brown, seemed to energize the Buffaloes. He later completed a seven-yarder to George Hemingway and a crucial nine-yard pass to backup tight end Jon Boman on third and one at the Notre Dame 13. Three plays later, Eric Bieniemy scored on a one-yard run.