Colorado suffers fourth straight loss

ORLANDO, Fla. -- James Davis ran for 150 yards and a touchdown, Charlie Whitehurst scrambled for a score, and No. 23 Clemson beat Colorado 19-10 in the Champs Sports Bowl on Tuesday.

Davis' 6-yard TD run with 1 minute, 38 seconds remaining sealed a fourth straight victory for Clemson (8-4) and capped a disappointing season for Colorado (7-6), which closed with four straight losses.

The Buffs made it close, though, something they didn't do in their previous two games -- losses to Nebraska and Texas by a combined score of 100-6.

Backup quarterback Brian White replaced starter James Cox midway through the fourth quarter and led Colorado on a 69-yard scoring drive that made it 13-10. His 2-yard TD pass to Quinn Sypniewski ended a streak of 14 quarters without a touchdown and gave the Buffs a chance.

But Davis and Whitehurst answered, moving the Tigers 61 yards in 4:07 to put the game away.

Davis ran 28 times and eclipsed 100 yards for the fourth time this season -- a school record for a freshman. He also was named the game's most valuable player.

Whitehurst, a senior expected to be a first-day selection in next year's NFL draft, was equally efficient and effective. He was 19-of-27 for 196 yards and an interception. He showed no signs of shoulder problems after having arthroscopic surgery early this month to relieve pain that had bothered him since September.

The Buffaloes were 7-2 at one point, losing only to Miami and Texas, and there was talk about a contract extension for embattled coach Gary Barnett. But consecutive losses to Iowa State, Nebraska and Texas ended that thought as well as Barnett's tenure in Boulder.

Barnett had survived a sordid recruiting scandal and a suspension following derogatory remarks about a female kicker who claimed she was raped by a teammate in 2000. But the losses -- most notably the 70-3 drubbing against the Longhorns in the Big 12 title game -- ultimately led to his forced resignation nearly three weeks ago.

The school has hired Boise State coach Dan Hawkins to replace Barnett, but defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz coached the team against Clemson.

Alamo Bowl

Michigan coach Lloyd Carr does not consider the Alamo Bowl a comedown for a program with Rose Bowl appearances the last two years and nine straight New Year's Day berths.

Instead, he thinks about the opposition -- Nebraska.

"You look back at the last 30 years, and they've won more national championships than anybody in the country," Carr said. "We have a history with Nebraska going back to the [1986] Fiesta Bowl and, of course, the '97 co-national championship."

He thinks those factors have been a genuine asset for the Wolverines as they approach the game tonight.

--The Associated Press