Considering the abundance of new players on both teams, neither the Colorado Buffaloes nor the Nebraska Cornhuskers stand to benefit much from analyzing last season’s meeting in Boulder.
For the Cornhuskers, their most notable change comes at the quarterback position with true freshman Dylan Raiola now owning the keys to Nebraska’s offense. He performed well in the Huskers’ 40-7 win against UTEP in Week 1, but Colorado’s defense represents an entirely different challenge.
In a rivalry that dates back to 1898, the Buffs are looking for their fourth straight win over Nebraska. Saturday’s Week 2 matchup is set for 5:30 p.m. MT (NBC) at Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium.
Below are five things to know about the 2024 Nebraska Cornhuskers:
Five-star freshman quarterback
Often compared to Patrick Mahomes for his appearance and playstyle, true freshman Dylan Raiola is one of the brightest young quarterbacks in college football. The former five-star quarterback threw for 238 yards and two touchdowns in his Huskers debut last week, garnering some praise from Coach Prime.
Second-year head coach
Matt Rhule is navigating his second year at Nebraska football’s helm. A former linebacker at Penn State, Rhule’s previous head coaching stops came at Temple (2013-16), Baylor (2017-19) and the NFL’s Carolina Panthers (2020-22).
Since last time…
Since falling to the Buffs early last season, the Huskers have gone 6-5. None of those six wins are particularly impressive, however: Northern Illinois, Louisiana Tech, Illinois, Northwestern, Purdue and UTEP.
Defensive standouts
Led by second-year defensive coordinator Tony White, the Cornhuskers’ D performed well against UTEP, limiting the Miners to only 205 yards of offense. Defensive backs Rahmir Stewart and Malcolm Hartzog Jr. each recorded an interception, defensive lineman Ty Robinson had two TFLs and one sack, and converted offensive lineman Mason Goldman picked up a sack.
Other names to know include DL Nash Hutmacher, linebacker John Bullock and cornerback Marques Buford Jr.
Raiola’s weapons
It’s still early, but Nebraska’s offensive skill players have much to prove in 2024. Against UTEP, Raiola’s favorite receiving targets were Isaiah Neyor (six catches for 121 yards), Jahmal Banks (four for 61), Janiran Bonner (three for 26) and Carter Nelson (three for 21).
Running backs Emmett Johnson, Dante Dowdell and Rahmir Johnson combined for 176 yards on 27 carries.
Further reading
READ: Colorado Buffaloes at Nebraska Cornhuskers updated betting odds
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This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Five things to know about the 2024 Nebraska Cornhuskers
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