Buffs prepare for Nebraska, chance at bowl game
It was backup quarterback Joe Ganz who lined up in the kicker’s spot last year to set up a fake field goal attempt that led to a Nebraska touchdown and eventual victory over Colorado.
Now preparing for his third game as a starter, the junior quarterback will get a second chance, and a more prominent role, to defeat the Buffs.
Ganz replaced senior Sam Keller after Keller guided the team to four straight losses, three by over 20 points. In his second game as a starter, Ganz led the Cornhuskers to a 73-31 romping of Kansas State, putting up 510 yards and seven touchdowns.
CU coach Dan Hawkins said the quarterback’s presence helped inspire the struggling Nebraska team to their second conference victory of the season.
“They certainly got hot, you know,” Hawkins said. “They got hot, and he made some big plays, and they made some big plays and got some enthusiasm going, and, you know, momentum carried them and got rolling that way.”
| Passing Yards | Rushing Yards | Total Yards | Points Scored | Record | |
| Nebraska | 319.3 | 146.1 | 465.4 | 31.8 |
5-6 (2-5) |
| Colorado | 235.7 | 138.5 | 374.2 | 24.2 | 5-6
(3-4) |
| When: Nov. 23, 10 a.m. | |||||
| Where: Folsom Field, Boulder, Colo. | |||||
Despite Ganz, senior linebacker Jordon Dizon said the Cornhuskers’ offense as a whole will be a challenge for the Buffaloes.
“We got our hands full this week,” Dizon said. “They got a great offensive line, a great running back, so it’s going to be a struggle this week, especially for the defense. They throw a lot of things at you on offense, so we’ve got to be ready for it.”
Nebraska’s top running back is Marlon Lucky. The junior is putting up an admirable season, with 950 yards and eight touchdowns.
Although he missed most of the season opener and the Arizona State game week to injury, CU’s leading rusher, senior tailback Hugh Charles, has 820 yards and five touchdowns.
Even with Lucky, the Cornhuskers are struggling to produce an efficient running game, and they rank No. 79 in the nation. But they do rank No. 18 nationally in total offensive yards, producing an average 319 passing yards a game, putting them at No. 13.
Despite the overall strength of its offense, though, Nebraska had lost five games in a row before their upset of Kansas State on Nov. 10.
“It’s just like Iowa State,” Dizon said. “They are a great team. Their record does not show how great they are.”
After starting 4-1, the Cornhuskers are now 5-6. They head to Colorado Nov. 23 for their final game of the season and a shot at bowl game eligibility.
The Buffaloes are in a similar spot. After winning only one of their past five games, Colorado is 5-6 and is also looking for bowl game eligibility.
A bowl game is just an added prize to bragging rights in a rivalry game, Dizon said.
“It’s half about pride and half about a bowl game,” Dizon said.
Both Colorado and Nebraska have bye weeks before the game. The week off will give the teams extra time to practice and prepare for the game, both mentally and physically.
Charles said the week off will give Colorado time to recover from Iowa State and move on to more completely prepare for Nebraska.
“(The bye week) means a lot of guys are going to get healthier, and we are going to get our energy back, and hopefully everyone comes out with a chip on their shoulder because this is an important game,” Charles said.
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Margot Schneider at margot.schneider@thecampuspress.com
