Deion Sanders discusses how he educated players on Nebraska rivalry

Colorado coach Deion Sanders knows how much the rivalry with Nebraska means to fans of both schools and is making sure his players are aware ahead of this week. The Buffaloes and Cornhuskers are set to face off Saturday in Boulder in a game that dates back to when both played in the Big Eight Conference, which later became the Big 12.

The two teams routinely competed to win the Big 12 North in the 90s and early 2000s, and Sanders has done his research on the rivalry. In his press conference Monday, he elaborated on the message he relayed to his team ahead of the big matchup.

“Rivalries are rivalries,” Sanders said. “There’s some more severe than than others. I think everywhere you go coach from high school on up or from youth league on up, you’re gonna have rivalries. Learning the dynamics of the different rivalries, I like it. It’s delightful.

“So I’ve learned the serious nature of this rivalry and I’m embracing it 100%. This is personal. That’s the message of the week.”

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Nebraska holds a 49-20-2 all-time lead in the serious against Colorado. However, the Buffaloes have won the past two meetings, including a 34-31 victory in the most recent game in 2019. Both teams left the Big 12 following the 2010 season, with the Cornhuskers joining the Big Ten and Colorado making the move to the Pac-12.

They then went seven years without playing each other before reuniting in 2018 in Lincoln. This year’s game is the first of a home-and-home between the two schools, as they will also meet in 2024.

Colorado has a lot of buzz entering the contest after its performance in Week 1. The Buffaloes earned a 45-42 victory against TCU on the road behind quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who threw for a school-record 510 yards along with four touchdowns. He became the first player throw for 500-plus yards in his debut at a Pac-12 school.

Like Colorado, Nebraska also has a first-year coach in Matt Rhule, who has orchestrated previous turnarounds at Baylor and Temple. The Cornhuskers defense looked stout in their season debut against Minnesota, holding the Golden Gophers without a touchdown through the first three quarters.

Unfortunately, a couple of four-quarter mistakes, including a late interception from quarterback Jeff Sims, allowed Minnesota to come back and win 13-10.

This year’s version of the rivalry is certain to draw plenty of interest with fans eager to see what Rhule and Sanders can do in their inaugural seasons. Kickoff for the game is set for noon ET at Folsom Field.