November 23 Sheet

Nebraska at Colorado (+9) - 12:35pm Pacific - Friday
You would be hard pressed to find a team playing with more emotion than Colorado will be playing with today.  The recent history of this series is well documented.  Nebraska has won the last 9 meetings.  The last 5 games have been decided by a total of 15 points.  The past two years have been particularly disturbing for the Buffaloes.  In 1999, CU missed a 34 yard field goal in regulation that would have won it only to lose in overtime.  Last season, a 3-8 Colorado team scored the go ahead touchdown with :47 seconds left only to watch Nebraska march down the field and kick a game winning field goal.  I know that Nebraska is playing for a national championship, but I am convinced that Colorado wants this game more.  Senior LT Victor Rogers says he would at least be willing to take a flesh wound to get this victory.  This brings up the question, are the Buffaloes good enough to win?  Last years Colorado team was its worst in years and they went down to the wire with the Huskers in Lincoln.  This year they returned 17 starters, while Nebraska only returned 12, and this years game in in Boulder.  The two teams share one key common opponent this season, Kansas State.  Nebraska beat the Wildcats by 10 in Lincoln.  Colorado beat the Wildcats by 10 at KSU. 

Nebraska is 10-0 but has benefited from a very favorable schedule.  They have played 7 of their 10 games at home this year.  Their only three road games were against pitiful teams (Missouri, Baylor, Kansas) and their two highest quality wins came at home vs Oklahoma (by 10) and KSU (by 10) so they have been far from overwhelming.  The Buffaloes are 8-2, with losses vs Fresno State (Buffs committed 5 turnovers) and at #5 Texas (Buffs committed 4 turnovers).  Senior QB Bobby Pesavento has taken over as starter in replace of sophomore Craig Ochs who is still recovering from an ankle injury and may be available but will not start.  Most CU fans actually have more faith in Pesavento who has a higher QB rating (151.6) than Ochs and has a sparkling 71.6% completion percentage in his last three games since replacing Ochs in Oklahoma State game.  In that game he rallied CU for a come from behind win after they had trailed 19-7 following numerous miscues.  Nebraska is #1 in the nation in rushing, but Colorado is not far behind at #16.  The Buffaloes however have a much more balanced offense with 215.8 passing yards per game compared to Nebraska's 130.9.  On stats alone, Colorado can match up fairly well with Nebraska when considering strength of schedules. 

Both of these teams are coming off of BYE weeks, but I would say that CU's Gary Barnett is capable of putting the extra week to better use.  The Buffaloes have been using this game for motivation all year and rumor has it that they have used one day of practice every week strictly in preparation for this game.  They are an upperclassmen dominated team and will be all out with this being their last chance at Nebraska for most of them.  Colorado will find itself in the Big 12 championship with a victory here.  Buffaloes will be playing to win, Cornhuskers will be playing not to lose.  Take the points.  Colorado  1 UNIT

Weekly Recap

Colorado opened up a 14-0 lead in the first 5 minutes and never looked back as they crushed #2 Nebraska 62-36!  We have now hit 8 of our last 9 college football plays!