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). 

After staying away from Memorial Stadium for the better part of two decades, former Nebraska football player and coach Frank Solich will be making a second trip in as many years to his old stomping grounds.

Nebraska and The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced today that they will jointly honor 2024 College Football Hall of Fame electee Frank Solich with an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute, presented by Fidelity Investments®. The Salute will take place this Saturday, Sept. 7, during the Cornhuskers’ home football game against Colorado, which will kick off at 6:30 p.m. CDT on NBC/Peacock.

“Frank Solich built a remarkable legacy at Nebraska and Ohio, ranking fourth in wins among active FBS head coaches at his retirement,” NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell said. “In just six seasons, he led Nebraska to a Big 12 title, three division crowns, three top-10 finishes, and a BCS Championship Game berth. We are excited to honor him at Memorial Stadium as part of the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Class on Sept. 7.”

During the NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, electees return to their respective school to accept a Hall of Fame plaque that will stay on permanent display at the institution. The events take place on the field during a home game, and many Hall of Famers cite the experience as the ultimate capstone to their careers, providing them one more chance to take the field and be recognized in front of their home crowd.

Ranking fourth for most victories among active FBS head coaches at the time of his retirement in 2021, Solich notched an overall record of 173-101 for a 63.1 winning percentage during his 22 years as a head coach, including 58-19 (75.3%) during his six-year run with the Cornhuskers and 115-82 (58.4%) during his 16 years at Ohio.

Solich coached Nebraska to a Big 12 title (1999) and three Big 12 North Division titles (1999, 2000, 2001). The Cornhuskers posted at least nine wins in five of his six seasons as head coach, including a 12-1 record and No. 3 final ranking in 1999. He later led the Huskers to an 11-2 record and an appearance against Miami (FL) in the BCS National Championship Game at the 2002 Rose Bowl. He coached Nebraska to three top 10 finishes (No. 3 in 1999, No. 8 in 2000, No. 8 in 2001) and victories over Tennessee in the 2000 Fiesta Bowl and Northwestern in the 2000 Alamo Bowl.

The winningest coach in Mid-American Conference history with 115 overall wins, Solich led the Bobcats to four MAC East titles (2006, 2009, 2011, 2016), and his 77 conference wins rank second only behind College Football Hall of Fame coach Herb Deromedi, who posted 90 victories during his career at Central Michigan. He and Deromedi are tied at 16 years for longest tenured coach in MAC history. His 115 wins also rank second in Bobcat program history, only behind Don Peden who had 121 victories from 1924-46.

He coached 13 total First Team All-Americans, including College Football Hall of Fame inductee Eric Crouch at Nebraska, who won the Heisman Trophy, the Walter Camp National Player of the Year award and Davey O’Brien Award, and he coached seven Academic All-Americans, including 2000 NFF Campbell Trophy recipient Kyle Vanden Bosch. He coached 28 First Team All-Conference players at Nebraska and 31 at Ohio.

Solich served as an assistant at Nebraska from 1979-97, coaching the running backs, before becoming the head coach. As an assistant to Hall of Fame coach Tom Osborne, Solich was part of the coaching staff on three national championship teams (1994, 1995, 1997), and he recruited and coached Heisman Trophy winner and College Football Hall of Famer Mike Rozier.

Solich was also a three-year letterman at Nebraska (1963-65), playing fullback and serving as team captain for the 1965 season. He played on three Big Eight Championship teams (1963, 1964, 1965), and he was inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame inductee as a player in 1992 and as a coach in 2012. He began his coaching career as a high school head coach in Nebraska for more than a decade.

The Cleveland, Ohio, product now becomes the first inductee ever from Ohio and the seventh coach from Nebraska to enter the Hall. From Nebraska, he joins Dana Bible, Bob Devaney, Lawrence “Biff” Jones, Tom Osborne, Edward Robinson and Fielding Yost.

The 2024 class includes Justin Blackmon (Oklahoma State), the late Paul Cameron (UCLA), Tim Couch (Kentucky), Warrick Dunn (Florida State), Armanti Edwards (Appalachian State), Deon Figures (Colorado), Larry Fitzgerald (Pittsburgh), Toby Gerhart (Stanford), Dan Hampton (Arkansas), Steve Hutchinson (Michigan), Antonio Langham (Alabama), Randy Moss (Marshall), Julius Peppers (North Carolina), Paul Posluszny (Penn State), Dewey Selmon (Oklahoma), Alex Smith (Utah), Kevin Smith (Texas A&M), Chris Ward (Ohio State), Danny Woodhead (Chadron State [NE]), and coaches Mark Dantonio (Cincinnati, Michigan State); Danny Hale (West Chester [PA], Bloomsburg [PA]); and Frank Solich (Nebraska, Ohio). 

The 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted at the National Football Foundation’s 66th Annual Awards Dinner presented by Las Vegas on Tuesday, Dec. 10, at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

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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.

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.