LINCOLN, Nebraska (WOWT) – Welcome back to the national spotlight, Huskers.
Nebraska (2-0) celebrated its biggest win of the Matt Rhule era on Saturday night with a convincing 28-10 triumph over Deion Sanders and Colorado (1-1).
It is the first time since 2016 that Nebraska has started a season 2-0.
The Huskers’ defense looked like a classic Blackshirt unit all night, holding the Buffaloes to just 260 yards of offense—only 16 of those were rushing yards—while quarterback Shedeur Sanders was sacked six times and completed just 57 percent of his pass attempts.
On offense, it was a tale of two halves for the Huskers, as they scored all 28 of their points in the first half. Dante Dowdell led a Nebraska running attack that totaled 149 yards on the ground.
Freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola may not have broken any records, but he was once again solid and efficient, completing 23 of 30 passes for 185 yards and one touchdown.
IN-GAME UPDATES
BEFORE THE GAME
Week 1 of the 2024 season went well for Husker fans and their growing optimism as they watched their team crush UTEP 40-7. Freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola completed 19 of 27 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns.
UTEP, however, is a far cry from Coach Prime’s boys in Boulder. The Buffaloes boast a roster full of NFL talent, including a jack-of-all-trades in the form of hybrid wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter, who played all but two snaps in Colorado’s season opener against North Dakota State.
This season’s opening game wasn’t quite as atmospheric as Nebraska’s, as the Buffaloes struggled against FCS heavyweight North Dakota State and had to come from behind to pull out a narrow 31-26 win.
But even in this close affair, Colorado’s stars shined brighter than ever. Hunter caught seven passes for 132 yards and scored three touchdowns, including a stunning catch in the end zone, while fellow first-round draft pick quarterback and coach’s son Shedeur Sanders threw for 445 yards and four touchdowns.
Still, question marks remain about the strength of Buffalo’s defense after it gave up over 400 total yards to a North Dakota State team that, while not without its share of talent, is nowhere near as talented as most of the teams on Colorado’s schedule, including, on paper, Nebraska.
GAME INFORMATION
- WHEN: 6:30 p.m., Saturday, September 7
- WHERE: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska.
- REGARD: NBC or Peacock
- HEAR: Huskers Radio Network
- VEGAS OPPORTUNITIES: Colorado +7.5, Over/Under 56.5
When Deion Sanders leads his team onto Tom Osborne Field, Memorial Stadium will undoubtedly be in chaos, but it would be negligent to think that the boisterous atmosphere and bright lights of prime time only affect the visiting team.
“The goal this week is to play at our level,” Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule said in a press conference on Thursday. “TV cameras and watching eyes shouldn’t affect that. That’s human nature, but we don’t want that.”
To drive home that message, Rhule turned to the boxing ring and turned his team’s attention to a local hero and one of the greatest athletes in Nebraska state history: Omaha native Terence “Bud” Crawford.
“I showed them the Bud Crawford-Errol Spence fight this week,” Rhule said. “You just see Crawford go out there to fight. He’s so stoic, stone-faced and methodical. He goes in, takes a punch, counters, punches, counters. There’s not a lot of emotion and celebration. Not a lot of excitement. But that picture of a great boxer who’s obviously from the area looks to me like a great football team.”
In a game that many consider a track and field contest, punches and counterpunches are to be expected, with two quarterbacks who can hurl the ball down the field. Sanders is a proven player and could be the No. 1 pick in the next NFL Draft, but there is still some mystery on the Nebraska side regarding the signal-caller.
Raiola definitely delivered in his debut. The play may not have been earth-shattering, but he made plays and shots that explained why he was the highest-rated high school prospect in the class of 2024 on many expert lists. But he’s still a true freshman, and Saturday will be the biggest game of his life.
“It’s all about preparation and trusting our team,” Raiola said during his media appearance on Monday. “Coach Rhule does a great job of intensifying training and making it uncomfortable so that when you play you just want to have fun. Our guys prepared great last week and the biggest challenge is to do it again. We just prepare like it’s a normal game.”
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