The college football rivalry between Colorado and Nebraska seems more tame this season, at least publicly. Last year, tensions ran high when Deion Sanders and his son reacted to comments made by Huskers head coach Matt Rhule. However, as they prepare for Saturday’s showdown in Lincoln, both coaches have shown mutual respect for each other.
“There’s always a lot of hype,” Sanders commented on the rivalry. “First, I have a ton of respect for Matt Rhule. He’s in what I call our class of coaches. We all faced a tremendous challenge that year, along with Kenny Dillingham and others. I feel like we’re a fraternity. I root for that group of head coaches that came in together. He was a professional, did a phenomenal job—maybe not the one he aspired to, but he has a wealth of experience, and I admire his accomplishments in college coaching.”
Shedeur Sanders recalled that Rhule showed “disrespect” towards the Colorado program in spring 2023 by criticizing their aggressive transfer portal strategy. Rhule reflected on last season’s tensions, admitting that their exchange may have gone too far.
“I don’t take anything personally,” Rhule said Monday, according to Husker247. “Everyone has their own priorities. I have love in my heart and a lot of respect for what they’re accomplishing. Nothing will bother me. If Shedeur feels that I disrespected his father, it’s natural for him to defend him. That’s commendable; my son would do the same. I’ve got many players ready to show up on Saturday.”
Both Colorado and Nebraska head into their Week 2 matchup after securing wins in their season openers. The Buffaloes narrowly defeated North Dakota State, 31-26, while the Huskers dominated UTEP, 40-7, especially in the last three quarters.
The quarterbacks will be a focal point on Saturday, with Shedeur Sanders leading the FBS with 445 passing yards and four touchdowns for Colorado. Meanwhile, Nebraska’s five-star true freshman Dylan Raiola impressed in his first game, completing 19 of 27 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns, along with 223 rushing yards from the offense.
“I expect them to be physically tough and try to run the ball,” Deion Sanders noted. “They have a freshman quarterback who performed well last week, but we need to play our game and show what we can do.”
Leave a Reply