Colorado's prime time matchup with Nebraska comes down to exposing mismatches

The Buffs and Huskers will go round-for-round in different ways

Aug 29, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) prepares to pass the ball in the first quarter against the North Dakota State Bison at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

No matter how you slice it, Colorado's next game vs. Nebraska is a tale of two different philosophies, along with two different approaches. The bulk of the matchups that favor Colorado are at the skill positions. Whereas most of the matchups that favor Nebraska are the trenches. Even down to the approach to securing players is different. Coach Prime has made his name for dominating the transfer portal. At the last portal window, no Nebraska players opted out.

When we look at Colorado’s strengths the areas to focus on are what you would expect. The offense runs through Shedeur Sanders with a talented wide receiver corps. On defense, the Buffs defensive backs are the ones holding down the field. Not to say that Colorado hasn't improved in the trenches since last year, but it's still a work-in-progress.

When looking at Nebraska the areas to focus on are the offensive line, especially the front seven, along with the running backs. Now, if we added those position groups together, we’d almost have a complete team. In the case of the game on Saturday night, this will likely come down to which type of position groups will win the night. Explosive plays from Colorado’s skill position players or the steady grind from controlling the line of scrimmage?

Most believe in the idea of the game being won in the trenches. However, it is not unheard of for an explosive offense to get over on a steady smashmouth approach. Being able to control the clock is needed  However, if Colorado makes this a track meet, it might not go the way the Cornhuskers are expecting. Sanders and the Buffs offense have experience that could outweigh Dylan Raiola's second career start. 

While North Dakota State is arguably the best non FBS school, most believe they were in a transitional phase. While they are a great program, they weren’t the NDSU of 5-8 years ago in the title era. But they were still a very worthy opponent. That said, their secondary was not an area of strength for them against Colorado. In that game, Colorado’s offense put up almost 400 yards between 3 different receivers. Travis Hunter’s performance should be fresh in everyone’s mind, but Jimmy Horn Jr was 2 yards shy of 200 and LaJohntay Wester was one questionable play call/audible from a 100-yard game. 

Nebraska’s counter to that defensively on paper would seem to provide a similar threat to that of NDSU. Shedeur should be able to throw on Nebraska and might have free lanes to run, if needed. 

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For anyone who watched last week, one thing should’ve jumped out about Colorado’s running game. It was a tale of two chunks. First chunk was the first quarter, the second chunk was the remaining three quarters. In that first quarter, Colorado had four backs averaging a over four yards per carry. When we add up the other three quarters it shakes out to about an average of 2.5 yards carry. Coach Prime and his staff have been adamant this week that they will run the ball. The lack of rushing production last week was relayed as a “you have to take what the defense gives you” situation.

The problem this week will be that Nebraska doesn’t have to take what the defense gives them, rushing wise. Last week vs UTEP, Nebraska boasted four rushers that would finish the game over with four yards per carry, including the lead back finishing at just a shade under nine yards per carry. All four backs totaled over 200 yards as a unit. Who is able to run the ball should have a leg up on winning this game.

The two biggest areas of concentration for Coach Prime and his recruiting staff was offensive line and defensive line. In both cases, those position groups have made significant upgrades. In the case of the offensive line, there is not a single starter that played on this team last year. However, based on the eye test, it does not seem like those individual talent improvements have moved the needle considerably when viewing them as a unit.

The individual skill and execution is noticeably better. Jordan Seaton is miles ahead of where the Buffs were last year. It's great getting Tyler Brown back, and Khalil Benson and Justin Mayers have brought an attitude to that group that wasn’t here last year. But the overall impression is that they only slightly improved based on a sample size of one game. 

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Both Colorado and Nebraska boast impressive QBs. One could be the first signal caller taken in the 2025 NFL Draft and the other might be the most exciting freshman QB in the country.

Shedeur seems to enjoy the idea that he might someday be Tom Brady with swagger. While Dylan Raiola is only recently shying away from his Patrick Mahomes comparisons. Both are very good at sticking in or climbing the pocket to make the good throw. Both last week had eye-popping highlights. While Raiola went for 238 yards and two touchdowns, Shedeur went for 445 yards and 4 touchdowns while only getting sacked once in the game. It should also be noted that one sack was a collapsing pocket. Instead of the never saw coming and got folded up variety Shedeur saw entirely too often last season.

Pressure might be the difference maker. Deion Sanders likes to say “we don’t feel pressure, we apply it”. Buffs fans will spend most of the day on Saturday hoping that is true. Nebraska has no problem applying pressure and specifically creating pressure for the opposing QB.  Nebraska only registered two sacks last week, but that defensive front was in UTEP's Skyler Locklear’s kitchen all day, including a coverage safety in the second half. Nebraska constantly being in the backfield and shrinking the pocket should be a real concern for the Colorado offense. 

Regardless of how you approach this matchup, neither team can claim this should be a blowout in their favor. It could be. If Colorado is explosive and Nebraska fails to adjust to that, or if Nebraska can control the line of scrimmage and lean on the run, it could be. What is more likely is that this game will be closer than either fanbase would like to admit. 

How much is Shedeur’s volume of game experience worth vs the inexperience of Dylan Raiola? Can Colorado effectively run the ball? Can Colorado’s secondary with two of its stars of that group coming back from injury be enough to make Nebraska one dimensional? Can Travis Hunter and Jimmy Horn Jr continue to be super heroes? Any number of factors should indicate that this game should be nothing if not interesting. Conventional wisdom would suggest an uphill battle for Colorado, but Shedeur Sanders and his stable of real threat WRs should be a concern for every team they face.

Colorado’s biggest question game in game out will be what other groups step up and match the production of the Colorado passing game. If Colorado has a typical day passing and gets similar production from the defense or the running backs, this could be a very different game than Nebraska is expecting.