High Week 2 stakes for Nebraska Huskers and Colorado Buffaloes

Week 2 of college football has some highly anticipated matchups that are sure to add fuel to what has already been a season of surprises. Many anticipate the Nebraska Huskers facing off against the Colorado Buffaloes to be a must-watch TV in a similar fashion. This is a rivalry that goes back a long way. However, focusing on the present, this game could prove to be something of a fork-in-the-middle-of-the-road moment for both programs.

Matt Rhule’s team is coming off a dominant win against UTEP. They are placing their faith and trust in true freshman Dylan Raiola. So far, it’s paying off. Meanwhile, Deion Sanders escaped this season’s home opener with a five-point win over ND State. However, they boast three of the most dangerous offensive weapons in all of college football. Furthermore, last year both teams underwhelmed in terms of the final win-loss record. For Nebraska, it was years of the same old, same old.

Conversely, Colorado played with a clean slate and renewed spirit and hope. However, both were outclassed and missed out on a bowl game. But following Week 1 wins, starting 2-0 would be an ideal start while only needing four more wins to be eligible for the added practices and one more shot at an opponent. By contrast, a loss could very easily be the start of the slope that leads to another season of disappointment.

However, unlike some of the other big games for the same college football weekend, like Michigan versus Texas, it’s hard to gauge how this one will play out. There are two likely scenarios in which either team leaves with a victory. But if both fan bases are honest with themselves, potential nightmare scenarios are creeping into each sleep before kickoff.

Revenge on the mind for the Nebraska Huskers

For the Sanders-led side, the recipe is simple. They need to have full faith in their playmakers and depend on their offense to deliver on points. While Jordan Seaton appears to be a college-caliber player, the offensive line still lets too much pressure get to Shedeur Sanders. However, his elusiveness typically buys enough time for him to get the ball to Jimmy Horn Jr. and Travis Hunter. Between these three, the visitors will ask plenty of questions of the home team’s secondary.

On the other side, Raiola is starting. And while this will be a step up in competition, he’s looking the part, including with some of his NFL comparisons. But for the Blackshirts, they will have a second go at a test that they failed last year. Containing a mobile quarterback is always difficult, but a lot has changed and development has occurred since their last meeting. Nash Hutmacher and Ty Robinson are going to be a handful and will ultimately need to be and cut the stem of what can be a prolific offense for Nebraska to win.

But aside from this game, this will be a matchup between two different overall approaches. Coach Rhule embraces in-state recruiting and balances media access with coaching and focusing on the task at hand. Meanwhile, coach Sanders has a less direct approach to potential student-athletes. While he’s asking for players to initiate the process, the overall fanfare and attention to optics are hard to overlook.

Granted, both men are being treated themselves, and it’s possible that either option can provide success in the modern NIL world. One way or another, there are likely to be answers and indictments on the losing side. For a game that has a long story history, this could easily become the beginning of the end for one of these tenures. The Nebraska Huskers hosting Colorado remains a storied chapter in college football.