Colorado defeats No. 25 Nebraska 34-31 in OT: highlights and post game quotes

If you were part of the sellout crowd at Folsom Field for the non-conference rivalry game between the Colorado Buffaloes and No. 25 Nebraska Cornhuskers, you got your money’s worth. Whether your team came out ahead or not, you couldn’t have asked for a better build up and ending between both teams.

Nebraska struck first to take a seven point lead on a 65-yard pass from Adrian Martinez to JD Spielman at the 6:02 mark of the first quarter.

Another 10 points went unanswered by the Buffs, who headed into the locker room down 17-0. In large part to a 5-yard touchdown run by Martinez. The Huskers offense outgained CU 266-to-84 for total yards in the first half.

Colorado would not be denied in the second half. After a near scoreless third quarter, the Buffaloes got on the scoreboard. A bang-and-bump run from 11 yards out by Jaren Mangham cut Nebraska’s lead to 10 points with 1:42 before the final period.

And the Buffaloes weren’t done.

A couple minutes later, Steven Montez connected with K.D. Nixon on a 96-yard flea flicker bomb for the longest play from scrimmage in CU history. A new ballgame at Folsom and the Huskers lead was reduced to three, 17-14, with 14:22 left in the fourth quarter.

When you punch a bully in the mouth, expect a fight to ensue. For Colorado, the fourth quarter was their time to show how relentless the team had become. However, Nebraska wouldn’t go away quietly, giving an immediate answer to the Buffs offensive surge. A 75-yard pass from Martinez to Maurice Washington put the Huskers back up by ten, 24-14, with 14:09 left in regulation.

Mangham found the end zone for a second time on the afternoon. A 7-yard run to cut Nebraska’s lead back down to three. On the next Buffs possession, James Stefanou tacked on a 20-yard field goal to tie the game at 24 with 8:30 left.

A brand new game once again.

Nebraska gave one last gasp of breath from a 8 play, 75-yard drive capped off by Martinez shuffling for a 6-yard touchdown run, the second rushing score for the Huskers QB. The 4th-and-1 payoff gave the Huskers a 31-24 lead with 5:49 to go.

A group beaten, but not broken, Colorado was determined to take the 25th-ranked Huskers to the wire. Montez threaded the needle and found Tony Brown at the corner of the end zone for a 26-yard beauty of a touchdown to tie the game at 31 with :46 second left.

Colorado denied Nebraska from even coming close to walking out of Boulder with a win. An interception by Chris Miller gave the Buffs a fighting chance in overtime.

Let’s take em’ to extras, folks.

Colorado took the opening possession in OT and put three on the board with a 34-yard field goal by Stefanou. Ironically, the yardage of the kick nearly matches his age as the second-oldest player in FBS at 32. The Buffs took their first lead of the game at 34-31.

Nebraska had the opportunity to extend play after being held to a 48-yard field goal attempt by punter Issac Armstrong, but the kick fell short giving CU a second straight win in the series.

Colorado moves to 2-0 in the Mel Tucker era. The Buffaloes face in-state rival Air Force for the first time in 45 years next week in Boulder. Nebraska is now 0-6 on the road under Scott Frost.

Quotes:

“When we went out into the tunnel coming out for the second half, those guys were energized and ready to play ball,” -CU coach Mel Tucker on his team’s performance

“This is one of the hardest losses I’ve ever been a part of,” -Nebraska coach Scott Frost

“First half I thought it was over with,” -Nebraska linebacker Mohamed Barry

“We knew we would eventually wear them down and break them at the end and that’s what happened. Hats go off to our players and coaches for keeping their poise and continuing to work. The belief on this team is really huge.” -CU coach Mel Tucker

“We just kind of got it together. We just calmed down and started to play outside ourselves. We took the good coaching we were getting on the sideline and applied it, and good things happened for us.” - CU quarterback Steven Montez said second half turnaround