Colorado vs. Nebraska: Keys to victory, HuskerOnline score predictions for Saturday

Nebraska (1-0) and Colorado (1-0) will square off for the final time in their four-game non-conference series that began in 2018. However, before that, these two teams have a long-storied history/rivalry dating back to their days in the Big Eight and Big 12 Conferences.

The Buffalos have won all three previous meetings of this series, including last year’s 36-14 victory in Boulder, when Deion Sanders made his home debut as CU’s head coach.

As things get closer to kickoff, here are today’s keys to victory for the Huskers over the Buffs. Nebraska enters today’s game as a 7-point favorite over Colorado. Today’s game will be aired on NBC and the Peacock app at 6:30 p.m. CT.

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KEYS TO VICTORY: Colorado vs. Nebraska

KEY 1: Establish the line of scrimmage

Nebraska enters this game with significant advantages at the line of scrimmage. NU must establish part of the game early and often and lean heavily on its defensive and offensive lines.

KEY 2: Keep Shedeur Sanders off-balanced

Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders might be the best signal caller the Huskers face all season. He rarely makes bad decisions. The key will be to keep him off-balanced with different looks and pressure packages. Last week, NU showed very little on defense in its 40-7 win over UTEP.

KEY 3: Limit coverage and assignment busts

Sanders will test this Nebraska secondary. In 17 targets to wide receivers Travis Hunter and Jimmy Horn Jr., the average depth of each pass was nearly 15 yards. They will throw very few underneath routes to these two talented receivers. The back end of the defense must communicate at a high level and limit their assignment busts.

KEY 4: Make Colorado play your pace

NU cannot afford to turn this game into a track meet or a seven-on-seven competition. That is precisely what Colorado wants the Huskers to do. NU must make the Buffs play a Big Ten-style football game. We saw that a year ago in the first half in Boulder before the wheels fell off after the offensive turned it over in the second half. It was a 13-7 game late into the third quarter in 2023.

KEY 5: Make the crowd be a factor

This has a chance to be one of the best atmospheres we’ve ever seen at Memorial Stadium. The key is Nebraska. Can they play at a level that full engages this crowd and makes them the factor they should be in this football game.

EXPERT TAKE

Sean Callahan – HuskerOnline Pubisher

Nebraska will go into this game with significant advantages at the line scrimmage, on defense, and in the running game. I think all of those things tip this game in favor of the Big Red. However, Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter are still the best football players on the field and they will make things interesting. The Huskers will use the Memorial Stadium crowd to carry them home to a victory.

Nebraska 37, Colorado 27

Steven Sipple – HuskerOnline columnist

Nebraska will lean on the big men and crank up the run game against a suspect Colorado defensive line. Then, guess what? Dylan Raiola will have plenty of time to hit throws down field. The world will be watching as Nebraska’s precocious QB takes another step forward.

Nebraska 37, Colorado 24

Robin Washut – HuskerOnline senior writer

The stage is officially set for Nebraska to take a massive leap in Year 2 under Matt Rhule. Tonight is also a golden opportunity to exact some revenge against a bitter rival. The Huskers have been dialed in all week, and I expect them to hammer the Buffaloes’ biggest weaknesses. NU will chew up yards and clock in the running game, hit some timely passes through the air, and rough up Sheduer Sanders from start to finish. It should be a memorable night in Memorial Stadium.

Nebraska 31, Colorado 21

Andy Kendeigh – KETV ABC-Omaha

Colorado may have the two best players on the field Saturday night, but Nebraska has the better team, the deeper team.   The highest compliment after Nebraska’s opener was the Huskers played complimentary football.  The Blackshirts will do enough to slow down Shadeur Sanders, Travis Hunter and the Buffs offense while the Husker offense will move the ball using a nice balance of run vs pass to score points.  It will be a fitting end to a fantastic rivalry with the home team electrifying a sold-out Memorial Stadium crowd.

Nebraska 38, Colorado 27

Jim Rose – 1110 KFAB Radio-Omaha

It’s games like this that prompted the TV networks to pass $7 billion to the Big Ten. Two terrific QB talents that will give us a months’ worth of highlights in one game.  The Bravado in Boulder is bigger than ever, but their defense is still quite bad. Look for Rhule and Co to go run-heavy early, make yards, and get the CU defenders closer to the LOS, which means a favorable matchups downfield. Nebraska looks good. 

Nebraska 42, Colorado 20

Mike’l Severe – Big Red Wrap-Up

The biggest key to this game is right in the trenches. Nebraska’s DL should have a huge advantage over the Buffs’ OL, especially with the crowd noise. On the other hand, the Huskers should be able to establish the run (inside zone) and take advantage of the middle of the field with slots and RBs through the air. NU also needs to make at least one big play on special teams. I could see a blocked FG or extra point after watching Alejandro Mata kick over the years.  

Nebraska 34, Colorado 24

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Sean Callahan can be reached at [email protected] and is heard daily at 6:45 am and 5:05 pm on Big Red Radio 1110 KFAB in Omaha during the football season. He can also be seen on KETV Channel 7 in Omaha during the fall, and each week, he appears on Nebraska Public Media’s Big Red Wrap-Up Tuesdays at 7 pm.

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