Houston ? The euphoria following Colorado’s first Big 12 championship didn’t last long.

The Buffs stunned Nebraska, 62-36, in the 2001 regular-season finale at Boulder, Colo., then topped Texas, 39-37, in the conference championship game Dec. 1 at Irving, Texas.

Those blowouts of national powers earned CU a berth in the Bowl Championship Series, but the Buffs suffered a 38-16 loss to Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Day in Tempe, Ariz.

A tumultuous offseason followed, including an investigation of NCAA rules violations and the arrests of several players at a recruiting party.

The worse was yet to come. One June 9, co-defensive coordinator Tom McMahon lost a two-year battle with lung cancer at age 53.

“We saw it coming,” coach Gary Barnett said Friday at Big 12 media day. “We died with him.”

After he was diagnosed in June 2000, the Buffaloes saw McMahon lose his hair and about 30 pounds during treatment. Doctors gave the coach only a 10 percent chance of beating the disease.

Knowing death was coming didn’t make it any easier for the team.

“He was like a father away from home,” said defensive back Donald Strickland. “He really cared about us as a team and as individuals. It’s definitely an unfortunate loss. He’ll be in our hearts.”

Barnett had been friends with McMahon since 1972 and had tried to hire him three times before luring him away from Notre Dame after the 1998 season.

McMahon who also coached at Colorado State, Wyoming, New Mexico, South Carolina, East Carolina, Arizona State and Wisconsin coached CU’s kickoff coverage team and defensive backs in addition to his duties as a coordinator.

McMahon had his right lung removed in September 2001, but he continued to work. He missed two games in 2000 and two more in 2001.

He worked until 5 p.m. the day before he died.

“He could hardly breathe, and he’s coaching and he’s coaching the most intense games we play,” Barnett said. “He’s on the field with them. He’s in meetings. There were times after meetings when he’d go into my office and just fall asleep in a chair. But when the meetings had to be on, he was on. I don’t know where he found the energy, but he inspired us.”

McMahon was given a clean bill of health in November after having fluid drained from his remaining lung, but cancer returned in the spring and this time he did not respond to chemotherapy.

More than 500 people attended his funeral.

“It’s like losing a loved one,” Strickland said. “He meant a lot. He inspired me to do well in school and in football. He’ll definitely be missed.”

Three-headed monster: Colorado ranked eighth in the nation in rushing last year when Cortlen Johnson, Chris Brown and Bobby Purify split time. Johnson graduated, but sophomore Marcus Houston is expected to join the mix after recovering from the injuries that sidelined him last season.

So how does Barnett decide who carries the ball?

“Eenie, meenie, miney, moe, it’s time for you to go,” Barnett said with a laugh.

Pardon the interruption: :Texas quarterback Chris Simms didn’t care to discuss his chances of winning the Heisman Trophy, and the senior didn’t get far when he tried to mention other candidates.

“Off the top of my head, if I had to pick two guys ” Simms began.

“You shouldn’t,” UT coach Mack Brown interrupted.

“You’re right,” Simms said with a laugh. “I shouldn’t.”

“Don’t ever go off the top of your head,” Brown said.

I feel your pain:: Brown is a big fan of Nebraska coach Frank Solich. Both coaches are in charge of tradition-rich programs where national championships are expected by their fans.

Solich followed a pair of legends at Nebraska Tom Osborne and Bob Devaney. Solich, a former Osborne aide, is 42-9 in four years but hasn’t won a championship yet.

“Here’s a guy who’s won 10, 11 games the last two years, and people are griping at him,” Brown said. “It’s just unbelievable for me to see. I told him he’s my hero.”

Brown sees a similarity between the coaches’ jobs. Most UT coaches suffer in comparison to Darrell Royal, whose teams won three national titles between 1957 and 1976.

Healthy Cowboys I::Oklahoma State coach Les Miles said he is fully recovered from December surgery in which surgeons removed a tumor-like mass from his brain.

“Health isn’t an issue,” said Miles, who went on a 35-minute run Friday morning. “Shape is. I’m working on a little thickening in the middle.”

Healthy Cowboys II: :OSU expects two-year starter Aso Pogi to be ready for the season. The junior quarterback was limited during spring drills because of injuries suffered in a December automobile accident. Pogi, however, will have competition from sophomore Josh Fields.

Fields worked a double shift in the spring. He missed only two of the football team’s 15 practices despite playing baseball for the Cowboys. The Stillwater, Okla., native was a hit on the diamond, batting .383.

Goals: Baylor is hoping to snap a three-year losing streak in Big 12 play. Do the Bears have individual goals?

“My individual goal is to get a signing bonus,” quipped senior defensive lineman A.C. Collier, who had 46 tackles and six sacks last season.