Friday November 24th
The University of Colorado will take on the University of Nebraska at 1:36 PM MST. The game will be broadcast by ABC in High definition. And the broadcasters will be three guys you have never heard of. This marks the 11th time the Buffaloes and the Cornhuskers have played for a national audience on the day after Thanksgiving.
If recent history tells us something, the Buffs should be looking to win. Since the 2001 drubbing the Buffs put on the Huskers at Folsom Field, the visiting team has won each game and the Buffs will be visiting Lincoln Memorial again this year. Doesn’t mean much this year though. All bets are off. The Buffs have played inconsistent all season long. There have been quarterback blunders, Receivers left open in the secondary, A trio of rotating tailbacks who never have seemed to find a rhythm all year long, At times the pass rush has been nonexistent, At times the offensive line has been anything but the wall we needed, Play calling has been suspect at times, And the wins just haven’t come. But through it all the Buffaloes have never given up.
Coach Hawk has instilled some heart into the 2006 Buffaloes. These Buffaloes have played every down in every game and have left it all on the field. And for that, we must give a hand to each one of these players and the coaching staff.
The Buffs are not pretty to look at, but the loyal fan still sees that something special when they play. Watching the pass rush of Abraham Wright has bordered on brilliance at times. There is a reason that Hugh Charles has his own cheer within Folsom field, we know that at any one time he can make that game breaking play that we dreamed about last night. Each one of us must ask ourselves how it is that Thaddeus Washington and Jordan Dizon are everywhere on the field but deflect any credit on the teammates and coaches. When you see Riar Geer run the touchdown play, it is easy to wonder if he is more like Christian Fauria or Dan Graham? And in Terrence Wheatley the Buffs finally have seen what a cover corner would look like in a Buffs uniform. But you have to be a fan to see these things. In the media the Buffs have a great kicker and a pile of losses to go with all the missed tackles, overthrown passes, blown coverages and poor special teams coverage. Is it better to be recognized for your poor play on the field or for the missteps of the athletic department?
I don’t like the Nebraska Cornhuskers. I don’t like the color red. And I really don’t like the state of Nebraska. Bill McCartney, Bo Shembeckler’s protégé taught me that. But I do respect the fact that they have overhauled their football squad and are in the process of returning from their time away from the national spotlight. And I hate to say it, but they are the best model the Buffs have to follow to return to the national stage. The only reason I don’t have to loathe myself for wanting to follow their lead, is that I know CU dealt them their program crushing blow. (Not so funny side note is that it is the events that directly followed those two big wins in 2001 that led to CU’s downturn.)
So the Buffs will battle the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Lincoln this week. They will show the heart that exists within everyone on this team. They will show flashes of brilliance and they will show us the reasons they are 2-9. My blood will boil when ABC shows the sea of red and all the talk will be about the Cornhuskers. But you and I are true fans and know the reasons to love college football. College football is ruled by momentum and emotion. And in a rivalry game that momentum and emotion can shift quickly. Just about anything can happen.
Go Buffs!

Related posts:

  1. CU vs CSU after 2005?
  2. Colorado-Nebraska Post-game
  3. Buffs vs. Cyclones