Shreveport, LA -- (Sports Network) - John Parker Wilson threw for 256 yards and three touchdowns as Alabama jumped out to a huge lead and then held off Colorado, 30-24, at the Independence Bowl.

Wilson, who completed 13 of his first 15 passes, ended 19-of-32 overall and also threw an interception for the Crimson Tide (7-6), who snapped a four-game skid to close out their season. They also avoided consecutive losing seasons for the first time in 50 years.

Running back Glen Coffee rolled up 72 yards on 19 carries, while Matt Caddell had four catches for 76 yards and a touchdown to lead all receivers.

Cody Hawkins completed 24-of-39 passes for 322 yards and three touchdowns, but tossed two interceptions for the Buffaloes (6-7), who finished below .500 for the second straight year.

Tyson DeVree hauled in two of those scores and finished with nine catches for 94 yards in the loss.

Alabama rolled from the opening kickoff, capping an eight-play drive with a 40-yard field goal by Leigh Tiffin just 3:30 into the contest.

The defense then went to work, and on the Buffs' first possession, Hawkins tossed an interception into the waiting hands of Rolando McClain, who went 15 yards the other way. Four plays later Tiffin split the uprights from 24-yards out, making it a 6-0 game.

Colorado was turned away on a 4th-and-2 rushing attempt on its next possession, and taking advantage of the short field, the Crimson Tide found the end zone when Keith Brown hauled in a 15-yard TD pass with 5:09 left in the first quarter.

Wilson continued to spread the ball around and cemented Alabama's next drive with a 34-yard scoring strike to Caddell, putting the Tide up 20-0 heading into the second quarter.

That momentum carried into the second, and the Crimson Tide needed just six plays to get back into the end zone, as Wilson connected with Nikita Stover over the middle for a 31-yard TD pass.

Colorado finally showed some life with a pair of late scores to get back in the game. Hawkins cut it to 27-7 when he hit DeVree with a four-yard toss at 2:05, while a 25-yard bullet to Dusty Sprague was taken the distance with just four seconds remaining in the half to make it 27-14.

The Buffaloes cut it to 27-17 late in the third quarter when Kevin Eberhart's 39-yard field goal deflected off the left upright and bounced through with just three minutes left in the frame.

Tiffin booted a 26-yard field goal with 4:40 remaining, helping the Tide capitalize on another interception, but Colorado made things interesting when Hawskins floated a pass to DeVree in the end zone with 3:57 left, making it a 30-24 game.

The Buffaloes got the ball back one last time and tried a multi-lateral play as time expired, but it ended at midfield.

Game Notes:

Alabama holds the NCAA record for most bowl appearances (55) and bowl victories (31)...The Crimson Tide have posted a 31-21-3 all-time record in their 55 bowl appearances...Alabama appeared in a bowl game for the fourth consecutive season, something that has not happened since the Crimson Tide played in 10 straight bowl games from 1985-94...Alabama also made its third appearance in the Independence Bowl...Colorado played in its 28th bowl game and currently holds a record of 12-16. This was their first appearance at the Independence Bowl, and first at a bowl game since falling to Clemson in the 2005 Champ Sports Bowl...Tiffin's first-quarter field goals gave him 105 points for the season, the most for an Alabama kicker. Phillip Doyle had 100 in 1989. Tiffin finished with 111 points for the season.