The Colorado Buffaloes are gearing up for their long-standing rivalry against Nebraska, drawing insights from an unexpected source. At least that’s the way it was reported. A few outlets like the Associated Press, Omaha World-Herald and others believed Colorado Governor Jared Polis made a trip to Boulder to encourage the Buffs players before heading off to Lincoln. That wasn’t true and it turns out to be a case of mistaken identity.

When Deion Sanders was talking about “The Governor,” he was really making reference to CU reserve long snapper Camden Dempsey, who has earned the nickname for his political nature. Colorado is now three days away from the “Red Letter” rivalry and got a stump speech from their own un-elected official about the importance of coming home with a victory.   

Dempsey shared reasons why this rivalry should matter deeply to the Buffaloes, which provided added motivation ahead of their matchup with the Huskers. They even joked that no one on the team would be caught wearing red, Nebraska’s primary color.

Sanders, an advocate for the passion and tradition of college football, highlighted the significance of the rivalry, which persists despite the teams no longer being in the same conference. As part of his weekly news conference, Sanders shared that their recent game against North Dakota State drew a peak audience of 5.6 million viewers, showcasing the growing interest in the Buffaloes under his leadership. He praised standout performances, particularly that of Jimmy Horn Jr., who nearly reached 200 receiving yards, and Travis Hunter, whom Sanders described as “the definition of ‘him’” for his impressive 131 total snaps as a receiver and cornerback.

Deion Sanders and Colorado must stay ahead of the curve and it starts with Nebraska

Looking ahead to Nebraska, Sanders expressed respect for Nebraska’s head coach, Matt Rhule, and acknowledged the toughness of the Cornhuskers. He expects a physically demanding game, highlighting Nebraska’s freshman quarterback, Dylan Raiola, who impressed in his debut with 238 yards and two touchdowns against UTEP. 

Sanders noted Raiola’s strong performance, stating that while he targets weaknesses in opposing teams, Raiola’s poise and playmaking abilities are not among them. As Sanders and his team prepare for the clash, they remain focused on executing their own game plan, aiming to build on their promising start to the season.

Colorado hits the road east to face Nebraska on Saturday night (7:30 p.m. ET/TV: NBC). 

All of Husker Nation is anxiously awaiting Saturday’s rivalry matchup with our old friends, the Colorado Buffaloes. On behalf of the Common Fan podcast, here are four keys to victory for the Huskers, and three keys to victory for all the fellow Common Fans. 

Nebraska’s Keys to Victory

RUN. THE. BALL. Everyone is excited about Dylan Raiola, and even more so after the UTEP game. His talent and potential appear to be limitless. And hopefully, he’s on point on Saturday. We’ll need him to manage the offense well, and that will include hitting some timely throws (and hopefully some big throws). Having said that, I hope Nebraska tries to turn this into an old fashioned Big Ten game. I’d love to see them pound the ball right at Colorado for four quarters. As much as the Buffs get the Big Red blood boiling, and we don’t want to give them any credit, we have to acknowledge they have some playmakers on offense. Coach Rhule said this week that quarterback Shedeur Sanders and wide receiver Travis Hunter could be two of the top five players in the NFL draft. One way to limit their effectiveness on offense is to play keep away. 

Get to the Quarterback. Another way to limit their effectiveness is to prevent them from finding a rhythm on offense. I expect Nebraska’s defensive line to have the advantage over Colorado’s offensive line. They need to get in the backfield and wreak as much havoc as humanly possible. Sanders is a gifted athlete; he is adept at avoiding sacks and throwing on the run. Hopefully we can get him on the ground early and often, but at the very least, we need to see the Huskers causing as much disruption as possible. Don’t let that offense get comfortable. 

Limit Big Plays. Don’t lose your mind if the Buffaloes hit a few big plays on offense (although, as has been discussed regularly on the Common Fan Podcast, the occasional hat throw or couch punch is certainly acceptable). In addition to Sanders and Hunter, Jimmy Horn Jr. had almost 200 receiving yards and a touchdown, and LaJohntay Wester caught five balls for 58 yards. I’d love nothing more than to see the Blackshirts dominate the game from start to finish, but CU will likely hit some big plays. The key will be limiting those plays; keep everything in front of you, don’t let a 15 yard catch turn into a 50 yard catch, and don’t let first downs turn into touchdowns. I have full faith in Tony White and his crew will be up for the challenge. 

Avoid Turnovers. People forget that, during the ugly 36-14 loss to Colorado last season, the Buffs only led 13-7 in the 3rd quarter. Ultimately though, Nebraska could not get out of its own way. It felt like we were turning the ball over on every possession, and we did it way too many times on our own side of the field. The defense wore down, and it was only a matter of time before the bottom fell out during a forgettable, mistake-riddled game. We absolutely CANNOT give the ball away this game. The Huskers have to hold onto the ball at all costs. If we have to punt, at least we can play the field position game. Fixing the turnover problem has been a major focus for the Rhule staff in the offseason, and the Huskers are +1 in turnover margin after one game. That’s a good start, but Nebraska will need to keep it going on Saturday. 

Common Fan Keys to Victory

Hydrate. Listen up, Common Fan. You’re no good out there if you lose your voice before the 4th quarter. Or, if you have a few pops and a couple of Runzas, you need to keep your strength until the clock shows zeroes. Staying hydrated can help with all of the above. Sure, it’s a night game, and no one’s going to blame you for having some big boy sodas as you prepare for kickoff. But let’s be smart, mix in some waters, and make sure you’re ready to roll when kickoff comes around. This includes everyone watching at home too, not just those who are going to the game. We need everybody screaming at their TVs, sending the positive vibes, and doing everything possible to get the Huskers to 2-0. 

Bring Your “A” Snack Game. This isn’t the time to mess around with some half price, store bought trail mix with unidentifiable ingredients. This is our biggest non-conference game of the year against an old school rival. Didn’t have a chance to make your wings with the special marinade last weekend? Now’s the time. Been thinking about how much everyone would like that homemade cookie recipe you used to make? Bring it back. Wondering whether you got too much ground beef, and maybe you shouldn’t make all the sliders? Don’t think twice; make them all. We need to pull out all the stops. It doesn’t matter if you’re tailgating at Memorial Stadium, enjoying a potluck with friends, or watching at home 1,000 miles away. Don’t go halfway with your snacks this weekend. 

Don’t Hesitate When it Comes to Your Gear. I’ve got some shirts from recent years that I used to love, but after wearing them for a few losses, I’ve hesitated to continue wearing them. 2024 is the time to forget about all that. Bring out your best Husker gear, whether it’s a Jamal Lord jersey, red and white leopard print pants, or just a solid t-shirt you got from Scheels. We’re wiping the slate clean and turning a corner this year. Wear your favorite Husker gear and wear it proudly, even if there are sweat stains in the pits or ketchup stains on the shoulder. It’s time to turn karma on its head and laugh in superstition’s face. It’s time to stop apologizing and start winning. It’s time to believe in Nebraska football again.

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Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, following HuskerMax on X, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.

The No. 2 Nebraska volleyball team became the third juggernaut in the college volleyball world to be upset within the first two weeks of the season. Plagued by sloppy passing, passive serving and an inability to establish a consistent offense, the Huskers were swept by a motivated SMU squad 25-23, 25-21, 25-18 Tuesday night in front of 6,773 at Moody Coliseum in Dallas. 

What made the result so bizarre was the blazing start by the Huskers. Nebraska recorded seven kills in their first 13 swings, but three service errors kept the opening set close. Sophomore Andi Jackson cracked down five kills and her first career ace to go up 21-16. An insurmountable lead vanished before Nebraska’s eyes with a 6-0 run by SMU to take a 22-21 advantage. The backbreaker came with the score tied at 23 where consecutive kills from SMU’s Nnedi Okammor and Natalie Foster secured the 25-23 comeback set win to set the tone for the night. 

“We got punched in the mouth and we let them keep punching us,” Nebraska coach John Cook said. “I’m pretty disappointed in how we responded tonight, but to be honest I saw this. This was all starting Saturday night. We talked about frustration and we didn’t fix it. We had a great practice last night, but we did not compete tonight. It was pretty disappointing.” 

It’s the first loss to an unranked opponent since 2017 for Nebraska who hasn’t had the best start to its 2024 campaign. After a four-set win over No. 9 Kentucky in its season-opener, cracks within the Huskers started to show, especially offensively. A four-set win over TCU exposed some holes in the offense while Tuesday showed how far the Huskers need to go in its serving game, which rarely put the Mustangs out of system. 

Nebraska was limited to a .171 hitting percentage with 18 errors compared to 36 kills. SMU hit a superior .242. The Mustangs out dug the Huskers 43-36 while SMU had its way from the service line with seven aces versus Nebraska’s one. The Mustangs also had the upper hand with 10 blocks while the Huskers mustered nine. 

No player reached double-digit kills as Merritt Beason led NU with nine kills while Naya Shime and Maya Tabron also each had nine tallies. Jackson recorded eight kills on a .667 hitting percentage with six blocks. Foster also totaled eight kills on a .462 clip. 

Bergen Reilly tallied a double-double for the Huskers with 31 assists and 11 digs. Lexi Rodriguez tied her teammate with 11, but SMU outside hitter Jamison Wheeler had a match-high 13 digs. 

“They’re going to have to step up,” Cook said. “Part of it is we think we’re Nebraska and we’re going to roll out here and smoke teams. This team (SMU) played very inspired tonight. They played great. They won all the long rallies, let’s put it that way. That’s attitude and effort right there.” 

Nebraska has to regroup quickly as they prepare to host the Huskers Invitational. NU will take on The Citadel on Thursday at 6 p.m. CDT on BTN+ before facing Montana State on Saturday at 2 p.m. CDT on Nebraska Public Media. 

Box score

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Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, following HuskerMax on X, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.