Buffs Edge Closer to Another B12 Title

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Posted 7:16PM on Saturday, November 5, 2005

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) -- Lawrence Vickers scored on four touchdown runs and Mason Crosby kicked a 56-yard field goal Saturday to help No. 25 Colorado move closer to another division title with a 41-12 victory over Missouri. Vickers, who normally does more blocking but took over the rushing load for the hurting Hugh Charles, scored on runs of 1, 2, 20 and 7 yards for the Buffs (7-2, 5-1 Big 12) and finished with a career-high 85 yards on 18 carries. Joel Klatt threw for 253 yards and a touchdown and the Buffs took a two-game lead over Missouri (5-4, 3-3) in the Big 12 North. If Colorado wins next week at Iowa State, also 3-3 in the conference, the Buffs will secure their fourth trip to the conference title game in the last five years. CU lost to South Division leader Texas 42-17 earlier this year and, though it's hard to imagine the Buffs closing the gap enough to beat the second-ranked Longhorns, it's also hard not to believe Colorado has a rightful spot among the nation's upper class. This game, against a contending Missouri team and its dynamic quarterback, Brad Smith, was supposed to a big test. As they have in every home game since their three-point win in the opener against Colorado State, the Buffs took a big lead early and left little doubt about who was the better team. When the Tigers briefly tried to make a game of it, the Buffs answered immediately - the way good teams do. Missouri pulled within 24-12 early in the third quarter when Stryker Sulak hit Klatt and forced a fumble, which Jamar Smith scooped up and ran 12 yards for a touchdown. The Buffs responded with an 80-yard touchdown drive, helped tremendously by a roughing-the-punter call. On third-and-goal from the 6, Klatt rolled to his right, patiently waited for Quinn Sypniewski to shed a defender, then hit Sypniewski with a strike in the back of the end zone to make it 31-12. Smith, he of the 246-yard rushing game two weeks ago in a win over Nebraska, got the 5 yards he needed to break Antwaan Randle-El's NCAA record for yards rushing by a quarterback (3,895). But Smith was held in check, throwing for 160 yards and running for 16 more, as the Mizzou offense managed the single touchdown and no other real threats. Like CU, the Tigers came into the game controlling their destiny in the North. But they have lost two straight and must focus on getting one more win, against Baylor or Kansas State, to become bowl eligible. Crosby, meanwhile, made his 10th career field goal from 50 yards or longer. Last week, he booted a 50-yarder in the final seconds for a 23-20 victory at Kansas State. This time, after Klatt threw incomplete on third-and-6 from the Missouri 39, Buffs fans actually started cheering, anticipating another long try from the strong-legged kicker. Crosby didn't disappoint. When his kick went over the crossbar, the ball was still above the top of the uprights - a shot that might have been good from 80 yards in the thin Boulder air. The Buffs have won all five of their home games this season and have outscored their three conference foes 126-45 at Folsom Field. © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.