—
Friday Fast Facts – Nebraska Week
—
Leading off …
— “T.I.P.S” … Our weekly preview postings are available for your review and comment. My weekly written preview, along with my predictions for the CU/Nebraska game can be found here. The CU at the Game Podcast Preview for the game can be found here
—
Big Picture …
— This is the final game of a four-game series scheduled between Colorado an Nebraska. The Buffs won both games in the first home-and-home set, defeating Nebraska 33-28 in Lincoln in 2018, then rallying to defeat the 25th-ranked Cornhuskers in Boulder, 34-31 in overtime in 2019. Last season, No. 22 Colorado took down Nebraska, 36-14. Barring another seismic realignment shift bringing the teams back into the same conference, or a bowl-matchup, this is the last time the teams will meet for the foreseeable future;
— Colorado and Nebraska first played in 1898, and Nebraska represents CU’s second-oldest rival (CU first played CSU in 1893). When CU traveled to Lincoln to play the Cornhuskers in 1905, it represented CU’s first-ever game played outside of the state of Colorado;
— Colorado has won the last three games in the series. Have the Buffs ever won four straight? Nope. Previously, the Buffs had a three-game win streak between 1956-58, winning 16-0 in 1956 in Boulder, 27-0 in Lincoln in 1957, and 7-0 in 1958 back at home … three straight shutouts!;
— Last time … No. 22 Colorado hosted Nebraska, as well as the Fox Big Noon Saturday crew at Folsom Field (Fox would return the following weekend, along with ESPN GameDay, for the Colorado State game);
— This time … Colorado/Nebraska will be the second half of an NBC national double-header, with Notre Dame hosting Northern Illinois at 1:30 as the lead-in game (the Irish are 28.0-point favorites). With the kickoffs four hours apart, there shouldn’t be any issue of the Notre Dame game spilling over into CU’s kickoff;
— The ESPN Power Index … still doesn’t like CU. The ESPN Index gives Nebraska a 60.1% chance of winning; Colorado 39.9%;
— The game this Saturday will be telecast nationally by NBC, with Paul Burmeister on the play-by-play; former Texas quarterback Colt McCoy (who lost to CU in the 2001 Big 12 title game) on color; and Kathryn Tappen on the sidelines. 850 KOA radio will have Mark Johnson with the play-by-play, and former CU head coach Gary Barnett handling the commentary.
—
Buffs v. Cornhuskers …
— The Cornhuskers lead the all-time series against Colorado, 49-21-2, with a 26-9 advantage in games played in Lincoln. Since 2001, however, the tally is: Colorado 7; Nebraska 6;
— Odd as it sounds in this day and age (but not so strange if you think about it), in the long history of the series, Saturday will represent just the second night game ever played between CU and Nebraska. The only other night game? The frigid 19-19 tie game in 1991;
— In the final seven years of the Big Eight, either Nebraska or Colorado won the title (the teams shared the title in 1991, when the two played to a 19-19 tie in Boulder);
— In case you’re wondering … The highest passing yardage total for a CU quarterback in the series came last year, when Shedeur Sanders threw for 393 yards (previous high: John Hessler threw for 362 yards in the 1997 game). The most yards receiving in a game came in the 2018 game, when Laviska Shenault had ten receptions for 177 yards and the winning touchdown. (Xavier Weaver came close last season, with 170 yards and a touchdown on ten catches);
— Between 2001 and 2004, the Buffs won three of four games against the Huskers. It was the best stretch for the Buffs since taking three-of-five between 1986 and 1990;
— When CU defeated Nebraska, 7-0, in 1961, the Buffs tied an NCAA record by not allowing the Cornhuskers a single first down the entire game.
—
Links to some of the best CU games against Nebraska …
— 1986: Colorado 20, No. 3 Nebraska 10 – “The Signature Wins of all Signature Wins” (my personal favorite);
— 1989: No. 2 Colorado 27, No. 3 Nebraska 21: “This is the Greatest Game I’ve Ever Been a Part Of”
— 1990: No. 9 Colorado 27, No. 3 Nebraska 12: “Eric Bieniemy’s Four Fourth Quarter Touchdowns send Buffs to the Orange Bowl”
— 1991: No. 15 Colorado 19, No. 9 Nebraska 19: “Fit to Be Tied”
— 2001: No. 14 Colorado 62, No. 2 Nebraska 36: “The Score Says It All!” (my second-most favorite game of all-time);
— 2004: Colorado 26, Nebraska 20: “Numerous Records Fall as Huskers Finish 5-6“
— 2007: Colorado 65, Nebraska 51: “Buffs Finish 6-6 in Sealing Bill Callahan’s Fate”
— 2018: Colorado 33, Nebraska 28: “We have to beat them. It’s the only thing they understand”; and
— 2023: No. 22 Colorado 36, Nebraska 14: “It’s Personal”
—
Some Nebraska jokes, just for fun …
… With thanks to those who have posted some of these jokes on CU message boards …
— Why doesn’t Nebraska have ice on the sidelines? … Because the guy who had the recipe graduated
— How many Cornhuskers does it take to screw in a light bulb? … One – but he gets three credits
— Or … How many freshmen Nebraska players does it take to screw in a light bulb? … None, it’s an upper division course
— The toothbrush was invented in Nebraska. How do we know? … If it had been invented anywhere else, it would be know as a teethbrush
— What do tornadoes and Nebraska graduates have in common? … They both end up in trailer parks
— Did you hear about the fire at the University of Nebraska library? … The tragedy was that half the books hadn’t been colored in yet
— Do you know the difference between a Nebraska cheerleader and a Nebraska offensive lineman? … About 15 pounds (or … Neither do I)
— Why does Nebraska play on artificial turf? … To keep the cheerleaders from grazing
— And … the all-time favorite … What does the “N” on the Nebraska helmets stand for? … Nowledge.
—
Signs for Saturday …
— If you are going to the game in Lincoln this weekend, and want to make a poster which will test the “Nebraska Nice” fiction, try one of these:
- Iowa’s corn is better
- Nebraska had a volleyball game at Memorial Stadium so the fans could see a win
- Nebraska football: Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory since 2001
Why is Memorial Stadium the state’s third-largest city on game day?
There’s nothing else to do in Nebraska. pic.twitter.com/nmRQ43oYZJ
— Folsom Fre✖️zy Podcast (@FolsomFrenzyPod) September 5, 2024
—
Player Notes …
— Quarterback Shedeur Sanders continues to set records …
- With his 445 passing yards against North Dakota State, Sanders became just the second quarterback in the past 20 years to throw for over 400 yards and four touchdowns in back-to-back season openers (joining Patrick Mahomes);
- Sanders’ 445 yards passing leads the nation after Week One. Last season, Sanders also led the nation after Week One with 510 yards passing against TCU;
- Sanders and Miami’s Cam Ward are the only two actives quarterbacks with over 100 passing touchdowns;
- In the last three seasons, Shedeur is the only FBS/FCS quarterback with over 70 touchdowns and fewer than 20 interceptions
— Jimmy Horn had seven receptions for 198 yards and a touchdown, with the receiving yardage a single game career-high;
— Five-star offensive lineman Jordan Seaton became the first true freshman in school history to start the first game of the season at offensive tackle;
— Travis Hunter participated in 131 plays against North Dakota State. He played in all 69 snaps on defense, and 55 of 57 on offense (with Hunter having to sit out on of those plays after his helmet came off after a reception. Hunter also found time to participate in seven plays on special teams.
—
Pac-12 Notes …
From DraftKings.com …
Big 12 Week Two schedule … for 14 of the Big 12’s 16 teams, the line has moved against the Big 12 since Sunday …
- BYU at SMU … 5:00 p.m., Friday, ESPNU … BYU is an 11.5-point underdog, up from 11.0 points on Sunday
- Arkansas at No. 17 Oklahoma State … 10:00 a.m., MT, ABC … Oklahoma State is a 7.5-point favorite, down from 9.0
- No. 18 Kansas State at Tulane … 10:00 a.m., MT, ESPN … Kansas State is a 9.0-point favorite, down from 10.0
- Pittsburgh at Cincinnati … 10:00 a.m., MT, ESPN2 … Cincinnati is a 2.0-point favorite, down from 3.0-point
- Baylor at No. 12 Utah (non-conference game) … 10:00 a.m., MT, Fox … Utah is a 14.5-point favorite, down from 17.0
- Iowa State at No. 25 Iowa … 1:30 p.m., MT, Fox … Iowa State is a 3.0-point underdog, up from 2.5
- Albany at West Virginia … 4:00 p.m., MT, ESPN+ … no line
- Sam Houston at UCF … 4:30 p.m., MT, ESPN+ … UCF is a 22.0-point favorite, down from 25.0
- No. 22 Kansas at Illinois … 5:00 p.m., MT, FS1 … Kansas is a 5.5-point favorite, down from 6.0
- Colorado at Nebraska … 5:30 p.m., MT, NBC … Colorado is a 7.5 point underdog, up from 6.5
- Houston at No. 16 Oklahoma … 5:45 p.m., MT, SEC Network … Houston is a 29.0-point underdog, up from 26.5
- Long Island University at TCU … 6:00 p.m., MT, ESPN+ … no line
- Northern Arizona at No 21 Arizona … 8:00 p.m., MT, ESPN+ … no line
- Texas Tech at Washington State … 8:00 p.m., MT, Fox … Texas Tech is a 2.0-point underdog, up from 1.5
- Mississippi State at Arizona State … 8:30 p.m., MT, Fox … Arizona State is a 6.5-favorite, a significant change from being 2.5-point underdog on Sunday
–
—–