Osborne opposed to CU as top rival

BOULDER, Colo. - Even after watching Nebraska hold on for dear life in a 27-24 victory over Colorado Friday, Cornhusker coach Tom Osborne was opposed to the idea that the Buffaloes are his team's biggest rival.

AP Photo

Colorado quarterback John Hessler, right, gets dragged down from behind by Nebraska defender Grant Wistrom in the third quarter of Nebraska's 27-24 victory in Folsom Field in Boulder, Colo.

Few would argue that Friday's Colorado-Nebraska matchup wasn't quite what the ABC television network hoped it would be when it scheduled the broadcast of the game before the season ever started.

The Buffaloes, who were tabbed by several publications as a Top 5 team entering the year, came into the game with a 5-5 record. However, Colorado's frantic fourth-quarter rally led by quarterback John Hessler's 32-yard touchdown pass to Marcus Stiggers and 18-yard scoring toss to Robert Toler turned the Folsom Field crowd of 52,738 - at least 8,000 of them wearing red - into believers.

"We put a lot of heart into today's game," Hessler said. "No one would give up today, even though it's been a frustrating year."

After the Buffaloes' final score pulled them to within three points with 2:37 to play, the game certainly had the look and feel of a hotly-contested rivalry. And that's just what it was, according to Nebraska quarterback Scott Frost.

"It's definitely a rivalry," Frost said, contradicting Osborne's remarks. "Colorado-Nebraska is always going to be a rivalry. It's one of the best."

Whether or not Nebraska-Colorado is considered a rivalry, the series has been somewhat one-sided. The Huskers, who lead the all-time series 40-14-2, have won their last six games over the Buffs since a tie at Boulder in 1991. CU last beat Nebraska in 1990 at Lincoln and went on to claim a share of the national championship that year.

Nebraska senior rush end Grant Wistrom wouldn't go so far as to use the "R" word when he talked about Colorado.

"I wouldn't call it a rivalry -- I wouldn't want to give them the satisfaction of me saying that," Wistrom said.