BOULDER, Colo. — Seneca Wallace’s last Big 12 Conference game will be one he’d rather forget.

The senior quarterback, who committed five turnovers in the loss to Kansas State, threw an interception and had three fumbles against Colorado on Saturday. The Buffaloes claimed their second straight North division title with the 41-27 victory.

The turnovers overshadowed an otherwise solid performance from Wallace. He was 24-of-35 for 265 yards and was also Iowa State’s leading rusher with 102 yards. Wallace was 6-for-6 on a 70-yard touchdown drive that took just over a minute to complete late in the fourth quarter.

Wallace, who now has 14 interceptions after throwing nine last season, has had a turnover in all but two games. He was unavailable for comment following the game, but his teammates said his performance against Colorado doesn’t lessen their opinions of him.

Jack Whitver, who caught six of Wallace’s passes for 77 yards, said Wallace has done so much for the Cyclones the last two seasons that a bad game doesn’t make him any less of a player.

“He’s been a savior to our program,” Whitver said. “You can’t fault anything he’s ever done. He’s taken us to where no other person probably could, so we’re proud of him.”

Wallace’s most costly miscue came with Iowa State trailing 27-20 in the fourth quarter. Wallace lost his second shotgun snap and Colorado’s Medford Moorer scooped it up and sprinted 71 yards for the touchdown, sending the crowd into hysteria. With just over five minutes remaining, the Colorado faithful could smell another division championship.

Center Zach Butler, who was playing his last Big 12 game, said the Cyclones use the shotgun situation on nearly half of the offensive plays. He said this particular snap wasn’t where it needed to be for Wallace.

“It might have been a little bit high,” Butler said. “I’ve got to be more accurate with those types of things. Seneca does a good job and he’s got a lot to focus on. If it’s anybody’s fault, it’d be mine.”

Colorado was only able to convert one ISU turnover into points despite getting the ball deep in ISU territory on Wallace’s first fumble.

With 12:29 left in the second quarter, Wallace rolled right and attempted to reverse field, but Donald Strickland caught Wallace and forced him to cough up the ball. DeAndre Fluellen recovered at the ISU 11-yard line, but the Cyclone defense held the Buffaloes to seven yards on three plays. Pat Brougham’s 25-yard field goal attempt hit the top of the right upright.

Just before halftime, Wallace overthrew Kyle Knock and Phil Jackson was there for Colorado, ending a 59-yard drive and the Cyclone scoring threat.

McCarney said Knock got bumped off his path by a CU defender on the play.

“He just got disrupted. It was just a problem with his route,” McCarney said. “It was a great play by their defense.”

Wallace lost another fumble in the shotgun situation in the third quarter, but Chris Brown fumbled on the next play and JaMaine Billups recovered for the Cyclones.

McCarney said Wallace hasn’t had many problems this season adjusting to misplaced snaps. He said it was uncharacteristic of Wallace to have that much trouble. Still, he admired the effort of Wallace and the rest of the team.

“If you’re looking for negative stuff out of me, you’re looking at the wrong guy — there is nothing there,” McCarney said. “This was an outstanding effort from a team that I’m real proud of.”

Another one of Wallace’s favorite targets, Lane Danielsen, said Wallace is still one of the best players in the nation.

“I wouldn’t trade him for anybody in college football,” Danielsen said. “He’s our guy.”