Colorado Win Anything but Fake

It took a fake punt that had no effect on the outcome to breathe life into Monday’s Cotton Bowl.

With little to be said about Colorado’s 38-6 victory over Oregon on a bitterly cold day, the controversial play was the subject of much consternation afterward.

Colorado was leading, 32-6, with about four minutes left when Colorado Coach Rick Neuheisel called for the trick play at the Buffaloes’ 43 on a fourth-and-14 situation.

It worked so well that punter Andy Mitchell threw to a wide-open Ryan Black, who rambled to Oregon’s 29, setting up Colorado’s final score.

Later, Oregon Coach Mike Bellotti refused to respond to questions about the play. “No comment,” he said.

Tight end Josh Wilcox heartily jumped in. Sticking his hand into the air, Wilcox said he had something to say.

“I think it was excellent coaching,” he said. “Maybe Coach Neuheisel should learn a new song by Aretha Franklin, ‘Respect.’ It [angered] us. There’s a lot of words I’d like to say, but Coach Bellotti told us not to say anything.”

As good as Colorado’s defense was during a game played before a dismal showing of about 30,000, the Buffaloes were ready for the public relations blitz afterward.

“I hated that there were some hurt feelings at the end of the game,” Neuheisel said.

Neuheisel, who completed his first season with a 10-2 record, said he called the play because Oregon (9-3) lined up to block the punt. Colorado had five punts blocked this season.

But Bellotti said the Ducks were not sending 10 rushers to try to get a block.

“If so, they had me faked out,” Neuheisel said. “I saw them coming, so we took it. We weren’t trying to score [on the drive]. They gave us 30 yards in penalties.”

Sophomore quarterback John Hessler, who led Colorado since starter Koy Detmer was injured in the fourth game, said he didn’t see why Oregon was so upset.

“If you’re going to try that, you deserve to be punished,” he said.

After starting the game with strong drives that ended in two field goals for a 6-0 lead, Oregon self-destructed with an offense that looked as organized as a schoolyard game.

No. 12 Oregon came to Dallas hoping to gain national recognition, but will leave with its fourth consecutive bowl defeat and perhaps many doubters.

Still, the Ducks were a bit unlucky in the first half. With a blitzing, aggressive defense frustrating No. 7 Colorado, Oregon had a chance to regain the lead after trailing, 7-6.

Quarterback Tony Graziani directed a 10-play drive to the Colorado nine-yard line. But on the 11th play, he lost sight of the defensive backs and threw into the hands of Colorado’s Marcus Washington, who returned his first interception 95 yards for a 13-6 lead with 6:31 left in the half.

After that, Oregon came out as flat as two-day-old beer in the second half as Colorado scored 19 points in the third quarter.

“I think [Graziani] got flustered,” middle linebacker Matt Russell said. “We threw a lot at him.”

Washington, a freshman from Colorado Springs, said he was supposed to rove in the secondary to confuse Graziani.

“The quarterback didn’t see me,” he said of the interception. “I was praying all the way down the sidelines I wouldn’t be caught from behind.”

He wasn’t, on a day when Colorado’s defense outshined Oregon’s vaunted “Gang Green.”

Oregon gained only 105 yards rushing, 162 yards passing. Graziani completed 19 of 37 passes for 113 yards and two interceptions.

The coaches said the slippery conditions affected the offensive output. But it was the fake punt with Colorado leading, 32-6, late in the fourth quarter that affected the teams’ relationship.

Even as the Buffaloes were leaving the locker room for a dreary evening, they were defending themselves over the play.

“It wasn’t like a huge blowout at the time,” Hessler said.