Plug-and-Play vs. Blue-Collar
All statistics were gathered from espn.com.
“Let’s all be ‘Nebraska Nice’ on Sunday,” Coach Rhule stated this in Monday’s press conference. No, Coach Rhule wasn’t implying that Husker fans should go heckle the opposing fans like our fellow friends in Boulder do, but let’s make Memorial Stadium the most hostile environment for Colorado, this Saturday night. The most anticipated matchup on both schedules (at least for fans) is finally here. Will Coach Prime’s plug-and-play through the portal have success, or will Coach Rhule’s traditional program build prove the Buffalos’ flashiness to be fraudulent? The Cornhuskers have been waiting a whole year to get their revenge.
Nebraska opened up their season about as well as a team could: physical football, turned into a second-unit game toward the end. I anticipate Big Red will push this blue-collar football to a new level on Saturday. Expect lots of running plays from the top four backs, with Raiola airing it out in play action. The Blackshirts should come out playing aggressively. I think there will be heavy blitzing due to the Huskers’ elite defensive line and veteran defensive backs they can rely on, in man coverage.
Colorado’s first game against North Dakota State went the way the NU and its fans wanted. With Colorado having to play their 1s the whole game, wear and tear took a toll on the Buffalos, especially star quarterback Shedeur Sanders. He took only one official sack in the box score but absorbed hit after hit in delivering passes. Like him or not, Sanders is the real deal. He opened up the season throwing for 445 yards, completing 76.5 percent of his passes on 34 attempts, throwing for four touchdowns and one interception.
Travis Hunter is one of the best athletes in college football. He will be a challenge for the defense to contain. Even though he plays both receiver and cornerback, I feel his strength is offense. Hunter’s performance versus NDSU consisted of seven receptions for 132 yards, three touchdowns and three tackles on defense. The dude can ball; one of his touchdown receptions he snagged while being pushed down by the defender to put away the Bison. The Huskers will have their hands full, doing their best to contain the superstar. Will defensive back Tommi Hill man him up?
The Buffalos’ defense looked very similar to last year: let everyone through. They gave up 449 total yards to the Bison in their opener (292 passing and 157 rushing). CU linebacker Trevor Woods led the way with 10 total tackles and safety Shilo Sanders came in second with nine. With North Dakota State averaging 3.7 yards per carry versus Colorado’s 2.6, the Cornhuskers should be able to dominate the trenches on both sides of the ball.
Nebraska linebacker Mikai Gbayor was asked on Tuesday to compare the two quarterbacks: Dylan Raiola and Shedeur Sanders, he said, “You can’t compare Dylan and Shedeur Sanders. Don’t do that; Dylan is a different man, the way he plays, he goes out there and attacks.” Then he was asked how they are different and Gbayor said, “Dylan is a dog, just know that. You’ll see on Saturday.” Gbayor might have thrown some shade at Shedeur Sanders, it proves that the Blackshirts are not only coming to play but also coming to light the field up with terror. It’s never a bad thing when the defense comes out angry with something to prove.
Who wins: plug-and-play Colorado or blue-collar Nebraska? I expect Memorial Stadium to be as loud as the 2014 Miami game, if not louder. The atmosphere could be one of the best witnessed in Lincoln, Nebraska. The team knows they haven’t beaten CU since 2010. Colorado might come out hot; at halftime, the Cornhuskers could be down a score. The second half is where the Cornhuskers’ blue-collar, smash-mouth football wins. Players like Ty Robinson or Isaac Gifford will do everything they can to ensure Shedeur Sanders has a rough outing. Whether the players or coaches tell the media “it’s just another game,” it’s not. Deep down this football team wants to put the hype of Coach Prime to rest, proving that football will always be won in the trenches. This game means more for fans, players and coaches. This is a brutal rivalry, dominated by the Huskers, 49-21-2. It’s time to remind the people of Boulder who we are: respectful fans who have a dominant football program. I predict Nebraska beats Colorado, 31-24, where the Blackshirts make the Buffalos want to get on the bus as soon as the clock hits zero. If my prediction is correct, O Street will see a lot of profit and “Nebraska Nice” will be the highest in recent memory.
