Colorado-Nebraska Post-game
filed in Rivals on Nov.27, 2006 by Gampp
In a fitting wrap-up to a miserable season, the Buffs played well for 3 quarters and then played down to their abilities in losing to Nebraska 37-14. Trick plays were the order of the day for the Cornhuskers as Nebraska ran a number of fake kicks to perfection and the Buffs were nowhere near ready to defend any of them. The players and the coaching staff deserve a share of the blame for being unprepared for the out of the ordinary plays that Nebraska threw at the Buffs. One of those trick plays set up the symbolic turning point of the game. A well executed pooch punt left the Buffs to start a drive on their own 1/2 yard line. A terrible offensive play call and a good defensive push resulted in a Safety and Nebraska drove the field on the resulting possession for a TD that effectively ended the game.
While some have argued that the officials cost the Buffs the game, I think that’s just sour grapes. While the officiating did seem to be pretty bad and I disagreed with many of the calls, the Buffs lost this one all on their own. In a disturbing trend, the Buffs coaching staff was once again outcoached this game. I like Hawkins, and I continue to believe that he can turn the program around, but I’m starting to question some of the decision making. I’m a firm believer that you need to give a guy 3-4 years to show what he can do, but we better see marked improvement next year.
All in all, Nebraska was the better team on Friday and deserved the win. The Buffs now have to sit at home, lick their wounds, and figure out how to start moving in the right direction.
By the way, after all of the complaints about how the Buffs are not classy (the locker room code, Hawkins remarks, etc), it sure was classy of Callahan to score that meaningless touchdown with 23 seconds left in the game. I’m sure one of you will turn around and say it was payback for all of our disrespectful actions, but I’m just pointing out that it happens on both sides.
Related posts:
November 27th, 2006 on 2:28 pm
yeah that was rude running a trap play at the y end of the game…. especially to a third string I-back who wanted it worse than the entire Buffs defence wanted to stop him….
November 27th, 2006 on 3:40 pm
I second that. I’m down right ashamed.
November 27th, 2006 on 4:52 pm
Gampp hit it on the head. After years and years of disrepectful treatment aimed at the Husker team by the CU players and coaches, this was a very minor payback. And let’s face it, it’s not like NU was desperately trying to get one more in, it just happened. There have been countless games in the past where Nebraska could have run the score up at the end but didn’t. There has never been a CU team that would hesitate to do the same.
Gampp you stopped with your rankings mid-season. Where does the rest of the country break down now at the end in your crazy Buffalo view? Just curious….
November 27th, 2006 on 6:00 pm
OK, so I have to ask–What the hell locker room code are you guys talking about? I’ve been a Buff fan for 20 years and I’ve never heard of this…..
November 27th, 2006 on 6:28 pm
Wow, are you serious Kevin? After Colorado stunned Nebraska 62-36 in 2001, the CU coaching staff made the decision to not only put that score on the Buffs’ Big 12 championship rings, but also to make the code that the players needed to get into the locker room facilities “62-36″ for the next season. Pretty pathetic, granted, but that’s the kind of weak attempt at motivation the Buffs apparently needed. Pretty arrogant considering the overall series record. Next year’s locker room code should definitely be 37-14, or maybe 30-3, or maybe 46-17-2, or maybe 2-10?
November 28th, 2006 on 6:26 am
I can’t beleive some of you actually call yourselves “fans” at all. So our team goes 2-10 under a new coach after a lot of controversy, and you want to throw in the towel? Thats pathetic, not the combo to get into the locker room. It’s a different coach, which means different things are going to happen. Look at what he’s done besides coach. He has the top 15 recruiting class in the nation for 2007. I know it sucks, I rooted and cheared every game, but still got dissapointed in the end. All of you “fans” just go away and cheer for someone else, obviously you jump on the band wagon, and I’m sure you all are big Buckeye fans now. CU will be back…GO BUFFS!
November 28th, 2006 on 6:56 am
I really don’t see the disrespect in the 62-36 thing. It was a huge game – the biggest win since the national championiship in a lot of ways. They were underdogs against the number 1 ranked Huskers, and thumped them worse than any team in history (until Tech beat that score). I don’t see why the staff and players shouldn’t have been proud of that.
November 28th, 2006 on 7:39 am
I have to agree with Buff Guy. New coach, new season, new program. I wasn’t a very big fan of Barnett but, I still rooted for the team. Coach Hawkins has come into a mess and is responsible for cleaning it up. Next year will be different! I had another CU fan tell me that we needed a new coach after losing 3 straight this year. I told her to get out of my face, she wasn’t a true fan. Whether CU wins or loses, I will be a fan for life, and I have the tat’s to prove it! When Coach Hawkins first started head coaching, he went 2-10 the first season. Then turned it completely around and went undefeated the very next season. I’m glad he is with CU, and I totally agree with his comments about the Huskers!
November 28th, 2006 on 7:40 am
I have to agree with Buff Guy. New coach, new season, new program. I wasn’t a very big fan of Barnett but, I still rooted for the team. Coach Hawkins has come into a mess and is responsible for cleaning it up. Next year will be different! I had another CU fan tell me that we needed a new coach after losing 3 straight this year. I told her to get out of my face, she wasn’t a true fan. Whether CU wins or loses, I will be a fan for life, and I have the tat’s to prove it! When Coach Hawkins first started head coaching, he went 2-10 the first season. Then turned it completely around and went undefeated the very next season. I’m glad he is with CU, and I totally agree with his comments about the Huskers!
November 28th, 2006 on 8:33 am
I was at the game in Lincoln and starting at the tail gate party you (BEST FANS EVER) were talking trash from the git go. I had so many people giving me dirty looks and talking sh*t. People were making fun of CU’s record but until the third quarter you couldn’t tell that Colorado only won 2 games. Win or lose I will always be a fan. I agree with what TrueBuffsFan said. You Husker fans said they should have got rid of Callahan his first year but look what he has done for the program. All I got to say is you will have a rude awaking next year since I didn’t see a back quarterback play that much this year. On CU’s team half of them are freshmen this year so I am totally excited about next year and the years to come. Colorado will back in the Big 12 Championship game real soon.
November 28th, 2006 on 9:11 am
BSMC – I was out of town a lot during the season for work and didn’t have the chance to see a lot of games. I decided to stop the Top 25 since I couldn’t rank teams based on actually seeing them. That being said, OSU is definitely #1, I think I would have Michigan #2, and USC #3. After that, who cares? Oh, right… Nebraska is probably about 20.
November 28th, 2006 on 3:40 pm
NU Fan…NOT,
As a huge and avid Husker fan, I never called for anyone to get rid of Callahan after his first season. Those who did were in the extreme minority here. The first season at 5-6 was painful, but the new system was drastically different than the personnel, and everyone understood that. Not to mention Callahan was an NFL Head Coach who had led a team to the Super Bowl. Quite a bit different than a nobody coach with no major conference or NFL experience and a 2-10 first season. As for our “rude awakening” next season… The Husker team is also very young with several nationally ranked recruiting classes that are coming into their own next year. As for our quarterback next year, ummm maybe you don’t follow the college football media very much, but I have 2 words for you – Sam Keller. Easily one of the best pro-style quarterbacks in college football. He is amazing with plenty of D-1 big game starting experience and a new stable of very talented ends and receivers at NU to work with. Our team is back in a big way and for the duration. CU will still be terrible next year, and Nebraska will continue to dominate you for several years to come.
November 28th, 2006 on 5:03 pm
So the year is finally over with a 2-10 record… this being the first year that i have not attended every game having moved outta state i am disappointed but i am confident that Hawk will right the ship and get us back to the championship form, all i gotta say is cant wait till next year the country better watch out cause i can already hear the stampede in the distance! GO BUFFS!!!!!
November 28th, 2006 on 5:15 pm
Hahahahaha…. “Stampede”, that’s hilarious. For the sake of the B12 North, I hope so. Much more likely Hawk will be leading another mediocre batch of weiners. I predict CU finishes 6th in the North next year, even ISU’s new coach Chizek is a much better hire than Hawk!
November 28th, 2006 on 5:22 pm
Congrats to Buffs All Big 12 1st team players of the year Mason Crosby and Terrence Wheatley. Also congrats to Zac Taylor, Big 12 offensive player of the year! Go Huskers. Go Buffs.
November 28th, 2006 on 5:54 pm
Forrest Gampp is still a dumbass. Didn’t he promise to rank the Huskers higher after beating Missou? Or maybe A&M? Now NU’s 9-3, Big 12 North Champions, after having swept the North and destroyed the Buffs by more than any other team this year (a bold statement considering no less than 10 teams have thrashed CU). Sucks that your hatred and bias against the Huskers prevents you from realizing that NU is a much improved team capable of playing any BCS team. You would think that most reasonable Buffs would realize that what is best for the North is best for them. Apparently not….
Already looking forward to 07 Forrest!….
November 28th, 2006 on 7:42 pm
Did you forget that Nebraska lost to Oklahoma State? There are 16 teams with 2 or less loses that deserve to be ranked higher than NU. Texas, Cal, and Tennessee also have three losses and are in the same class as NU. BYU only has two losses and is probably in the same company. So that puts NU somewhere between 17 and 21, or as I said before, “somewhere around 20″. It has nothing to do with my hatred of the Huskers and all of the major polls agree with me (NU is 20 in the BCS). Looks like your love and bias towards the Huskers prevents you from realizing that Nebraska is a good (but not great) team that dominated a terrible division. I’d say you’re the dumbass.
November 29th, 2006 on 9:17 am
I have to say, that while I do believe that Hawk will recruit well and the team will improve, I do not think he is ever going to be a good in game coach. The signs are just too telling. How could we not call a timeout when Nebraska was lining up in such obvious trick formations? Why just let the play happen and hope it doesn’t work? All seemed stupid to me. It also worries me that everyone at Boise pretty much came out and said that it was not Hawk but the OC who was the brains behind everything last year and this years results for both teams have done nothing to dispell that notion. Worried a bit but hopeful…
November 29th, 2006 on 9:50 am
Enough with the whining already. Scoring with 23 seconds left is not a lack of class and most of what happens on the field is good clean play. Throwing trash on the field and having to eject entire student sections from the game is a lack of class regardless of who is on the field. Year in and year out, the players on both sides are worthy of our respect and admiration. It is the fans who need to get real. There are bad apples in both the NU and CU camps, but the buff supporters seem to have the advantage in lacking class. Go Big Red.
November 29th, 2006 on 10:37 am
The reason you guys got mean looks during the tailgate is because we Husker fans disrespect opponent’s fans who do not understand anything, ANYTHING about football. And usually, thats from one team…
November 29th, 2006 on 11:13 am
buffalo4dinner,
People always talk about how people in Nebraska are the Best Fans Ever but that must be from people who know everything about football. So when some one who doesn’t know football, then it’s ok to talk sh*t to them and give them dirty looks. I guess I don’t understand the logic behind a husker fan. I am not like you husker fans that only cheer for them when they are winning and only go to games when they are winning. I wouldn’t go to game if I didn’t know nothing about the game, thats why you won’t see me at a basketball game because I could care less. Another thing I wouldn’t do is get on a website other than a CU website. So let me know you husker freaks why are you on Buffs.tv website. I don’t understand that. Did you get kicked off of the husker websites? Please explain. If you get on here to trash CU, I am sure you can do that on your own site. GO BUFFS
November 29th, 2006 on 4:04 pm
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November 29th, 2006 on 5:30 pm
Ok, Gamppy, your call. Didn’t realize you had so little respect for all of the North now that your team is at the bottom. Anyway you slice it, the Huskers will be playing in either the Cotton or Fiesta Bowls. Both on New Year’s Day. And the Buffs will be playing, well not at all. Nebraska OWNS CU (yet again)!…
November 29th, 2006 on 5:37 pm
This is what a REAL rivalry is all about….
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2679754
November 29th, 2006 on 6:19 pm
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November 29th, 2006 on 7:01 pm
Sam Keller will put up the most points ever against the Buffs. You guys think this 30-3 and 37-14 were hard to swallow. Open wide next year Buffettes. Keller will put it down your throats!…
November 30th, 2006 on 9:10 am
You take offense at me calling the Big XII North “terrible”? Who else in the division is worthy of being called a good team? Maybe Missouri, but they showed us what they were made of by not showing up against Oklahoma and Nebraska and then losing to Iowa State. I’m not saying that Nebraska is a bad team, they deserve to go to a good bowl game and I think they’ll give the Sooners a run for their money on Saturday. I was just pointing out to the guy who thought the Huskers should be ranked higher that the North was not exactly a strong division this year. I doubt you could find any rational people that would disagree with me.
November 30th, 2006 on 12:14 pm
I hear you mybuff, that’s my feeling too. While the rest of the guys on this site continue to fight about which team is worse (its no contest based on this year’s stats), I applaud you for bringing out the obvious – Hawk is no big game coach. I agree with you about your perceptions on the Nebraska game – he blew a lot of opportunites to stand out and be a good coach. I’ve said it all season that this guy is totally overrated as a coach – sure, he’s a great recruiter, but who can say no to a guy who’s the second coming of Tony Robbins? I mean, listen to this guy after we lose – he’s so positive, you think nothing is wrong, even after we lose to Baylor! Can you imagine being a senior in high school with this guy in your living room? He can recruit well, and his PR skills put Tony Snow to shame. I’m surprised the White House hasn’t hired him as the Colorado spin machine – this guy has a future in politics, that’s for sure. MyBuff, I agree that he is not a great coach, and that he was clearly in over his head this year. I’m not talking about the talent on the field – that’s another story. He was clearly unprepared for the Nebraska game – a game that would have given him the faith of all CU fans if he won. Instead, he made Callahan look like Lombardi – everything Callahan threw at Hawkins worked. Not only did our players get their asses handed to them, but our coaching staff looked like the true coaches they are – WAC coaches. Welcome to the big leagues.
November 30th, 2006 on 6:27 pm
Joel and Ryno are about the only reasonable Buffs on this site. I totally agree that the WAC is no Big 12 (or Big 10, SEC, ACC, PAC 10, Big East, etc.) What CU was thinking hiring such a small time coach as Hawk, I will never understand. 6-6 or even 5-7 would have been one thing this year, but 2-10, that’s all coaching. CU looks destined to be the doormat of the conference for some time.
It is also interesting to think about the fact that the literal meaning of Colorado reveals that the color RED is what it’s all about….
December 1st, 2006 on 2:33 pm
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December 1st, 2006 on 3:39 pm
yup i no u guys didnt like wat i said but thats ok…..seriously do you guys still have that slush fund and those beer bottle launchers in boulder or has the university wised up…i doubt that will ever happen but who knows
December 1st, 2006 on 4:35 pm
Thanks Ralphette – just trying to keep it real. I agree with you that CU made a mistake hiring Hawkins, but the reason they did so was because (1) he’s a PR genius who can put a positive spin on anything (2) he will keep our kids out of the headlines (a feat which he accomplished since our newspapers are so embarrassed by our record) (3) he’s an excellent salesman, and will keep our buff fans at the edge of our respective seats waiting for results which are guaranteed yet never delivered and (4) his record at BSU spoke for itself, even though most of his opponents during those years were nothing more than a notch or two above Cherry Creek High School. The end result – a solid motivator who brainwashed our players into believing they were better than they were and on the verge of greatness and yet helped wash away the bad image CU had a year ago. For that, I think the Regents succeeded. The bad news is, well, to sum up, we all received a WAC product. For those of us who are used to competing in the Big 12, and for heaven’s sake, beating Div. 1-AA teams and Baylor, we were given a rude awakening. I’m assuming that Phase 2 will be in about four years when after our image is restored, but we have suffered through another 2 win season and possibly a couple of 4 or 5 win seasons, the Regents will once again get together and try to find a winner – hopefully someone who has proven themselves in a real conference, and maybe, just maybe, someone who can recognize a trick play after 8 attempts in one game.
December 3rd, 2006 on 2:35 pm
Hey BSMC, get real.
Regarding “Nebraska has dozens and dozens of Academic All Americans and All Conference players that graduate with very high GPAs in fields of science, technology, engineering, etc. Huge amounts of resources go into the Nebraska Football Team’s academic development.” Just maybe the academics at Nebraska are subpar, so it’s not so tough for dumb football players to get good grades. And if you wish to argue, pick up the next copy of U.S. News & World Reports’ National ranking of academic programs.
What basis do I have to say this? I am a Nebraska (UNL) grad (1983). The joke when I went there was so many of the football players were enrolled in “rocks for jocks”. As yes, I personally knew some of the Nebraska football players. I went elsewhere to get my Masters Degree, and in my case, received a better education.
Yes, I enjoy when Nebraska wins, but it’s this kind of fanatic Husker myopia that makes people ill. The problem with NU is that huge amounts of resources DON’T go into the academic development of everyone else.
December 4th, 2006 on 11:44 am
Ok so I have looked everywhere for a 2007 schedule and can’t seem to find it anywhere! Can someone help me out, my email address is johnstar3@msn.com or just post the link here please! I know a few of the games are set, just wanted to know the rest of the schedule! Thanks a lot and have a great week fellow Buffs fans!
December 4th, 2006 on 11:53 am
The 2007 schedule is on this site. Click on the “Schedule” link at the top of the page and then click on the “Future Schedules” link. You can also always find the future schedules at http://www.cubuffs.com.
December 4th, 2006 on 6:17 pm
Tommy Lee….
December 14th, 2006 on 6:03 pm
No rivalry here, Gamppy. Just a reality check for the hatefilled Buffs. Nebraska is one of the most dominant college football programs in the sport, and the Buffs are well…. the buffs.
http://sports.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/alltimeNCF/bracket?lpos=spotlight&lid=tab2pos1
December 14th, 2006 on 7:00 pm
No doubt Brother! The Buffs will continue to be THE doormat of the Big 12 for years to come. Maybe they should focus their “rivalry” efforts on CSU or maybe Montana State!
Go Big Red!
December 17th, 2006 on 1:23 pm
Here’s a suggestion… In order to make next year’s NU vs. CU matchup a little more fair I think Nebraska should let their National Champion volleyball team take the field instead of the men. I’m pretty sure that even the Lady Huskers could smack down Hawk’s weiners!
December 23rd, 2006 on 9:08 am
Now that we are closing in on the end of 2006 I can’t help but to reflect on all of the predictions on this site just one year ago. All of you Buffs thinking you had just hired some kind of coaching messiah, your adament claims that the CU would dominate the North in short order, etc. When people suggested that you would have more than 3 losses this season, you were up in arms. All of the predictions of how you were gonna come back and blow out Nebraska this season. So how has it turned out after all? Your coach is a joke and way way out of his league. You have 10 not 3 losses. Another blowout loss to NU. No bowl. You are the doormat of the Big 12 and the laughing stock of the country.
The CU football program is nothing. You guys want to think you are among the nation’s elite. Nothing could be further from the truth. CU is a pretender. Here’s to another losing season in 07!
January 2nd, 2007 on 9:17 am
Just thought I would point out that Hawkins’ former team, Boise State, just defeated one of the “elite” teams in the nation in a BCS Bowl. If Hawkins can put together a team like that in Boise, given time and support, and a healthy dose of patience, he can do the same thing with the Buffs in the Big XII.
I hope that all you fickle fans out there that were expecting overnight miracles in the aftermath of Barnett’s tumultuous reign will just suck it up, give the man some support, and stop acting like the clueless/classless fans that the rest of the nation thinks we are.
January 2nd, 2007 on 2:53 pm
I sure hope you are right, Steve. I sure hope we didn’t just buy a box of goods, while the real genius behind BSU’s team is still on the sidelines (being Coach Peterson). BSU outplayed, outcoached, and yes, outsmarted OU and stooped Stoops all night. They had no idea what they were up against – pretty amazing. I understand that Hawkins brought most of his BSU staff with him to Boulder, so hat’s off to BSU and their new staff in their first year. I want to believe that the real genius in our newly inherited WAC coaching staff will give us some needed fire and ingenuity to play our opponents, but I couldn’t help but think about Urban Meyer. He did the same thing at Utah, but then he and his staff left for Florida, and Utah has not (and probably never will) be the dominant team they were when Meyer coached them. You would think that when Hawkins and his staff left, BSU would have felt some effect, but no – they went on to play one of the top 5 best college bowl games ever and came out undefeated and the Fiesta Bowl Champion. Please, Steve, tell us something that will make us feel better! Tell us we didn’t just sign a snake oil salesman to a multi-year deal, when the real genius is still sitting pretty in Idaho!
January 19th, 2007 on 4:32 pm
So much for Hawk brining in a great recruiting class. This class sucks. Very disappointing. The future is bleak indeed…
January 19th, 2007 on 5:28 pm
Rivals.com has us at 25. Not really that bad.
http://rivals100.rivals.com/teamrank.asp
January 20th, 2007 on 5:01 pm
please. this class doesn’t even begin to address our immediate needs at any position.
January 22nd, 2007 on 9:54 am
Doesn’t begin to address our immediate needs? What? Hawk has brought in a very strong class of O-linemen, and a few good D-linemen. That is our immediate need – I’m tired of watching us get our tails kicked in the trenches. He is also bringing in speed in the form of athletes – tell me that isn’t an immediate need.
Be realistic – we aren’t going to have a top 10 class after going 2-10, but this is the best recruiting class CU has had in 5 years. Go Buffs.
January 22nd, 2007 on 8:07 pm
Yes, it is too bad the Buffs can’t have a Top 10 recruiting class like say…. The Huskers! Go Big Red!
January 28th, 2007 on 5:04 pm
Ok, can someone please explain to me why the Buffs faithful hated Shawn Watson so much? Now that Nebraska has promoted him to OC ahead of a lot of great candidates it would be interesting to know why that pleases CU fans so much. Isn’t the only claim to fame for the modern Buffs the fact that they won the North division title in the past decade so much. Wasn’t it Watson that was running your offense in 4 out of those 5 division titles?
Even though Callahan will maintain all of the play calling which is probably why Norvell left for UCLA, everyone in Lincoln is pretty excited about SW. At the very minimum Watson earned the players respect this season and did a pretty amazing job as recruiting coordinator for the Big Red. They have a consensus Top 10 recruiting class according to both Rivals and Scout.
It’s gonna be a little weird having your *ss handed to you yet again by a former Buffs coordinator. Preseason polls have Nebraska Top 15 across the board, and the Buffs? Destined to be in the basement of the conference again. Bring on 07!
April 20th, 2007 on 7:26 am
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April 20th, 2007 on 7:27 am
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April 20th, 2007 on 7:33 am
ohyeah. thnx for the easy win, and the next 100 in a row that will surely come to make my future dayz worthwhile!
November 23rd, 2007 on 1:02 pm
This is why I think that football is a second rate sport