What do Rhule’s players say? Ethan Piper, who grew up in Norfolk, Nebraska, said his grandfather told him about the rivalry. Receiver Alex Bullock, from Omaha, said he had heard about it. Defensive back Omar Brown, from Minneapolis, said he’s told teammates this game “is a little more serious.”
Sanders’ son, starting quarterback Shedeur Sanders, was more direct: “We don’t like Nebraska,” he said.When the CU-NU series was at its height, it was possibly the most nasty and hateful rivalry this side of Ohio State-Michigan. It also coincided with a down cycle at Oklahoma, the Huskers’ traditional rival. Colorado filled the void.
Graham’s loathing of the Huskers was baked in by older teammates. He, in turn, made sure the next generation saw red whenever they lined up against Nebraska. The rivalry went dormant when Nebraska moved to the Big Ten and Colorado to the Pac-12 before the 2011 season. The teams are in the middle of a four-game nonconference series that ends next year in Lincoln. Colorado won the first two meetings.
One of the first things McCartney did when he took over the Buffs in 1982 was contrive a rivalry with Nebraska and ban red in the football building. At that point, the Buffs hadn’t beaten the Huskers in 15 years. Terry Connealy, a defensive lineman from 1991-94, said he and his teammates were hesitant to take off their helmets on the sideline because of projectiles fans aimed at them.
“Of course, I’m locked in, but you’ve got to be an idiot not to notice this stuff hitting around you that’s normally not hitting around you while you’re trying to kick a field goal, a game-winning one at that,” Bennett said this week. “I know for sure now a whistle would be blown. But it wasn’t back then.”