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Colorado faces Alabama in Independence Bowl

Dec 30, 2007 - 1:52 PM Alabama (6-6) vs. Colorado (6-6) 8:00 pm EST Independence Bowl December 30

SHREVEPORT, Louisiana (Ticker) -- One team is happy to be playing in any bowl game while the other had much higher expectations.

Colorado faces Alabama in the Independence Bowl on Sunday in a battle of 6-6 teams with different outlooks.

Although Colorado started 4-2, the 6-6 finish represents progress for the Buffaloes, who went 2-10 in Dan Hawkins' first season as coach last year.

Colorado finished with 10 losses for just the third time in the program's 117-year history.

However, the Buffaloes became bowl eligible this year with a 65-51 victory over Nebraska in the regular-season finale.

"This is an important game for us, and it's a privilege to be matched against a school with as rich a tradition as Alabama," Hawkins said.

Alabama had expectations of playing in a New Year's Day bowl game under first-year coach Nick Saban but collapsed in the second half of the season.

Following a 6-2 start, the Crimson Tide dropped their final four games, including an inexplicable 21-14 home defeat to Louisiana-Monroe.

After that game, Saban made an unfortunate reference, comparing the loss to Pearl Harbor and the 9-11 terrorist attacks.

On November 3, Alabama squandered a late seven-point lead to then-No. 3 Louisiana State and suffered a 41-34 defeat. The Crimson Tide never recovered, averaging just 12 points in their last three games.

Alabama concluded the regular season with a 17-10 loss to Auburn, suffering a record sixth straight loss to its bitter rival

John Parker-Wilson threw five interceptions and just one touchdown in Alabama's final three games.

Still, Saban tried to spin playing in the Independence Bowl into a positive.

"It's a great opportunity for our players to end this season on a positive note and for us to continue to build on what we accomplished this season," he said.

Colorado's offense is run by freshman Cody Hawkins, the coach's son.