Nebraska stuffed Colorado into a locker on Saturday. The Huskers were like a schoolyard bully, chasing the Buffaloes up and down Tom Osborne field as they physically dominated the game from the first series. Colorado’s offensive line was completely overmatched against Nebraska’s defense, leaving CU quarterback Shedeur Sanders to get smacked to the turf repeatedly. Ty Robinson set the tone on the very first play from scrimmage, breaking into the backfield and deflecting Sanders’ first pass attempt of the night. The Buffs would go three and out, and never seemed to get on track in a meaningful way.
Husker defenders were everywhere. They were flying to the ball, tackling in open space, and getting penetration all night long. Sanders was running for his life; he could never get comfortable and so the offense never settled in. In the 1st half, Nebraska’s offensive line got in on the act as well, getting a great push that allowed the Huskers to run the ball at will. Yes, the offense sputtered and things got a little sloppy in the 2nd half. More on that below, but the great thing was it didn’t matter.
Nebraska’s defense never flinched. The Huskers legitimately broke Colorado’s will. The Buffs got knocked in the chin strap early, were in a big hole by halftime, and flat out quit by the 4th quarter. I wouldn’t be surprised if Colorado doesn’t recover from this one. The Buffaloes waltzed into Memorial Stadium with a boatload of swagger; it ended up buried on the turf under a pile of Blackshirts.
This was a thoroughly enjoyable night. All Husker fans deserved it. More than that, it felt like a new beginning. Optimism in Husker Nation has not been this high in a very long time.
Now, onto the topline takeaways.
CHEERS TO THAT
Dominant in the Trenches. Every level of Nebraska’s defense looks elite. Mikai Gbayor and John Bullock led the linebackers with stellar performances. The defensive backs stood tall against Colorado’s athletic wide receivers, arguably the best players on the CU team. But the defensive line is downright special. Ty Robinson, Nash Hutmacher, and Jimari Butler lead a deep and talented group that can go toe-to-toe with any team in the country. They have talent, size, and perhaps most importantly, experience. This is the anchor of Tony White’s defense, which currently ranks #5 in rushing defense and #24 in total defense nationally, while being tied for #6 in sacks and tied for #8 in tackles for loss.
Not Melting Down When Things Go Wrong. The Huskers went 3-and-out and were forced to punt with about two minutes left before halftime. Previous Husker teams would have promptly…