Bill McCartney retired from coaching 25 years ago, but the former Colorado Buffaloes head coach is credited with creating a rivalry with the University of Nebraska in the mid-1980s.
The nomadic era of college football put an end to it, but the Buffaloes and the Cornhuskers have rekindled the rivalry. Last year they met in Lincoln, Neb., for the first time in eight years, resulting in a Colorado 33-28 win. The two teams play again Saturday afternoon in Boulder, Colo., with Nebraska looking to exact revenge on their rivals.
The Cornhuskers lead the lifetime series 49-19-2.
“You really can’t downplay rivalry games. You have to embrace them,” Colorado head coach Mel Tucker said Tuesday. “That is what makes this game great.”
Nebraska (1-0), ranked No. 25, is coming off of a 35-21 home win over South Alabama. The Cornhusker defense had five takeaways and two touchdowns, and special teams also scored a touchdown.
Those units bailed out the offense, which managed just two touchdowns and 276 total yards.
“It’s no secret we played very poor,” quarterback Adrian Martinez said after the win. “It’s probably the worst we’ve played in a long time, and it’s not acceptable. We’re happy we got the win. Our defense played great, special teams made some plays, but offensively we need to be a lot better. It’s pretty simple.”
Being 1-0 is a welcome relief after the 2018 start in head coach Scott Frost’s first year. Nebraska lost its first six games, starting with the game against Colorado, before finishing the season 4-2.
The Buffaloes (1-0) are coming off a 52-31 win against in-state rival Colorado State in Tucker’s debut. They generated 475 yards of offense, scored six touchdowns and created four turnovers against the Rams, but the defense gave up 505 yards against CSU.
Saturday’s game will certainly evoke memories of other moments in the rivalry. Thirty years ago, the teams met in Boulder as part of the Big 8 Conference. Both teams were unbeaten, with the Cornhuskers ranked No. 3 and Colorado No. 2 in the polls.
The Buffaloes won that game, 27-21, igniting the rivalry. They won the next year in Lincoln on their way to a share of the national championship, but Nebraska won nine straight in the rivalry from 1992-2000 and three national titles in that span.
The rivalry continued when the Big 8 transformed into the Big 12, despite their last conference meeting dating back to 2010. Years following the change, the Cornhuskers moved to the Big Ten, and Colorado and Utah joined the Pac-10, which is now the Pac-12.
Both teams feature dynamic offensive players. Martinez, a sophomore, is a dual threat as a rusher and passer, while Colorado junior wideout Laviska Shenault Jr. has become quarterback Steven Montez’s best receiver.
Shenault, who had three catches for 48 yards and a touchdown against CSU, had 86 receptions for 1,011 yards and six scores in his sophomore season.
The Cornhuskers announced that sophomore running back Maurice Washington will play Saturday. Washington has been charged with possession of child pornography in California after being accused of keeping and sending a video of his ex-girlfriend, then a minor, engaged in a sex act.
Washington’s preliminary hearing was pushed back to Oct. 17 and Frost said his running back, who was suspended for a half against South Alabama, would play until his legal case is resolved.
The Buffaloes will be without linebacker Chase Newman (leg injury) and safety Lucas Cooper (strained hamstring).