Klatt rallies Buffs with blind throw

HOUSTON – Joel Klatt saw his receiver streaking behind the defense, reared back and threw deep. Then, everything went blank.

Klatt didn’t realize what happened next until some teammates helped him off the turf a few seconds later.

The result was a game-winning, 39-yard touchdown pass to Evan Judge, helping Colorado to a 33-28 victory over Texas-El Paso in the Houston Bowl on Wednesday night.

“The linemen told me (about the score) when they picked me up,” Klatt said.

Klatt finished 24 of 33 for 333 yards and two touchdowns, and keyed a fourth-quarter comeback by the plodding Buffaloes (8-5), who worked to keep pace with UTEP, which was ranked eighth in the nation in scoring offense.

Colorado led 3-0 midway through the first quarter and trailed until seizing the lead late in the game.

Facing a fourth-and-3 at its 35-yard line and trailing by two points, Colorado resorted to a bit of trickery. Punter John Torp hustled 22 yards around the left end on a fake punt for the first down.

“I guess we watched it too long because it worked,” UTEP coach Mike Price said. “We should have maybe tackled the guy that was running.”

Two plays later, Klatt found Judge wide open for the go-ahead score with 8:43 left. Klatt was flattened by UTEP defensive end Ibok Ibok as he released the ball and didn’t see the touchdown. He got up off the turf slowly and wobbled off the field into the arms of celebrating teammates.

The Miners (8-4) still had a chance to win the game in the final minutes.

On third-and-4 from the UTEP 25, Jordan Palmer completed a 15-yard pass to Johnnie Lee Higgins, keeping alive a late drive. But Palmer misfired badly on his final four passes and the comeback try fizzled.

Colorado coach Gary Barnett was doused with a Gatorade cooler in the waning seconds, and dozens of players embraced their embattled leader.

Colorado’s first bowl victory since the 1999 Insight.com Bowl capped an improbable turnaround for the Buffaloes, who went through an off-season of scandal and turmoil.

Barnett’s program was the target of sexual assault claims dating to 1997, followed by an investigation that discovered sex, alcohol and drugs were used as recruiting tools, although there was no evidence that university officials sanctioned it. Then Barnett was put on three months’ administrative leave for making insensitive remarks about two accusers.

Barnett was reinstated May 28, and began building the foundation for a turnaround from a 5-7 record in 2003.

Colorado won its last three games of the season to earn a share of the Big 12 North title, and Barnett was voted the Big 12 coach of the year.

“We sort of finished the way we started the season,” Barnett said. “We were determined to fight and stay together. Every game has been a fight. Nothing has been easy.”

UTEP came close to pulling off its first victory over a Big 12 opponent in 12 tries, but couldn’t hold off the faster, stronger Buffs in the second half.

Palmer, the younger brother of former Heisman winner Carson Palmer of Southern California, completed his first eight passes for 120 yards as the Miners raced out to an early 14-3 lead.

But as Palmer began to struggle, Klatt began to find his rhythm and UTEP began to wear down as Colorado tailback Bobby Purify (80 yards, 22 carries) began pounding away at the Miners’ smaller defensive line.

Palmer finished 22 of 42 for 328 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, both to Tom Hubbard.