Tie Feels Like Win to Vols : College football: Tennessee has three fourth-quarter touchdowns to catch Colorado, 31-31.

The scoreboard read 31-31, although you wouldn’t have known it by the faces of Tennessee Coach Johnny Majors and Colorado’s Bill McCartney.

One wore the look of a winner, the other stared glumly at his shoes. One conducted a pep rally during his postgame news conference, the other talked of opportunities lost.

If Sunday’s first Disneyland Pigskin Classic at Anaheim Stadium proved anything, it’s that ties are in the eyes of the beholder.

To Majors, whose Tennessee team scored three touchdowns in the final quarter--two in the final seven minutes--it was a cause for celebration.

“A tremendous effort by both teams,” said Majors, who excitedly smacked his palm against the podium. “We are proud of our teaming coming back.”

To McCartney, whose Colorado team couldn’t hold onto two second-half leads of 14 points, it was reason for mild depression.

“We’re going to look back on it with a lot of frustration because we put ourselves in a position to win a game,” McCartney said.

The Buffaloes managed to waste a career performance from tailback Mike Pritchard, who gained 217 yards Sunday, scored twice and averaged nearly 11 yards per carry. Pritchard, a one-game-only replacement for the suspended Eric Bieniemy, returns to wide receiver for the rest of the season. But for one memorable afternoon, he figured in almost every big play--good and bad.

Pritchard fumbled away his first handoff and bobbled away a punt return. And Pritchard broke loose for touchdown runs of 55 and 78 yards, the last score increasing Colorado’s lead to 31-17 with only seven minutes remaining in the game.

After the play, which featured a remarkable pitch by quarterback Darian Hagan, Colorado players mugged for the television cameras. Colorado’s coaches hugged each other.

A game, before 33,458, had presumably been won, despite a dismal passing performance from the usually reliable Hagan, who completed only five of 19 attempts. Two of Hagan’s three interceptions had resulted in 10 Tennessee points.

The Volunteers responded by doing what they hadn’t been able to do all afternoon: pass.

Quarterback Andy Kelly found open receivers at every turn. Starting at Tennessee’s 13, Kelly took the Volunteers 87 yards in less than two minutes. A fingertip touchdown catch by Carl Pickens whittled the Colorado lead to 31-24.

After a Colorado punt, Kelly was at it again. This time he started at the Tennessee 26, but soon had the Volunteers in Colorado territory. Three Pickens’ receptions--for 16, 29 and six yards--helped considerably.

On fourth-and-five from the Colorado 12, Majors decided to go for a first down. Less than three minutes remained.

Kelly dropped back, saw wide receiver Alvin Harper angling toward the sideline and threw. At first, the pass seemed aimed at Colorado safety Eric Hamilton. But at the last moment, Harper took the ball away and fell out of bounds with an eight-yard gain.

“That was a great play,” said McCartney. “That was the play of the ballgame.”

Well, not exactly. Equally important was the interception that bounced out of Greg Thomas’ hands in the end zone a play later. Figuring enough was enough, Kelly handed the ball to tailback Chuck Webb, who scored from four yards out.

That left Majors with a decision: go for two or kick the extra point.

Majors sent out place-kicker Greg Burke, who converted the attempt. Tie score.

“The decision to go for two is always a great decision,” Majors said. “People always like to second guess that decision. Unless you are going for a championship at that time, a tie is a hell of a lot better than a loss. The way our team fought back, I’ll stick to that a long, long time. If it’s the last game of the season, who knows--(the strategy) may change later in the season.”

So sure was McCartney of Tennessee going for two points-after that he already had warned his assistant coaches to have a plan ready.

“I thought they were going to go for two,” he said. “But I can understand their rationale for not. Who knows what might have happened?”

Colorado had a final chance to win the game, but was stopped with less than a minute left. On fourth-and-eight at the Colorado 45, McCartney found himself with a choice: punt or attempt a first down. He punted.

“I thought (Tennessee) could make a mistake,” McCartney said. “I liked our position better than theirs.”

The Volunteers almost proved McCartney wrong. With seven seconds remaining and the ball on the Colorado 41, Webb--who finished with 131 rushing yards--broke through the middle and stumbled out of bounds at the 16 to end the game. It was a mistake.

According to Kelly, who passed for 368 yards--241 during the fourth period--Webb was supposed to try to gain a quick first down, step out of bounds and give Burke a chance for a field goal.

“But being the athlete and competitor that Chuck Webb is, he just kept running,” Kelly said. “It came back to haunt us on that one.”

McCartney knows all about being haunted. So does Hagan and a Colorado defense that tired, McCartney said, in the afternoon sun.

“I don’t know how to size this one up,” McCartney said. “I’m sure both teams are disappointed.”

Don’t be so sure.

COMMENTARY: Why must Colorado, which has a ground game that runs like the wind, insist on flying? Mike Penner’s story, C20.