Longhorns RB Hodges Mitchell's 42-yard running play late in the fourth quarter clinches the win.(AP)

Applewhite threw two other touchdown passes, both to freshman receiver Roy Williams, as the Longhorns (4-2, 2-1 Big 12) rebounded from a humiliating 63-14 loss to archrival Oklahoma last week.

Colorado twice pulled within a touchdown in the second half, but each time Applewhite countered with a TD pass, including the clincher to Mitchell.

"I was never afraid to leave him in the game," Texas coach Mack Brown said. "After his second fumble, I went over to him on the sideline and told him, `Get your head up. You're going back in the game.' He responded, and that's what I wanted to see from him.

"We caught them in a blitz on that play. We just wanted a first down, but we got everybody picked up and it went. We just caught them in the right defense."

Mitchell, who finished with 125 yards on 25 carries, said he wasn't worried after his first fumble but was "really down on myself after the second one. I knew I had to go back out there and perform because I'm a leader on offense."

The victory ended the Longhorns' six-game losing streak to Colorado (1-5, 1-2). Texas has never lost seven straight games to any opponent.

"They couldn't run the ball and we could," Brown said. "We sacked their guy and they couldn't get to Major. The play on both sides of the line of scrimmage did it for us."

Colorado lost its fourth straight home game for the first time since 1980.

"We got beat up-front early and lost our confidence in the running game," Colorado coach Gary Barnett said. "Then when we tried to throw it, either Craig (freshman quarterback Craig Ochs) struggled or they covered us pretty well. Offenses of the 21st century are so quarterback-oriented that if your quarterback has a bad day, you're going to struggle. And we did.

"At the end, we gave up a couple of big pass plays, which has been our undoing all year."

Applewhite's 6-yard TD pass to Williams early in the second quarter helped give Texas a 13-0 halftime lead that could have been larger. Colorado had only 22 total yards in the half, including minus-7 in the second quarter.

Colorado's defense got the Buffaloes untracked early in the third quarter. Mitchell fumbled when hit by linebacker Andy Peeke, and linebacker Jashon Sykes ran 50 yards for a touchdown, cutting the deficit to 13-7.

Midway through the period, the Longhorns marched 95 yards in five plays to make it 21-7. Applewhite passed 25 yards to tight end Mike Jones and then found Williams in-stride on a 42-yarder for the score. Applewhite hit Williams for the 2-point conversion.

With quarterback Zac Colvin taking over for the ineffective Ochs, Colorado made it 21-14 late in the quarter. Mitchell fumbled a punt and Colorado's Robbie Robinson recovered, and Cortlen Johnson ran 13 yards off the left side for the TD with 2:37 left in the quarter.

Mitchell's scoring reception capped an 81-yard drive in the final quarter.

On the fourth play of the game, Colorado receiver Roman Hollowell fumbled and Texas recovered at the Buffaloes' 42. The Longhorns drove inside the 20, but Kris Stockton was wide on a 34-yard field goal attempt.

Later in the quarter, Applewhite fumbled while being sacked by Sykes and Colorado recovered, but the Buffs couldn't capitalize.

Applewhite passed 39 yards to freshman B.J. Johnson early in the second quarter, setting up his touchdown pass to Williams on the next play.

Moments later, linebacker Everick Rawls intercepted Ochs at the Colorado 29, but Stockton missed a 45-yard field goal try.

After Applewhite's 23-yard pass to Jones, Stockton kicked a 30-yard field goal with 7:21 left in the half.

Mitchell returned a punt 19 yards to the Colorado 36, and Stockton kicked another 30-yarder with 1:44 to go in the half.

After its opening series, Colorado didn't advance beyond its own 29-yard line in the first half.