Huskers know there is still plenty on the line
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BY BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star
The video has worked its way through Internet circles. Perhaps you’ve seen it.
It’s the clip of first-year Colorado coach Dan Hawkins, at a homecoming pep rally, trying to ignite some passion for Buffalo football amid the team’s winless start.
“At 0-5,” Hawkins told a crowd of CU fans, “the worst days as a Buff is better than the best days as a Husker.”
The fans responded with cheers. Hawkins’ football team responded by losing yet again, this time in triple-overtime to Baylor.
Nebraska coach Bill Callahan showed the video to his team on Sunday.
“Yeah, we laughed,” Nebraska receiver Maurice Purify said, “and felt kind of mad that he would say something like that. It’s kind of disrespect.”
There you have it. The fire for this year’s big game: A seven-week- old video.
Lace ’em up.
Nebraska and Colorado play Friday at Memorial Stadium, and there’s been more at stake in spring scrimmages than this regular-season finale.
Or so it would appear.
No. 23 Nebraska (8-3, 5-2 Big 12) has clinched the Big 12 North title. Colorado (2-9, 2-5) can’t even play a spoiler role. The Buffs’ season — perhaps their worst since going 1-10 in 1984 — is finished.
What’s on the line? Plenty, say the Huskers.
“They’re obviously going to come out and try to ruin our season,” said Purify, whose nephew — yes, nephew — Bobby, was a running back for Colorado from 2000-04.
“I’m just going to do as much as I can to make them feel bad when they leave here and bring as much pain as I can to them.”
A victory would give Nebraska a sweep of Big 12 North teams for the first time since 1999, the last time the Huskers won the division. It’d also snap a streak of four straight victories by the road team in the series. The last time Nebraska won at home was in 2000, when Josh Brown’s last-second field goal provided a 34-32 victory.
“This (game) does matter in what we’re trying to achieve,” Purify said.
But the big stuff — namely, a Big 12 North title — has already been decided. Does that lessen Nebraska’s motivation Friday?
“No. We are concerned about winning the football game,” Callahan said. “That’s where our focus is. There has been no such talk or dialogue whatsoever in that respect.
“We’ve never talked about backing a player down, because this is an important football game for us, and we treat it seriously, like we do every game. So, really, nothing has changed from how we approach this game whatsoever. Nothing.”
Maintaining momentum, Callahan said, is critical as the Huskers prepare for the Dec. 2 Big 12 Championship Game in Kansas City, against Texas or Oklahoma.
“He tells us that even though we’ve won the North,” Nebraska running back Brandon Jackson said, “that doesn’t mean we can relax.”
Last year, Colorado entered the Nebraska game, at home, having already clinched the Big 12 North. The Buffs, though, were coming off a loss at Iowa State, were beaten soundly by NU and limped into the Big 12 title game, where they lost 70-3 to Texas.
“We kind of destroyed whatever they had going on,” Jackson said, “and it put us on top.”
Nebraska would appear to be in much better mental shape than Colorado was last season. The Huskers are coming off an emotional 28-27 victory at Texas A&M.
Yet the Huskers know to expect Colorado’s best effort. Senior fullback Dane Todd said they’re prepared to match Colorado’s emotion and intensity, without getting too hyped.
“As far as I’m concerned, it’s another game,” Todd said. “If we try to place too much emphasis on it, we’ll falter in our preparation.”
Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@journalstar.com.
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