BIG PLAY DAY Colorado comes up with last-minute back-breaker to stop thrilling Aggie rally By Rusty Burson

BOULDER, Colo. – In the midst of completing 13 straight passes during the second half, Texas A&M quarterback Mark Farris said he could feel "it." He felt the momentum switch to A&M’s favor, felt the offense clicking into a rhythm and felt a major comeback in the making.

Unfortunately for the Aggies, Farris never felt the pressure. At least not until it was too late.

With the Aggies driving for a possible tying or winning score, Colorado’s Kory Mossoni blindsided Farris in the back, forcing a fumble that was picked up Joey Johnson and returned 52 yards for a touchdown. The score, which came with just 58 seconds left in the fourth quarter, sealed the Buffaloes’ 31-21 win and left the Aggies pondering what could have been.

"We all felt like we were going to come back and win the game," said Farris, who passed for 334 yards and three touchdowns. "But I never really saw that guy coming. Those things happen. It’s just very unfortunate that it happened at that moment, because we felt like we were on our way to pulling it out."

Colorado linebacker Joey Johnson takes off with a fumble recovery for a TD to ice the game.

Instead, it slipped right through the Aggies’ hands. Again and again and again….

Like all of the other losses to Colorado (5-1, 3-0 Big 12) since 1995, this one was especially difficult to take for the Aggies because it was largely a result of A&M’s own bobbles and near misses.

At least seven – and possibly more – pass attempts slipped through the Aggies’ fingertips. A possible interception for a touchdown also bounced off an A&M player’s facemask. And, of course, the back-breaking fumble came at the most inopportune time.

The Aggies weren’t out-muscled, out-hustled or outplayed. They just dropped the ball. Literally and figuratively.

"We played hard, but we just had a few too many mistakes," said A&M freshman wide receiver Terrence Murphy, who finished with a game-high 10 catches for 146 yards, but also had a few key dropped passes. "I’m very disappointed, but I have to give a lot of credit to Colorado. They came out and played hard for four quarters. We felt like we were about to come back, but we just fell a little short."

Considering all the miscues, it’s a credit to the Aggies that they had a shot to win it at the end. After falling behind 14-6 with 5:20 left in the second quarter, the Buffs rolled off 18 straight points and threatened to run away with the game early in the fourth quarter.

Colorado, which rushed for just 44 yards in the first half, pounded away for 126 rushing yards in the second half. And leading 24-14 in the fourth quarter, the Buffs, along with the Boulder altitude, seemed to be wearing down the Aggie defense.

"We were all hurting out there," A&M junior defensive lineman Ty Warren said of the Wrecking Crew. "I was going off adrenaline in the second half. We had a lot of players running over to get oxygen."

Receiver Jamaar Taylor helps lead the Aggies down the field in the waning moments of the 31-21 loss.

The Aggies quickly caught their breath when Wes Bautovich intercepted a Craig Ochs pass and returned it to the A&M 42. Two Farris-to-Murphy passes later, and the Aggies were right back in it.

Farris first hit Murphy for 22 yards and then connected with the true freshmen for a 36-yard scoring strike to pull A&M within 24-21 with 5:09 left in the contest.

Momentum, at that point, had been instantly yanked away from the Buffs and secured by A&M. The Aggies stopped CU on its next series, and A&M took over at its own 9 with 2:16 remaining. And just five Farris completions later, the Aggies were at the Colorado 35, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.

But that’s when Mossoni came barreling around Farris’ backside on a blitz. It was the big break the Buffs needed and the one breakdown the Aggies could not overcome.

"When our offense started moving down the field there at the end, I just knew we were going to go ahead and score and win the game," A&M inside linebacker Brian Gamble said. "But Colorado made one big play to win it, which is what so often happens in these types of games between two evenly-matched teams.

"We knew this was going to be a dogfight right to the very end. We’re both physical football teams, and there are a lot of similarities between the two teams. We knew coming into the game that it was probably going to come down to a play or two in the fourth quarter. That’s what happened. It’s just very disappointing that we were on the losing end this time."

Unfortunately for the Aggies, "this time" was much like many other times against the Buffs. Since 1995, no team has been a bigger thorn in the Aggies’ side than Colorado. The Buffs are now 4-1 against A&M since ’95, with three of the A&M losses coming down to a few key plays in the fourth quarter.

Perhaps the best news for the Aggies is that next up on the schedule is struggling Kansas State, which has now dropped three straight games for the first time since 1992. Like CU has been to A&M, the Aggies have been a major stumbling block for the Wildcats in recent years.

And even though the trip to the Rocky Mountains resulted in the Aggies’ first loss of 2001, A&M players say they believe they proved something against the Buffaloes. Many people may have questioned the legitimacy of the Aggies’ first five opponents, but the Buffs are proving to be one of the Big 12’s best.

The Aggies had no problems standing toe-to-toe and trading punches with CU, which could give A&M something positive to build upon as the rough stretch of the schedule continues.

"Even though it was a loss, I think we showed a lot," A&M outside linebacker Christian Rodriguez said. "I think we showed that we could compete on the road against a very good team. By far, this was the best opponent we had played. They had a big, huge offensive line. They were physical, and they had good athletes at all the skill positions. But we battled them, and we came within a play or two of pulling it out.

"Now, we just have to put this loss behind us and correct the mistakes we made. The Big 12 race is still wide open. I don’t see Colorado going undefeated the rest of the year. A lot of teams in the Big 12 are going to get knocked off, because there are a lot of even teams in the conference. So, we just need to focus on getting better and making the key plays the next time the game is on the line."