Memorial Stadium rocked. The Huskers rolled.
In front of a boisterous crowd of 86,906, Nebraska cruised past Colorado, 28-10, Saturday at Memorial Stadium, to move to 2-0 for the first time since 2016. The Huskers scored the first 28 points of the game and held on from there to capture the victory against the rival Buffaloes, Nebraska’s first over CU since 2010, the last time the teams met as Big 12 foes.
The start of the game went nearly perfectly. After Colorado quarterback Shedur Sanders threw two incomplete passes and was sacked for a nine-yard loss, the Huskers took over at the CU 49. A Dylan Raiola scramble on the first series of downs converted a 3rd-and-10. After two Raiola completions gained 12 yards, Dante Dowdell ran first for 13 yards, then for 12 yards to punch the ball into the end zone for a 7-0 Nebraska lead less than 4 1/2 minutes into the game.
Jimmy Horn, Jr., returned the ensuing kickoff to the Huskers’ 37, but on the first series of downs, the Buffaloes went for a 4th-and-1 at the NU 28. A Charlie Offerdahl ran was stuffed by Mikai Gbayor for a two-yard loss, giving Nebraska the ball at their own 30. After the Huskers went three-and-out, Brian Buschini boomed a 60-yard punt, pinning Colorado at its own two. On the first play of its possession, Sanders threw a pass to the left flat that Husker cornerback Tommi Hill intercepted and returned for a touchdown, doubling Nebraska’s lead with 5:46 to go in the first quarter.
The Buffaloes went three-and-out on their next drive, but Tristan Alvano missed a 32-yard field goal on the first play of the second quarter to keep the score 14-0. Colorado gained just one first down on their next drive, and the Huskers took over on their 14. A Raiola to Thomas Fidone II pass for 13 yards got the drive going. From there, the Husker run game fired up, as Dowdell and Rahmir Johnson pushed the Huskers to the Buffs 37. There, Raiola hit Jaylen Lloyd for a 36-yard pass, setting up Nebraska at the CU 1. On the next play, Dowdell powered it in from one yard out to make it 21-0, Nebraska.
Colorado’s best drive of the first moved from their 25 to the Nebraska 12. Back to back incompletions with hurries by MJ Sherman set up a 29-yard field goal attempt for CU’s Alejandro Mata. But Ty Robinson blocked the field goal and the Buffaloes remained without a point. The teams traded punts and Nebraska took over at its 30 with 1:25 remaining in the half. After a short pass gained six yards, Raiola hit Isaiah Neyor, who took it to the Colorado 48. A targeting penalty on Trevor Woods moved it to the 33. A Buffaloes pass interference penalty advanced it to the 18, then Raiola hit Johnson for an 18 yard touchodwn pass with 40 seconds remaining in the half. The extra point gave the Huskers a 28-0 lead heading to halftime.
From there, Nebraska ran clock and held Colorado’s big play offense mostly in check. The Buffaloes notched a 27-yard field goal on their first drive of the second half. Colorado finally cracked the end zone midway through the fourth quarter, when Shedur Sanders hit LaJontae Wester for a 5-yard touchdown pass to cut the Huskers’ lead to 28-10. But Colorado got no closer and the Huskers earned their biggest win over CU since 2010.
The defense dominated the usually high-powered Colorado offense. The Buffaloes gained just 260 yards of offense, the ninth straight opponent the Huskers have held to fewer than 400 total offense yards. The Blackshirts have also held nine straight opponents to 24 or fewer points. The last six opponents at Memorial Stadium have scored 14 or fewer points. DeShon Singleton, Hill, Gbayor and Isaac Gifford all had six tackles each, while Bullock notched two tackles for loss and a pass breakup.
Offensively, Raiola was an efficient 23-for-30 for 185 yards and a touchdown. Johnson was the leading receiver, with eight catches for 50 yards and a touchdown, while Dowdell led the ground attack with 77 yards and two touchdowns.
Nebraska (2-0) is back in action next week against FCS opponent Northern Iowa (2-0).