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--> --> Pesavento gets the nod vs. Texas BOULDER, Colo. (AP) - Bobby Pesavento never doubted Colorado would make it to the Big 12 title game. He just didn't expect to be the starting quarterback when the team got there. Filling in for injured starter Craig Ochs, Pesavento has been practically perfect the last four games - so much so that coach Gary Barnett elected to stick with Pesavento this week. Even with Ochs almost fully recovered from a badly sprained ankle, Pesavento will start Saturday night when the No. 9 Buffaloes meet No. 3 Texas in Dallas for the Big 12 championship. "Bobby is just playing about as solid as you could play at quarterback," Barnett said Tuesday. In wins over Oklahoma State, Missouri, Iowa State and Nebraska, Pesavento completed 57 of 83 passes (69 percent) for 869 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions. Three of those were come-from-behind victories. Against then-No. 2 Nebraska last Friday, the Buffs jumped out to a 35-3 lead and won 62-36 as Chris Brown ran for 198 yards and six touchdowns. Pesavento was almost overlooked. He was 9-of-16 for 202 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 22 yards, including a TD. And he did it with searing pain in his throwing shoulder, the result of a minor separation he suffered in the first quarter. On a 49-yard pass to tight end Dan Graham, Pesavento said he "got kind of driven into the ground. There was a lot of pain. They asked if I was OK, but I wasn't going to come out of the game as long as I could throw." Pesavento's grit is just one of the qualities that has endeared him to his coaches and teammates. He's poised, he's a leader and he never pouted about not being the starting quarterback. Pesavento began his college odyssey at Miami of Ohio. After a coaching change, he transferred to Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College, where he threw for 2,444 yards and 22 touchdowns in 1999. He came to Colorado with the intention of being the No. 1 quarterback last season. Zac Colvin started the first two games, but Pesavento rallied the Buffs in relief in both games. Pesavento started the next two games before giving way to Ochs. Ochs remained the starter this season, but Pesavento persevered. Ochs had a concussion in the sixth game, then went down with an ankle injury two games later, and Pesavento slipped seamlessly into the starting role. "It's obvious that Bobby has played great ball," Ochs said. "I'm so happy for him. He's earned the opportunity to start the Texas game." Pesavento's first start this year came against Texas on Oct. 20. The Buffs were blown out 41-7, but Pesavento played capably, completing 15 of 27 passes for 165 yards. His one interception came off a deflection. "We didn't lose that game because of Bobby Pesavento," Barnett said. Offensive tackle Victor Rogers said Pesavento "has had the best attitude I've ever seen as far as a quarterback, especially having as much talent as he has. He could be starting at a lot of different places." As for Texas, Pesavento said the Buffs are "excited that we get a chance to redeem ourselves. We get a chance to show that wasn't us. We (eliminate mistakes) and it'll be a totally different football game this week. Win the one-on-one challenges and we'll be OK. "I knew we could make it to the championship game. Whether I was going to be the starting quarterback or not, that was something I wasn't sure of." The 6-foot-5, 225-pound senior said his confidence has grown with each win. "Once I accepted that Craig was going to be our starter, I just kept working hard and wanted to be a contributor. If I wasn't going to play, I wanted to contribute off the field and on the practice field. I kept working hard, whether it was in the film room or the weight room," Pesavento said. "When my opportunity came, I just felt real calm, real cool and real comfortable back there." Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing