Friday Fast Facts

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Friday Fast Facts – Nebraska Week

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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;

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Big Picture

— Welcome to the 100th year of Colorado Football at Folsom Field!

— This is the third of four games 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. The two teams will complete the four-game contract with a game in Lincoln on September 7, 2024;

— 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 two games in the series. Have the Buffs ever won three straight? Yes, 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 … Four years ago, the CU/Nebraska game in Boulder included the Pac-12 Networks broadcasting “The Pregame”, the Pac-12 Networks version of GameDay, from the rooftop of the Champions Center. Special guests included CU fan twins, Peggy Coppom and Betty Hoover, as well as two of the stars from the 62-36 game in 2001, tight end Daniel Graham and quarterback Bobby Pesavento;

— This time … Colorado will be the Big Noon Saturday game on Fox, with the Big Noon Saturday crew setting up at Farrand Field. Want to go? Here are some times … 5:00 a.m. → Big Noon Fan Pit opens … 7:00 a.m. →Pregame Tailgate begins … 8:00 a.m. → Big Noon Kickoff goes live;

— The ESPN Power Index … still doesn’t like CU. The ESPN Index gave TCU a 91.8% chance of winning the game Saturday; CU only an 8.2% chance. This week, ESPN gives Nebraska a 58.7-41.3% edge;

— The game this Saturday will be telecast nationally by Fox, with Gus Johnson on the play-by-play; former Buff quarterback Joel Klatt on color; and Jenny Taft 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.

— Fan Information for the game, including parking, the Buff Walk (7:25 a.m.), clear bag policy, etc. … CUBuffs.com has posted Know Before You Go …

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Buffs v. Cornhuskers

— The Cornhuskers lead the all-time series against Colorado, 49-20-2, with a 23-11-2 advantage in games played in Boulder. Since 2001, however, the tally is: Nebraska 6; Colorado 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, there has been exactly one night game played between CU and Nebraska, and that was 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 in 1997, when John Hessler threw for 362 yards. 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. (Previous high: Blake Mackey, 116 yards in 2004).

— For just the fifth time in the last ten games between the schools, there is a ranked team in the contest (Nebraska the first four times; CU this year). The last time before this season when CU entered Nebraska week as a ranked team? In 2002, when 13th-ranked Colorado defeated Nebraska, 28-13;

— 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;

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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“; and

— 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”

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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.

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Signs for Big Noon Saturday

— With plaudits to the creative posters at BuffStampede.com, here are some suggested signs for fans to have for the Big Noon Saturday broadcast (8:00 – 10:00 a.m., Farrand Field):

• You can’t spell Lincoln without two L’s
• Luginbill thinks CU has the worst signs in the country
• Iowa’s corn is better
• Nebraska had a volleyball game at Memorial Stadium so the fans could see a win
• Travis Hunter is a better quarterback than Jeff Sims
• Nebraska football: Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory since 2001

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Player Notes

— Quarterback Shedeur Sanders set nine school records in the opener against TCU …

• First player in CU history with 500+ passing yards (510; previous record: 474 by Tyler Hansen in an overtime game v. Cal in 2011 … Sanders four touchdown passes in his debut matched the school record set by Joel Klatt v. CSU in 2003);
• Best completion percentage with 40+ attempts (80.9%);
• Best completion percentage with 30+ attempts (80.9%);
• Best passer rating with 40+ attempts (200.1);
• Most completions in a game by a junior (38);
• Most touchdown passes in a game by a junior (tied w/ 4);
• Most total offensive yards in a game (478) by a junior;
• Most yards of total offense (478) in a season opener;
• Most yards total offense first game of CU career (478);

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Pac-12 Notes

— Six teams from the Pac-12 were ranked in the second week of the Associated Press poll … No. 6 USC … No. 8 Washington … No. 12 Utah … No. 13 Oregon … No. 16 Oregon State … No. 22 Colorado …

— Pac-12 schools won all 12 of their games in Week One and, along with USC’s win in Week Zero, are a combined 13-0 so far this season with 8 of the 13 wins by 20+ points.  It’s the most wins without a loss by any FBS conference through Week One since at least 1980 according to STATS Perform.  It’s also the first time since 1932 that every Pac-12 school won its season opener, according to ESPN Stats & Info.

— In the eight games on Saturday, Pac-12 schools scored 52.6 PPG which according to STATS Perform is the only time in the last 40 years that any FBS conference has had its teams average 50.0+ PPG in a single day (minimum eight teams in action).

— This week, Pac-12 schools will face off with seven non-conference games against Power 5 opponents.  According to the AP, that’s the fifth time since 2013 that a Power 5 conference has played that many non-conference games against other Power 5 schools.

—  The Pac-12 leads all FBS conferences in PPG (46.5), total YPG (513.2), and scrimmage yards per touch (8.8).  According to SportsSource Analytics, Pac-12 schools have scored on 57% of their drives and only had turnovers on 9.8% of their drives, both tops in FBS.

From VegasInsider.com

Week Two Pac-12 lines … (Pac-12 underdogs in bold) … 

Saturday, September 7th  

• Nebraska at No. 22 Colorado … 10:00 a.m., MT, Fox … Colorado is favored by 2.5 points
• No. 12 Utah at Baylor … 10:00 a.m., MT, ESPN … Utah is favored by 8.0 points
• Tulsa at No. 8 Washington … 3:00 p.m., MT, Pac-12 Networks … Washington is favored by 34.0 points
• No. 13 Oregon at Texas Texas Tech … 5:00 p.m., MT, Fox … Oregon is favored by 6.5 points
• Arizona at Mississippi State … 5:30 p.m., MT, SEC Network … Mississippi State is favored by 9.0 points
• UCLA at San Diego State … 5:30 p.m., MT, CBS … UCLA is favored by 14.5 points
• No. 19 Wisconsin at Washington State … 5:30 p.m., MT, ABC … Wisconsin is favored by 6.0 points
• UC-Davis at No. 16 Oregon State … 7:00 p.m., MT, Pac-12 Networks … no line
• Auburn at Cal … 8:30 p.m., MT, ESPN … Auburn is a 6.5-point favorite
• Oklahoma State at Arizona State … 8:30 p.m., MT, FS1 … Oklahoma State is favored by 3.0 points
• Stanford at No. 6 USC … 8:30 p.m., MT, Fox … USC is favored by 29.5 points

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This post, about the Nebraska game, from the 2023 Season, is filed under Article.
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