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LINCOLN, Nebraska (Ticker) -- Colorado defeated Nebraska. A year later, it was no big deal.

Brian Calhoun rushed for 137 yards and Brandon Drumm ran for two touchdowns as No. 15 Colorado tuned up for next week's Big 12 Conference title game with a 28-13 win over the Cornhuskers.

The Buffaloes (9-3, 7-1) had already wrapped up the Big 12 North title and will play Oklahoma for the league championship on December 7 in Houston. As a result, there was no need to rush back Heisman Trophy candidate Chris Brown, who bruised his sternum two weeks ago against Iowa State and did not play.

Colorado still rolled up 253 yards on the ground, with Calhoun, a fourth-string tailback, carrying 20 times and Bobby Purify adding 62 yards on 17 carries.

"I knew Chris wouldn't be able to go, and I knew Bobby had an ailing knee, so I prepared myself all week to be the man to carry the ball," Calhoun said.

The Buffaloes snapped a five-game losing streak at Nebraska and won for the first time since 1990.

"It proves we have a lot of character," safety Kory Mossoni said. "We had the Big 12 (North) locked up, and we came out here and got the big win. This means a lot to a lot of people."

Friday's win did not turn heads as was the case on Thanksgiving weekend last season, when the Buffaloes roared to a 62-36 win that began Nebraska's stunning and sudden fall from grace.

Last season's loss started the Cornhuskers (7-6, 3-5 Big 12 North) on a stretch in which they have won a mere seven of 14 games. Five times in that span, the once-vaunted Blackshirt defense has allowed at least 30 points five times.

Friday's loss snapped the Cornhuskers' string of nine-win seasons at 33 years. Nebraska needs to win its bowl game to guarantee a 41st straight winning season.

"It was a very disappointing loss to our team and the program," Nebraska coach Frank Solich said. "I thought our players played hard and they played hard for four quarters. The bottom line is we did not get it done on either side of the ball at the level we had to in order to win."

The Cornhuskers have lost six times in a season for the first time since 1960 and have a losing conference mark for the first time since 1968.

"Not only this game, but the whole season was tough," linebacker Scott Shanle said. "Being a senior, we can help the way we feel right now by going out as winners in the bowl game."

Nebraska quarterback Jammal Lord had a long day, completing 6-of-14 passes for 119 yards with an interception while carrying 21 times for 53 yards. A large chunk of his passing yardage came on an 80-yard TD pass to Matt Herian in the second quarter.

Dale Endorf kicked field goals of 33 yards in the second quarter and 49 yards early in the third to give Nebraska a 13-7 lead. Endorf kicked in place of Josh Brown, who was suspended after being arrested early Sunday on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Purify capped a 15-play, 80-yard drive on a two-yard run in the third quarter to put Colorado ahead to stay.

Calhoun had a 35-yard run to set up a Drumm a one-yard TD run late in the third quarter. Drumm scored on a 16-yard run with 2:14 left.

The Buffaloes opened the scoring on a 40-yard TD pass from Robert Hodge to Derek McCoy with 4:56 left in the first quarter, capping a drive that began after an interception by cornerback Phil Jackson.

Dahrran Diedrick of Nebraska carried 13 times for 96 yards.