The Nebraska football team will renew its rivalry with Colorado one more time this fall. But when it does, one analyst believes that there’s more than a game at stake. One analyst believes that the clash between the old Big 8 and Big 12 rivals is a battle between two different approaches. Two different cultures.
When the two teams met last year, it became clear quickly that there’s no love lost between Nebraska football and Colorado. For lack of a better word, the rivalry became “personal.” It’s likely going to be even more personal when the Buffaloes come to Lincoln.
One reason why the rivalry has gotten so vicious is because off the field, the Huskers and Buffaloes have been compared for their approach to recruiting. And that’s at the center of Mike Farrell Sports’ writer Rock Westfall’s “culture war” comments.
“Matt Rhule is trying to build Nebraska the old-fashioned way, through recruitment and development. Nebraska ranked 24th for its 2024 recruiting class compared to Colorado’s class rank of 64th. That is because Deion Sanders is using the opposite approach. Colorado placed 2nd in the nation for its 2024 transfer portal ranking. Nebraska ranked 23rd. The Huskers took in six transfers compared to 24 coming into Colorado.”
Nebraska football will face a culture war as well as a tough opponent
The analyst believes that the game between the two teams is going to be a statement on which approach works the best. Deion Sanders is taking “shortcuts” to get where Nebraska football still is even if it’s struggled mightily the last eight years.
Meanwhile, Rhule is building the Cornhuskers the “right way” according to old schoolers. He’s bringing in guys from the portal to patch holes, but mostly trying to build his team from the high school ranks. The “sustained success” approach.
One game isn’t going to determine which approach works best. Nebraska football will be breaking in a freshman quarterback in all likelihood. Meanwhile Colorado will have a veteran signal-caller under center and a revamped offense.
A Nebraska win doesn’t prove any case. Neither does Colorado. But that doesn’t mean beating Deion Sanders’ squad wouldn’t be incredibly fun.