The Nebraska Cornhuskers earned a 28-10 win over Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes on Saturday. Head coach Matt Rhule now has a signature win on his resume. The program is also ranked. As of Sunday afternoon, they are 23rd in the AP Top 25. It’s safe to say the Big Red accomplished their goals against their rival. Let’s break down how the Huskers achieved their goals and take a quick look at the program’s next opponent.
A Dominant Defensive Effort
Tony White’s Blackshirt defense stood strong against Colorado’s multi-faceted passing attack. Buffs star quarterback Shedeur Sanders was under constant pressure in the pocket. In the first half, he was sacked five times. A pick-six by cornerback Tommi Hill soon followed. This extended the Husker lead to 14. CU’s running backs coach Gerry Harrell tried to counter the Husker’s momentum by trying to kickstart Colorado’s rushing attack. However, it was quickly shut down by the Cornhuskers. Sophomore Dallan Hayden only mustered 32 yards on five carries. And when the Buffs tried to convert on 4th and 1, junior walk-0n Charlie Offerdahl was stonewalled by linebacker John Bullock. It’s almost a certainty that NU will stop the run against Northern Iowa. The Cornhuskers had many weapons in their arsenal, but Nebraska’s seniority will make life hard for the Panthers. Alongside Ty Robinson, defensive tackle Nash Hutmacher dominated with four tackles and one sack. Jimari Butler and former Georgia linebacker MJ Sherman also dropped Sanders twice in the backfield. Look for all or some of these players to impact UNI quarterback Aidan Dunne. The Iowa native only passed for 99 yards and no touchdowns.
Quarterback Efficiency
For the second straight week, true freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola showed that he can be efficient. Against CU, he threw for 185 passing yards and had some other brilliant moments in the pocket. He completed a 36-yard reception to sophomore wideout Jaylen Lloyd. Veteran tight end Nate Boerkircher also impressed with a 25-yard reception on a seam route. However, the team didn’t blow the doors all the way open. In the second half, the Cornhuskers had 12 penalties. This concerned Rhule after the game, but NU has plenty of chances to improve their offense next week. Against St. Thomas, the Panthers defense gave up 297 yards of total offense. The only standout for the Panthers was junior linebacker Tucker Lagenberg. He seems the most likely to give offensive line coach Donovan Raiola headaches. He disrupted a fourth and one play early in the matchup against the Tommies. And in the second half, he continued his rampage with a blocked punt. These actions seem like he could be the main disruptor of Raiola in the pocket. However, this isn’t a likely scenario. NU’s offensive lineman dominated the line of scrimmage all night long in the win against the Buffs.
Running backs coach EJ Barthel utilized two running backs against Colorado. This strategy worked to perfection. Dante Dowdell made sure to punish defenders on each of his 77 yards. This led him to have free reign in the endzone with his two touchdowns. Rahmir Johnson also played hard. On nine carries, his 33 yards and his touchdown catch helped secure the win for the Cornhuskers. Does Rhule keep them both in the starting lineup against Northern Iowa? It sounds like a pretty good idea. They can keep the Huskers rolling on the ground. Emmett Johnson and Gabe Ervin are good options as well. The two backs can continue their momentum from the UTEP game.
Samuel Rowland covers the Nebraska Cornhuskers for Last Word on College Football. He is a Nebraska native and a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Samuel is a movie buff and a Denver Broncos fan.
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