Crosby kicks Buffs past Iowa State

Colorado (4-2, 1-2 Big 12) started sophomore James Cox at quarterback in place of Joel Klatt, then switched back after Cox threw an interception late in the second quarter. It didn't seem to matter. Klatt threw two interceptions and Colorado managed just 123 yards in the second half. Good thing Crosby was around. He kicked the 60-yarder in the second quarter and added the 54-yarder as time expired in the first half, becoming the first Colorado player with two 50-yarders in a game. Crosby also hit from 28 yards in the first quarter and 33 in the fourth to put Colorado up 19-7. Iowa State (2-4, 0-3) had a terrible day on special teams, with muffed punts by two returners and kicker Brian Jansen's two short field goal misses. The Cyclones also failed on five trips inside Colorado's 20 and have scored just seven times -- five TDs, two field goals -- in 21 chances in the red zone this season. Iowa State's offense finally found the end zone with 2:38 left in the game, when Todd Blythe pulled down a 43-yard touchdown pass from Bret Meyer. That cut Colorado's lead to 19-14, but the Buffaloes were able to run out the clock after that. Iowa State's troubles started right away. Colorado's first score, a 3-yard touchdown pass from Cox to Jesse Wallace early in the first quarter, came after Lawrence Vickers recovered Todd Miller's muffed punt. Miller claimed he didn't touch the ball -- he dived forward after losing his bearings -- but the officials gave it to Colorado at the Iowa State 11. Colorado put together three more scoring drives in the first half, all ending in field goals by Crosby. The second caromed high off the left upright from 60 yards out to beat Jerry Hamilton's school record by two yards. The Cyclones' only first-half points came on Ellis Hobbs' 34-yard interception return with just over a minute left before halftime.