Chris Brown didn’t have much of a clue.

Colorado’s featured running back enjoyed the greatest game of his collegiate playing days on Saturday, rushing for 309 yards and two touchdowns. Not until someone told him near the end of the game, though, did Brown realize just how productive he was.

“I didn’t even know. I thought I was at, like, 170,” Brown said afterward. “I was way off.”

Well, three of Brown’s 25 carries combined for 179 yards, if that’s what he was thinking.

With the Buffaloes’ defense depleted with injuries, Brown time and time again provided the big blow that allowed Colorado to pull away with a 53-29 victory over Kansas on Saturday. The junior had touchdown strikes of 78 and 51 yards, and had another rush of 50 yards before he was taken out midway through the fourth quarter.

“It was a heck of a day, and he’s a heck of a player,” CU coach Gary Barnett said. “The guys love blocking for him. He never says a word, he just keeps running.”

Colorado (4-2 overall, 2-0 Big 12) was sparked by big plays for the second straight week. Against Kansas State last Saturday, the Buffaloes had touchdown passes of 71 and 94 yards, along with an 85-yard touchdown run from Brown.

Along with Brown’s two long runs on Saturday, Don Strickland intercepted a Bill Whittemore pass and returned it 95 yards, putting CU up 36-15.

“I think it pretty much takes the wind out of their sails,” Brown said. “If they’re doing good and give up a big play, it can hurt.”

Brown’s backup  Bobby Purify  also garnered his share of yardage, rushing 10 times for 76 yards. The two combined to average 11 yards per carry, further demoralizing KU’s run defense, the worst in the Big 12.

“Their vision is so good and their feet are so quick,” Kansas coach Mark Mangino said. “When you go to tackle them, you bounce off.”

Brown, a junior who played a season at Fort Scott Community College in 2000, now has 987 yards rushing on the season, tops in the Big 12.

Colorado has won three straight games and is looking to break back into the Top 25, which it exited after falling to USC, 40-3, on Sept. 14.

The Jayhawks may not have been too convincing of an opponent to the voters, but Barnett’s satisfied with the Big 12 victory on the road.

“You never get enough W’s,” he said. “This is one of those W’s that sometimes you have to struggle a little harder to truly appreciate.”