Head coach Deion Sanders gets interviewed during the game for ESPN on April 22, 2023. The Buffaloes spring game was the only school to be broadcasted on ESPN. (Kara Wagenknecht/CU Independent)
The University of Colorado Buffaloes and Head Coach Deion ‘Coach Prime’ Sanders are the hottest names in sports right now, just a few days removed from an incredible victory over #17-ranked Texas Christian University.
Heading into last week’s game, many college football experts and fans alike doubted this new Colorado team because they only managed to win one game last year. However, with the addition of over 87 players through the transfer portal under ‘Coach Prime,’ the Buffs were able to shock the country and beat the TCU Horned Frogs 45-42 in what was an incredible matchup.
This Saturday, Colorado will square off against long-time rival, the University of Nebraska Lincoln, in what should be another great contest to kick off the ‘Coach Prime’ era at Folsom Field.
This weekend is a rivalry game, as no doubt there is no love lost between Colorado and Nebraska, dating back all the way to the 1980s. All time, Nebraska leads the series 49-20-2, but Colorado has not lost to Nebraska since 2010, so this matchup bodes for a fascinating result.
This Colorado-Nebraska rivalry was once known as one of college football’s best, with the two universities despising each other. Colorado leaving for the Pac-12 Conference in 2011 slowly saw the rivalry fade as the two teams simply didn’t play each other as much as before. However, now the rivalry has a chance to heat back up as Colorado is back on the map and is heading back to the Big-12 Conference, which Nebraska has always been in. Many of Colorado’s new players aren’t familiar with the rivalry between the Cornhuskers and the Buffs, but Coach Prime believes he can get his guys ready for their first encounter with Nebraska.
“I’ve learned the severity, the serious nature of this rivalry, and I’m embracing it 100%. This is personal. That’s the message of the week,” Sanders said.
The Nebraska Cornhuskers have also come into this season with a brand new roster. Led by ex-NFL Coach Matt Rhule, they lost their first game of the season 13-10 to the University of Minnesota. Despite that, Colorado doesn’t look to underestimate what the historic rival will bring to Boulder on Saturday.
“I do admire their coach,” Sanders said Tuesday. “He’s done a phenomenal job. Trust me, they aren’t going to lay down when we get out there.”
The prices for this Colorado-Nebraska game have skyrocketed upwards of $400 a piece, with some selling in the thousands, as demand to see ‘Coach Prime’ and this uniquely crafted Buffs roster continues to rise. The Colorado student ticket office is not allowing students to sell their tickets, unlike in years past.
In addition, student sports passes have been sold out for months. Though the prices are steep, people are paying for admission to witness the hype — and yes, the hype is real. Boulder residents and the larger college football fanbase want to see this new Buffs team play in person. This Sanders-led roster has proven to be exciting to follow, filled with unbelievable storylines each week.
When asked about all of the national press his players are receiving and if he wants them to pay attention to it, Sanders said to his players, “No, read it. You balled out, and I want you to read it.”
Colorado opens this game as -3 point favorites in what should be another terrific game that jumpstarts the previous hatred these schools once had for one another. The game will be at Folsom Field at 10 a.m. MST on Saturday, Sept. 6, and will air live on FOX.
Contact Sports Editor Griffin Dreifaldt at griffin.dreifaldt@colorado.edu.
