HOUSTON BOWL Colorado knocks off UTEP, Klatt throws for 333 yards

The Buffaloes won, 33-28, going ahead with just under nine minutes remaining.
HOUSTON (AP) -- Joel Klatt threw for 333 yards and two touchdowns and Mason Crosby kicked four field goals, leading Colorado to a 33-28 victory over Texas-El Paso in the Houston Bowl on Wednesday.
Klatt keyed a fourth-quarter comeback by the plodding Buffaloes (8-5), who tried to keep pace with UTEP, which is 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 own 35, Colorado used a bit of trickery. Punter John Torp raced 22 yards around the left end on a fake punt for the first down. Two plays later, Klatt threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Evan Judge for the go-ahead score with 8:43 remaining.
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.
Klatt completed 24-of-33 passes, five to Joel Klopfenstein for 134 yards.
Bobby Purify rushed 80 yards on 22 carries.
Last chance
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 a late drive alive. 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 came over to embrace 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.
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.
0-for-12 vs. Big 12
UTEP came very 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 Palmer began to struggle, Klatt began to find his rhythm and UTEP began to wear down as Purify began pounding away at the Miners' smaller defensive line.