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A determined group from Boulder gave the No. 12 team in the nation all it could handle before losing for the 11th consecutive time on the road and 13th straight time outside the state of Colorado. While it wasn`t a win, it was a drastic improvement over their most recent road performances and much better than other nationally televised losses this season.
The Buffs fell to 3-8 overall and 2-5 in Big 12 play with the 31-28 loss, but performed as well as they have all year away from home, perhaps inspired to play for their embattled coaching staff.
"I thought our guys battled and scrapped and I`m really, really proud of them," Hawkins said. "They`re very electric on offense and got a lot of skill players. It`s tough to keep a group like that bottled up the entire time."
Hawkins was asked whether he is spending much time considering his future with one game left in the season next week at home against Nebraska and questions about his job security looming.
"I`m good. Mike`s good. We`re good," Hawkins said. "You guys are the ones more focused on it than anybody else."
No decision about Hawkins` future is expected to be announced until after the season. Athletic director Mike Bohn is scheduled to go to Hawaii on Saturday with the men`s basketball team to the Maui Invitational. He will return Thanksgiving day and the season finale is played the following afternoon in Folsom Field against Nebraska.
Quarterback Tyler Hansen, who feared he had broken his thumb in the second quarter but returned to play after halftime, said he and his teammates have tried to block out speculation about their coaches' jobs and just play their best. Hansen said the team “always gets told” that Hawkins will be the coach next year.
Bohn stopped to talk with reporters after the game in the press box and was asked about Hansen's comments and whether Hawkins has been told he will be the coach next season. Bohn reiterated what he said earlier in the week, saying there is no time line for making a decision about the coach's future and that one hasn't already been made.
When told about Hansen's comments, Bohn said, “I'm not familiar with those comments or any correspondence with the team.”
Bohn said he was proud of the coaches and the players and said it was “a tough loss.”
The Buffs grabbed a double-digit lead early in the second half only to watch it disappear when the Cowboys began to find themselves offensively. CU surrendered three second-half touchdowns that cost them the game.
Four different quarterbacks played in the game and none of them were Davey O'Brien Award semifinalist and OSU senior Zac Robinson, who missed the game after suffering a concussion last week against Texas Tech. Fourth-year junior Alex Cate started for the first time in his college career in Robinson's place on senior night in front of 50,080.
Cate was ineffective throughout the first half. He failed to complete any of his nine pass attempts and led the Oklahoma State offense to just three points. OSU coaches replaced him in the second half with Brandon Weeden, who had played in one game earlier in the season.
Colorado also needed two quarterbacks. Hansen led the Buffs to a 7-7 tie after the first quarter. He connected with wide receiver Scotty McKnight on a five-yard touchdown pass. But, Hansen was taken to the locker room for x-rays on the thumb on his throwing hand in the second quarter and junior Cody Hawkins came on to lead a touchdown drive.
Hawkins connected with tight end Riar Geer on a five-yard touchdown pass to give the Buffs a 14-10 halftime lead. Hawkins completed 7 of 11 passes for 69 yards and a touchdown.
Hansen came back in the second half and the Buffs took a double-digit lead when he found wide receiver Markques Simas down the middle for a 28-yard touchdown pass. It was a busy night for the Buffs' starting quarterback and his wide receivers.
Apparently resigned to the fact they wouldn't be able to run the ball against the seventh-ranked rushing defense in the nation, CU came out throwing on its first 13 plays.
Hansen completed 23 of 36 passes in a game plan designed around short passes. He threw for just 169 yards but two touchdowns. Simas caught a career best 11 passes for 90 yards. McKnight finished with seven catches for 71 yards.
The Cowboys began to work their way back with Weeden under center. Tailback Keith Toston scored on a 45-yard run in the third quarter and on a 47-yard pass early in the fourth. The stadium came alive as the Cowboys regained the lead 24-21.
CU reserve tailback Brian Lockridge quieted the crowd quickly by returning the ensuing kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown. It was the first kick return for a touchdown for the Buffs this season, though CU had flirted with taking one back all the way on multiple occasions earlier in the year.
The Cowboys captured the lead for a final time when Weeden led them down the field and connected with wide receiver Justin Blackmon on a 28-yard score with 8:11 remaining.
“Brandon made some nice plays for us,” OSU coach Mike Gundy said. “He put us in position and gave us a chance to win the game.”
The play made a missed field goal from CU place-kicker Aric Goodman earlier in the fourth quarter the difference in the game. Goodman's 50-yard attempt bounced off the right upright and CU coaches opted against having him try another kick on the next possession.
CU attempted to convert a fourth-and-2 at the OSU 28-yard line with a 21-17 lead. Hansen's pass to Riar Geer was incomplete. The Buffs had several more opportunities before time ran out, including one possession that ended with a fumble by running back Demetrius Sumler. It was the only CU turnover in a game in which the Cowboys lost three fumbles and threw one interception.
