Matt Rhule is looking forward to getting another shot at Colorado.
So is every Husker fan, to say the least. And likely everyone wearing the N on their helmet this fall. But Rhule mentioned in a conversation on “The Joel Klatt Show” this week he was disappointed with the 0-2 start to last season, including a loss at Colorado.
“I’m still down about those two games,” Rhule said.
Rhule will have a chance at redemption against the old Husker rival Sept. 7 in Lincoln. That game is set for a 6:30 p.m. CDT kickoff on NBC and Peacock.
“How good is it for that part of the country to have this game and have it be national TV at night,” Rhule asked rhetorically. “How good is it for the game of football?”
Rhule talked about this game being a chance for his team to capture the attention of a national audience in a way that won’t be there every week, including the season opener against UTEP.
“What Deion (Sanders) has done, in my opinion, is he’s made football relevant to maybe people that weren’t watching it,” Rhule said. “It’s our chance to come into that game, and people are gonna tune in to see them, and they’ll have a chance to watch us too.
“If we play well, maybe people will have that same energy about us nationally that they have about them.”
To play well, the Blackshirts will need to lock down Buffalo quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Last year, Sanders led No. 22 Colorado to a 36-14 win as he threw for 393 yards and a pair of touchdowns, adding another score with his legs in the final quarter.
“The one thing I think we always have to remember when we talk about Colorado is how good Shedeur is,” Rhule said. “He is one of the best football players I’ve ever coached against. We blitzed him; I think we sacked him like 10 times. We hit him a ton and he stood in there.
“I know everyone sees Shedeur on commercials. They see the swagger that he plays with but he’s an unbelievable competitor. He’s tough.”
Rhule added that other dynamic players like Travis Hunter will be something the Huskers have to game plan for. But if things go Nebraska’s way, a national audience and a 2-0 start could propel the Huskers into a big year two for the Rhule era.
You can watch the full appearance here.