Deion Sanders’ second game as Colorado’s head coach looked much different than the first, but the end result was the same: a win.
While there weren’t the offensive fireworks of the triumphant 45-42 season-opening win over TCU, No. 22 Colorado did what it had to do to post an emphatic 36-14 victory over Nebraska on Saturday in Sanders’ first regular season. game at Folsom Field in Boulder.
The Buffs struggled on offense early on, but took advantage of three Nebraska turnovers in the first half to take a 13–0 lead at halftime. In the second half, however, Colorado strung together a pair of drives to put away the hapless Huskers.
Shedeur Sanders threw for 393 yards and two touchdowns in the win, with Xavier Weaver emerging as his top target. Weaver caught 10 passes for 170 yards and a touchdown. His 12-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter capped Colorado’s best drive of the game, a 10-play, 75-yard possession that increased Colorado’s lead to 20-7 immediately after Nebraska scored its first touchdown of the day. It added another meaningless touchdown in the final seconds of the game.
Tar’Varish Dawson scored two touchdowns for the Buffs when he hauled in a 30-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter and then scored from eight yards out on an end-around in the fourth quarter. Travis Hunter, Colorado’s two-way star, also threw three catches for 73 yards in the win.
Colorado punted on its first four drives, but then put points on the board on seven of its final eight possessions. And miscues from Nebraska helped the Buffs build an early lead.
Nebraska quarterback Jeff Sims struggled mightily in his second game with the Huskers. He threw three costly interceptions in the Week 1 loss at Minnesota. On this one, he fumbled three times — all on botched exchanges, with the center or a running back — and also threw a nasty interception.
Sims’ first fumble led to a Colorado field goal, and his interception set up the Sanders-to-Dawson touchdown pass a play later. In total, Colorado would score 16 points off Nebraska’s four turnovers.
On the other hand, Colorado’s defense limited the Nebraska offense to 341 yards, many of which came in garbage time. The Buffs also posted six tackles for loss after having none in the Week 1 win over TCU.
Now 2-0, Colorado will host Colorado State next Saturday before opening Pac-12 play with a road trip to Oregon. Nebraska, meanwhile, fell to 0-2 entering its first season under Matt Rhule. The Huskers host Northern Illinois next week.
