HuskerfaninOkieland
Heisman Trophy Winner
CFN.com
Nebraska (8-3) at Colorado (3-8), 3:30 EST, Saturday, November 27, ABC
Why to watch: Let the always interesting debate begin. How do you handle this game if you’re Nebraska? It doesn’t matter for the Huskers, they’re already in the Big 12 Championship against Texas next week and won’t improve their lot in life with a win, while a loss won’t hurt them in any way. Do they sit the stars and get a week of rest before the showdown, or do they want to go into the game rolling? Do they use this is as a live scrimmage to test some new things out, or does the coaching staff make it business as usual? There’s no way that a Bo Pelini-coached team does anything less than all-out, but Nebraska can be forgiven if it’s not 100% focused. On the flip side is Colorado, who’s playing out the string in an utter disaster of a season with the Dan Hawkins era likely coming to close. After losing to Iowa State and Oklahoma State over the last two weeks, bowl hopes are long gone, but beating the North champion would be a nice way to end the year.
Why Nebraska might win: The Colorado offense hasn’t gone anywhere all season long, and it’s not exactly going to get healthy against the Huskers. As far as the question of whether or not the Huskers will take this game seriously, the answer for the D, at least, is heck yeah. The pass defense is the best in the Big 12 helped by a tremendous pass rush that should camp out in the Buff backfield all game long. The Colorado offensive line doesn’t have a prayer of stopping Ndamukong Suh and the Husker defensive front, while the running game that averaged 84 yards per game won’t be going anywhere.
Why Colorado might win: It’s not like the Nebraska offense is setting the world on fire. Points have been hard to come by when the defense isn’t creating easy opportunities; the firepower isn’t there for the Huskers to pull away. Outside of the 31 points scored on Kansas and the tremendous fourth quarter against Missouri, the Nebraska attack has done a whole bunch of zip in play against BCS conference teams. Colorado has a quirky way of playing at another level once in a while in Boulder, and with nothing to lose, Hawkins will throw everything in the playbook at the Huskers. If the Buffs get up early, the Nebraska offense might not be able to come back.
Who to watch: The Big 12 world will revolve around Zac Lee for the next two weeks. The Nebraska quarterback has to use this game to try to make more things happen for the passing game before facing a Texas defense that won’t allow Roy Helu to do a thing for the ground game. Both Colorado and Texas will put everyone up on the line and dare Lee to make something happen, and while it has been his job to be a game manager, not screw up, and make a few plays here and there, he needs to start connecting on a few more deep plays. He has only thrown two touchdown passes in the last six games (to be fair, he didn’t play against Baylor), but he can at least give it a shot this week because 1) his defense will bail him out and 2) it doesn’t matter.
What will happen: Colorado will make this fun with an interesting group of trick plays with everything emptied out on the field. The Nebraska D will be up to the task.
CFN Prediction: Nebraska 17 … Colorado 13 ... Line: Nebraska -8
Must See Rating: (Charlie Brown Thanksgiving 5 … The Twilight Saga: New Moon 1) … 2.5
Nebraska (8-3) at Colorado (3-8), 3:30 EST, Saturday, November 27, ABC
Why to watch: Let the always interesting debate begin. How do you handle this game if you’re Nebraska? It doesn’t matter for the Huskers, they’re already in the Big 12 Championship against Texas next week and won’t improve their lot in life with a win, while a loss won’t hurt them in any way. Do they sit the stars and get a week of rest before the showdown, or do they want to go into the game rolling? Do they use this is as a live scrimmage to test some new things out, or does the coaching staff make it business as usual? There’s no way that a Bo Pelini-coached team does anything less than all-out, but Nebraska can be forgiven if it’s not 100% focused. On the flip side is Colorado, who’s playing out the string in an utter disaster of a season with the Dan Hawkins era likely coming to close. After losing to Iowa State and Oklahoma State over the last two weeks, bowl hopes are long gone, but beating the North champion would be a nice way to end the year.
Why Nebraska might win: The Colorado offense hasn’t gone anywhere all season long, and it’s not exactly going to get healthy against the Huskers. As far as the question of whether or not the Huskers will take this game seriously, the answer for the D, at least, is heck yeah. The pass defense is the best in the Big 12 helped by a tremendous pass rush that should camp out in the Buff backfield all game long. The Colorado offensive line doesn’t have a prayer of stopping Ndamukong Suh and the Husker defensive front, while the running game that averaged 84 yards per game won’t be going anywhere.
Why Colorado might win: It’s not like the Nebraska offense is setting the world on fire. Points have been hard to come by when the defense isn’t creating easy opportunities; the firepower isn’t there for the Huskers to pull away. Outside of the 31 points scored on Kansas and the tremendous fourth quarter against Missouri, the Nebraska attack has done a whole bunch of zip in play against BCS conference teams. Colorado has a quirky way of playing at another level once in a while in Boulder, and with nothing to lose, Hawkins will throw everything in the playbook at the Huskers. If the Buffs get up early, the Nebraska offense might not be able to come back.
Who to watch: The Big 12 world will revolve around Zac Lee for the next two weeks. The Nebraska quarterback has to use this game to try to make more things happen for the passing game before facing a Texas defense that won’t allow Roy Helu to do a thing for the ground game. Both Colorado and Texas will put everyone up on the line and dare Lee to make something happen, and while it has been his job to be a game manager, not screw up, and make a few plays here and there, he needs to start connecting on a few more deep plays. He has only thrown two touchdown passes in the last six games (to be fair, he didn’t play against Baylor), but he can at least give it a shot this week because 1) his defense will bail him out and 2) it doesn’t matter.
What will happen: Colorado will make this fun with an interesting group of trick plays with everything emptied out on the field. The Nebraska D will be up to the task.
CFN Prediction: Nebraska 17 … Colorado 13 ... Line: Nebraska -8
Must See Rating: (Charlie Brown Thanksgiving 5 … The Twilight Saga: New Moon 1) … 2.5