22nd-ranked CU Buffs roll past rival Nebraska – Boulder Daily Camera

A week of being in the spotlight and receiving pats on the back didn’t bother the Colorado Buffaloes.

The most talked about team in the country made another statement on Saturday, opening the 100th season at Folsom Field with a dominant 36-14 rout of rival Nebraska and ensuring the spotlight won’t be leaving Boulder any time soon.

Despite a slow start offensively, the 22nd-ranked Buffaloes pulled away in the second half to improve to 2-0 and send their long-time rivals back to Lincoln at 0-2.

CU has won three in a row against the Huskers for just the second time in their history, matching the feat of the 1956-58 Buffs teams.

A crowd of 53,241 – the largest at Folsom Field in 15 years – showed up for the much-anticipated home debut of first-year head coach Deion Sanders and the new-look Buffs and they weren’t disappointed.

Quarterback Shedeur Sanders shook off a slow start to throw for 393 yards and two touchdowns, while adding a rushing score, and receiver Tar’Varish Dawson scored two touchdowns – one on a reception and one on a run. Xavier Weaver had 10 catches for 170 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, the Buffs showed significant improvement from the opener at TCU, holding the Huskers to just one score and forcing four turnovers.

The first half was almost completely opposite of a week earlier at TCU. In that one, the Buffs seemed to score at will while the defense struggled to stop TCU.

On Saturday, the offense sputtered throughout the first half and the defense was locked in.

CU punted on each of its first four possessions, while Nebraska kept making mistakes. The Cornhuskers lost a fumble on its first possession, punted twice and then had a field goal attempt hit off the right upright.

The Huskers lost a second fumble with 5 minutes, 32 seconds to play in the second quarter, giving the Buffs the ball at the Nebraska 19-yard line. The offense sputtered again, but Jace Feely hit a 31-yard field goal to get the scoring started.

Three plays later, CU’s Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig picked off a Jeff Sims pass and CU took over at the Nebraska 30. The next play was a 30-yard touchdown pass from Shedeur Sanders to Tar’Varish Dawson for a 10-0 lead.

Just before halftime, the Buffs forced a Nebraska punt and then Shedeur Sanders found some rhythm, going 4-for-4 for 48 yards. That put the Buffs in position for a 32-yard field goal from Feely, making it 13-0 going into halftime.

CU got the ball to start the third quarter but failed on a fourth down attempt at the Nebraska 33-yard line. Four plays later, the Huskers got on the board with a 57-yard touchdown run by quarterback Jeff Sims, cutting the CU lead to 13-7.

Rather than spark Nebraska, that seemed to spur the Buffs.

The Buffs responded with a 10-play, 75-yard drive, capped by a 12-yard touchdown pass from Shedeur Sanders to Xavier Weaver.

After a Nebraska three-and-out, the Buffs got another field goal from Feely to go up 23-7. Then, with 10:45 to play in the fourth, Dawson scored on an 8-yard run to give the Buffs a 29-7 lead.

Shedeur Sanders added a 6-yard touchdown run with 4:54 to go to cap the scoring.