Game Day Guide: What you need to know for Nebraska-Colorado
Game Day Guide: What you need to know for Nebraska-Colorado
It’s finally game day. Here's what you need to know for Nebraska's matchup against Colorado.
It’s game day. Finally, because it’s been a week.
After No. 22 Colorado (1-0) defeated TCU and Nebraska (0-1) fell to Minnesota to kick off Week 1 of college football, the commentary surrounding the reunion between the Huskers and Buffs has been off the charts. Colorado coach Deion Sanders barred his players from wearing red — a nod to former Buffs head coach Bill McCartney — and Nebraska coach Matt Rhule just tried to keep the focus on the game itself.
“Make it football,” he said a few times throughout the week.
That doesn’t mean he doesn’t understand the history involved.
“When you have a legacy behind you, you have to live up to it and you have to build on it for the future,” Rhule said. “We also recognize once the ball is kicked we have to play. We have to play for 60 minutes.”
Rhule also deleted Twitter and Instagram, so he won’t be spending his time scrolling either pre-game. He said he might read a newspaper — What about a newsletter, Coach? — but that’s it.
Again, it’s game day. Finally. Here’s everything you need to know for the day ahead, plus some additional games we’re keeping an eye on around here.
Nebraska at Colorado: Everything you need to know for game day
TV Channel: FOX (Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt, Jenny Taft)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 9
Time: 11 a.m. CT
Live Stream: FoxSports.com (with TV provider)
Radio: Nebraska fans can listen to the game on the Huskers Radio Network. Internet radio, as well as a Spanish broadcast, will be available at Huskers.com.
Location: Folsom Field, Boulder, Colorado
Weather: A high of 85 degrees with mostly sunny skies. Winds expected from the northeast at 5 to 10 mph.
Line: Colorado -3
Over/Under: 59
Notable quotes:
Sanders on defending the home field against Nebraska
“This team, this is a personal game. Not only does it mean a lot to you. It means a lot to us and we want to represent our home. We talked something about homes. Nobody’s going to come in my home, my natural home and whoop me. Nobody’s going to grab me out of my car and whoop me. Nobody’s going to come anywhere I call mine and whoop me. We’ve got to have that same passion, that same energy when it comes to this game. We’re not going to let nobody come into our house and whoop us. It’s personal.”
Rhule on playing Colorado at Folsom Field:
“You know they went down to TCU last week and while everyone thought it was going to be all this stuff, they played football. They went out there. They caught the ball. They played good football and they won the game. We’re just going to try to make it football. We’re lucky we had - unfortunately the loss last week but - it was game one of the season and the other team did a goal route. Like how often does that happen on the first game of the year? We recognize every game we play in. Every game the Nebraska Cornhuskers are in is a big game.”
What else to read pre-game:
Other games we’re watching today:
(All games in CT)
Erin
Morning - Vanderbilt at Wake Forest, 10am CT, ACC Network
This game kicks off an hour before Nebraska-Colorado, so you can check it out before settling in for what’s to come in Boulder. That’s honestly one of the primary reasons I picked this game, because I’m not convinced Vanderbilt has much of a shot in this one. Wake Forest defeated the Commodores 45-25 in 2022, and it feels like that’s what we’re in for in 2023. Wake Forest is a 10-point favorite, for reference, and I do expect a good amount of points. Again, turn this one on before Nebraska-Colorado.
Afternoon - Iowa at Iowa State, 2:30pm, FOX
It’s Cy-Hawk time in Iowa! Both Iowa and Iowa State are 1-0, but how much did we learn from either Week 1 matchup? Doesn’t feel like much, so this one could be interesting for everyone involved. Iowa was a 4-point favorite at the time this was written, so make of that what you will. If Iowa wins this one, it’ll mark Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz’s 200th career victory. Will Iowa win this one for the ol’ ball coach? It feels like it’s going to be a close one no matter what.
Evening - No. 19 Wisconsin at Washington State, 6:30pm, ABC
It has been 25 years since Washington State last hosted a home nonconference game against a Power Five opponent. The last one? Illinois in 1998, when the Cougars defeated the Illini 20-13. Before that, it was Michigan State in 1947. It’s sounding like Washington State should be in the Big Ten? I’m kidding (unless I’m not), but it’s still a big matchup for a number of reasons. Wisconsin — who fell 17-14 to Washington State in Madison in 2022 — would like history not to repeat itself. The Badgers are the favorite in this one (-6) but there are a lot of questions yet to answer as the Luke Fickell era begins.
Brandon
Morning - Troy at No. 16 Kansas State, 11am, FS1
If you’re looking for something to second-screen during the Nebraska game there isn’t a slam-dunk option. I’d probably choose Troy’s trip to Manhattan. The Trojans have won 12 straight games dating to last September, but Kansas State is a 15-point favorite. (Bonus option: James Madison, in its second FBS season, is favored by a touchdown at Virginia.)
Afternoon - No. 23 Texas A&M at Miami, 2:30pm, ABC
To set the stage, Miami fired one pretty good coach and consummate Miami guy (Manny Diaz) for another consummate Miami guy thought to be a slightly better coach (Mario Cristobal). Texas A&M, as we all remember, gave Jimbo Fisher a national championship trophy with the date yet to be filled in when he arrived in 2018. The Hurricanes and Aggies both went 5-7 last season. The losing fanbase in this game might jump off a cliff, which is to say no matter if you walk away from the Nebraska game happy or sad, schadenfreude is on offer and is the perfect chaser either way.
Evening - No. 11 Texas at No. 4 Alabama, 7pm, ESPN
Texas travels to Tuscaloosa for the first time since…[scrolling, still scrolling, next page, scrolling]...1902. That’s a long time. Even stranger, the Longhorns hold a 9-1-1 edge in this series (six of the meetings were bowl games). After a one-point loss last year in Austin, Texas is supposed to be a better team this year, perhaps one capable of finishing the job. Hmmm. A Texas team expected to be good, on the road, against an Alabama team nobody believes in because it’s rated a lowly fourth in the country? What could go wrong for the Horns?