Why is Colorado vs. Nebraska on NBC? Deion Sanders headlines programs’ rare appearance for Week 2 game

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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