Colorado coach Deion Sanders called the matchup with Matt Rhule and Nebraska “personal” a year ago and breathed new life into an old Big 8 rivalry. So when Coach Prime and Colorado football meet the Cornhuskers again in Lincoln, Nebraska on Saturday, their fans across the country will watch this time on a mostly unfamiliar network. 

The Buffaloes are scheduled to appear on NBC for their Week 2 game, and the broadcast will highlight an unusual quirk that is the byproduct of conference realignment and the Big Ten’s media rights agreements that took effect in recent years. This will be just the second time Colorado has played a regular season game on NBC, and it’s the program’s first game on the channel since the 1995 Fiesta Bowl. 

Colorado, who left the Big 12 for the Pac 12 ahead of the 2011 season and then returned to the Big 12 ahead of this season, went 4-8 in Sanders’ first season and won their 2024 season opener over North Dakota State last week. Nebraska finished 5-7 in 2023 under Rhule and began this season with a 41-7 win over UTEP.  

So why will Sanders and Colorado occupy rare air(waves) on Saturday against one of their old Big 12 foes? Here’s what you should know about how the media rights agreements work for the Big Ten and Big 12, how to watch Colorado-Nebraska, and who’s favored to win in Week 2:

COLUMN: The Prime Show all bling, no bang once again as Colorado struggles past North Dakota St.

Why is Colorado vs. Nebraska on NBC?

The Big Ten became the first conference to sell its media rights to three broadcast networks when 7-year deals with FOX, CBS and NBC totaling more than $7 billion in revenue were signed back in 2022. The contracts went into effect starting last season

Fox will carry 24-32 football games per season during the agreement, while NBC will carry 14-16 games on its linear network and eight games per year on Peacock. Beginning this year, CBS will carry 14-15 Big Ten games per season now that its long-time partnership with the SEC is over. At least 55 conference football games will air on broadcast networks throughout the fall, with the aim of having a nationally broadcasted Big Ten game throughout the entire day.

It means FOX, who remains the league’s primary rights holder, can broadcast a Big Ten game for its Big Noon Kickoff. CBS will also broadcast an afternoon game. NBC, meanwhile, gets a primetime Big Ten game each week.  

As part of the Big Ten’s media rights deals, the three networks coordinated a selection order that has not been publicized. FOX had the first three picks of games this season as the Big Ten’s primary rights holder, according to the Seattle Times and The Athletic, chose Michigan-Ohio State on Nov. 30 and Saturday’s Michigan-Texas game.

It would make sense that NBC had the second pick of Big Ten games this week considering Colorado-Nebraska was one of three games involving Sanders and Colorado that ranked among the top 15 highest-rated regular season broadcasts of the 2023 college football season. Since Nebraska is hosting Colorado, it’s televised as part of the Big Ten’s media rights package. Last year’s game was on FOX. The Big 12 has a seven-year media rights agreement with FOX and ESPN worth nearly combined $2.3 billion combined to broadcast its home games.

CBS, meanwhile, will broadcast this week’s rivalry game between No. 21 Iowa and Iowa State on Saturday afternoon.

How to watch, stream Colorado Buffaloes vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers

• Date: Saturday, September 7
• Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska
• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
• TV: NBC
• Streaming: Peacock, Fubo

Saturday’s game between Colorado and Nebraska will be broadcast nationally on NBC and can be streamed on Peacock or through Fubo, which you can subscribe to with a free trial. 

Watch Week 2 college football games on Fubo

College football 2024: Colorado vs. Nebraska odds, lines

The Nebraska Cornhuskers are favorites to defeat the Colorado Buffaloes, according to the BetMGM college football odds.

Odds as of Thursday afternoon.

• Spread: Nebraska (-7.5)
• Moneylines: Nebraska (-275); Colorado (+225)
• Over/under: 56.5

Looking to wager? Check out the top college football betting apps in 2024, offering the top NCAA football betting promos and bonuses in 2024.

Colorado football schedule 2024

• Aug. 29: North Dakota State (W, 31-26)
• Sept. 7: at Nebraska
• Sept. 14: at Colorado State
• Sept. 21: Baylor
• Sept. 28: at UCF
• Oct. 5: BYE
• Oct. 12: Kansas State*
• Oct. 19: at Arizona*
• Oct. 26: Cincinnati
• Nov. 2: BYE
• Nov. 9: at Texas Tech*
• Nov. 16: Utah*
• Nov. 23: at Kansas*
• Nov. 29: Oklahoma State*
• Dec. 7: Big 12 Championship Game

*- Big 12 game

Nebraska football schedule 2024

• Aug. 31: UTEP (W, 41-7)
• Sept. 7: Colorado
• Sept. 14: Northern Iowa
• Sept. 20: Illinois*
• Sept. 28: at Purdue*
• Oct. 5: Rutgers
• Oct. 12: BYE
• Oct. 19: at Indiana*
• Oct. 26: at Ohio State*
• Nov. 2: UCLA*
• Nov. 9: BYE
• Nov. 16: at USC*
• Nov. 23: Wisconsin*
• Nov. 29: at Iowa*
• Dec. 7: Big Ten Championship Game

*- Big Ten game

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The Colorado Buffaloes (1-0) travel to Lincoln, Nebraska to take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers (1-0) in a rematch of last year’s Week 2. Live coverage will begin Saturday at 7:00pm ET on NBC and Peacock. Keep reading for how to watch and key storylines for the game.

ALSO: Can Matt Rhule lead Nebraska to vengeance against Colorado?

Colorado

The Colorado Buffaloes enter year 2 of the Coach Prime era under head coach Deion Sanders hoping to better last season’s 4-8 record. In 2023, Sanders’ program garnered national attention when he replaced much of the team using the transfer portal and the Buffaloes started 3-0, including a Week 2 win over Nebraska.

The success didn’t last in Boulder, with Colorado winning only one game the rest of the season after Week 3. This offseason, Coach Sanders again lost and gained many players in the transfer portal, and the program hopes those transfers pay off to help star players Shedeur Sanders (Deion’s son) and Travis Hunter lead the Buffaloes to bowl eligibility.

Sanders is a special talent at quarterback with buzz to become a first-round draft pick next spring; Hunter is just as special as an impact player on both sides of the ball, making unbelievable catches out wide and making crucial plays in the defensive secondary. But the lines are an issue for Colorado, and the fundamental issues showed last week in the team’s opening contest, when the Buffaloes eked out a 31-26 win over North Dakota State. Play along the lines will need to be a focus against a much stronger Nebraska team.

Nebraska

Like Colorado, Nebraska is entering year 2 under its head coach as Matt Rhule looks to repeat the program turnaround success he had Temple and then Baylor in the last decade. Rhule took Temple from 2-10 in his first year to 6-6 in year 2; he took Baylor from 1-11 to 7-6. Nebraska went 5-7 in his first season last year, so any improvement on that would make the Cornhuskers bowl eligible. But with a favorable schedule and a potential rising star at quarterback, the Nebraska faithful are hoping to see a season with more than six wins in 2024.

That quarterback is true freshman Dylan Raiola, who last winter flipped his commitment from Georgia to play at Nebraska, where his father Dominic played on the offensive line in the 1990s before a 14-year career with the Detroit Lions. Raiola was a consensus top-ten recruit and his decision to come to Lincoln instantly changed the expectations for the Husker offense. In Week 1 against UTEP, Raiola threw for 238 yards and 2 touchdowns; the Huskers didn’t reach 200 pass yards in any single game last season.

Nebraska is also looking to rely on a strong defense this weekend. The defensive unit – known traditionally as “the Blackshirts” for the black jerseys starters receive – returns a core of players including defensive tackle Nash Hutmacher and defensive end Ty Robinson who can be difference-makers against a struggling Colorado offensive line.

How to watch the Colorado Buffaloes vs. the Nebraska Cornhuskers

• When: Saturday, September 7
• Where: Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska
• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET (Pregame coverage begins at 7:00pm ET)
• Watch: NBC, Peacock

How can I watch Big Ten football on Peacock?

Sign up here to watch Big Ten football on Peacock, as well as all of Peacock’s LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. If you are 18 years of age or older and are a current or incoming student enrolled in an undergraduate or advanced degree program at a Title IV-accredited college or university in the US who meets verification qualifications, you may be eligible for Peacock’s student discount. Click here to learn more.

ALSO: How to watch the Northern Illinois Huskies vs. the Notre Dame Fighting Irish

What devices support Peacock?

You can enjoy Peacock on a variety of devices.
View the full list of supported devices here.

Add Nick Saban to the list of featured football celebrities who continue to be impressed by the Nebraska football starting quarterback.

The retired Alabama coach was a featured guest on Friday’s “Pat McAfee Show”, speaking with the former National Football League punter about several topics leading into Week Two of the college football slate. Among those points, the multiple national championship-winning coach gave high praise to the Huskers’ Dylan Raiola.

“The Nebraska quarterback showed confidence in the game. He didn’t play like a freshman,” Saban said, referring to Raiola’s performance against UTEP. “I think that is really, really amazing.”

Saban’s quarterback pedigree from his Alabama tenure is stout, including 2021 Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young and Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Saban never started a true freshman quarterback while in Tuscaloosa, but Tagovailoa was the backup to current Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts for the 2017 season. In 2018, three future NFL starting signal-callers played for the Crimson Tide: Hurts, Tagovailoa and Mac Jones.

“Quarterback is a position that carries tremendous responsibility; calling the plays, giving the signals, reading the defense. Do I run it? Do I pass it? Do I run an RPO (run-pass option)? There are so many things in decision making that these guys have to make,” Saban said.

McAfee added that he will have a feature on Saturday’s “College Gameday” program on Dylan Raiola’s confidence, and what his attitude means for the Nebraska program. Saban agreed with the McAfee about Raiola’s belief in himself.

“He’s walking into a big stage and he’s got confidence in himself. I think that is a good thing,” Saban said.

Raiola continues to impress with his season-opening performance, throwing for two touchdowns against UTEP. He has received praise from Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Pat McAfee, and much of social media since his first start.

Nebraska’s biggest stage of its early-season slate is set for Saturday as the Cornhuskers welcome the Colorado Buffaloes to Memorial Stadium.

MORE: Predicting the College Football Playoffs: Thinking Through Some (Mostly) Unintended Consequences

MORE: The Sunday Morning Quarterback Crew is Unanimously Predicting a Husker Victory vs. Colorado

MORE: Dylan Raiola is the First of Many Patrick Mahomes Clones

MORE: Go Big Redcast – Colorado Week

MORE: Colorado vs. Nebraska Football: Dave Feit’s Four Keys to the Game

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