Attendance at Colorado football games fell slightly this fall, even though the Buffs featured one of the more attractive schedules in recent history.

The Buffs drew 6,193 fewer fans to six homes games this season than they did to the same number of games last season.

The combined announced attendance at home games this season was 296,858, compared with 303,051 last season.

The announced attendance includes media members and others who attend using complimentary tickets or passes. It does not equate to ticket sales.

Attendance fell despite an increase in season-ticket sales this season. Athletic director Mike Bohn reported in October that season ticket sales had risen this season to 22,603, an increase of 1,369 from last season.

CU also had more success selling club seats and suites this season than in any previous season since they were completed in 2003.

While the program has made progress in some areas such as the suites and club seats, attendance remains similar to levels under former coach Gary Barnett. Attendance in 2005, the final season under Barnett, was 302,462.

Walters earns

Buffalo Heart award

Colorado senior free safety Ryan Walters was honored with the Buffalo Heart Award in a brief postgame ceremony behind the home bench following Saturday's game.

Walters was the 11th recipient of the award, which is given annually by the fans behind the bench following the final home game of the season. The fans vote for the Buff who they believe displays heart, grit, determination and desire.

Walters, who entered Saturday's game as the team's leading tackler, is the fifth defensive player to earn the honor and second defensive back. The award has been given to a defender for three consecutive years now.

Walters was the final senior introduced to the crowd during a pregame ceremony honoring the senior class. He ran to midfield, dropped his helmet on his way to a pushup position and kissed the Buffalo logo before running to meet his family.

It became the most significant action of the night for one of the four team captains. Walters suffered a knee and ankle sprain on the second play from scrimmage for the CU defense and was replaced in the lineup by true freshman Patrick Mahnke. Walters is day-to-day.

Losing Walters compounded problems for the coaching staff because fellow senior safety D.J. Dykes was unable to play because of an undisclosed health problem. Redshirt freshman Anthony Perkins started in his place.

Another injury

Colorado freshman tailback Ray Polk spent this season redshirting while he worked to get bigger in the weight room, but that didn't spare him from the injury bug that has bitten the Buffs all year.

Polk suffered a torn labrum in his right shoulder in practice and underwent surgery last week. He said he expects to be recovered in time for spring practices.

Polk is the 11th player to suffer a season-ending injury this season. He was a four-star recruit from the Phoenix area, who elected near the end of training camp to take a redshirt season.

Scott out

True freshman running back Darrell Scott dressed for Saturday's game but did not play because of a sprained ankle.

The injury has hampered Scott since the Texas game Oct. 4. He re-aggravated it during practices this week and was available Saturday only in an emergency.

Sophomore Demtrius Sumler handled nearly the entire workload against the Cowboys. Scott is day-to-day and is probable for the regular-season finale Nov. 28 at Nebraska.

Barnett's name

pops up

Former Colorado coach Gary Barnett's name has been mentioned in recent days in connection with multiple vacancies or potential openings around college football. Two of those possibilities are Kansas State and Wyoming.

Colorado plays KSU each season in the Big 12 North Division, but, perhaps, the more likely opening for Barnett would be Wyoming, which is slated to visit Folsom Field next September.

Barnett, 62, has been out of coaching since he was fired from CU following the 2005 season. He has received little attention each December since when job openings in major college football generally occur.

The drawback to hiring Barnett for any program would be the likelihood of rehashing the entire Colorado football recruiting scandal that played a big part in Barnett ultimately losing his job in Boulder.

Dubious record

CU place-kicker Aric Goodman set a school record with his eighth consecutive missed field goal in the first half. The 50-yard attempt bounced off the left upright.

To that point, Goodman had three of eight misses hit the uprights. He also had another one blocked during a stretch that dated back to a game-winner in overtime against West Virginia on Sept. 18.

The previous school record for consecutive missed field goals was four and was held by several players. Goodman finally broke the streak later in the half with a 31-yard field goal.

In all, Goodman and fellow place-kicker Jameson Davis combined to make just one of 11 kicks between Sept. 18 and Goodman's first kick Saturday.

All-purpose man

Sophomore wide receiver and kick return man Josh Smith set a school record Saturday with seven kickoff returns, giving him 43 for the season.

Terrence Wheatley set the old mark last season at 37.

Smith also gained 187 all-purpose yards through kickoff and punt returns, rushing and receiving. He now has 1,742 all-purpose yards this season and is one of only five players in CU history to gain more than 1,600 all-purpose yards in a season.

Notable

The stadium came to life during a timeout early in the second quarter Saturday when CU basketball great Chauncey Billups was introduced to the crowd. Billups, who was recently traded from the Detroit Pistons to the Denver Nuggets, stood in the south end zone and waved while fans roared with a standing ovation.