LINCOLN, Neb. — You don’t bring a 30-carat diamond watch to a sword fight.
A Maybach can’t block. An NIL deal won’t chip an angry defensive end. You can’t microwave what has to be baked, slowly.
The Buffs were built for this moment. A foundation made of glitter, sand and promises, broken like so many hearts.
Nebraska punched CU in the mouth. By the time the Buffs got up off the canvas, the bell had rung and the judges had gone home.
Huskers 28, CU 10. What’s the point of a top-10 pick at quarterback if he spends half of Saturday running for his life? What good is a generational talent at wide receiver if nobody has time to find him in the clear?
You can’t nuke what has to be buttered and basted. And if the Buffs are going to block like this on the road, their season might be cooked.
The transfer portal is a finisher, a garnish. Not a base. The football programs with staying power stayed there the old-fashioned way, growing and nurturing a unit together.
Nebraska ran for 149 yards on 35 carries, forging a 28-0 halftime lead and staggering to the finish. Three-fifths of the Huskers’ Week 1 offensive line made at least seven starts as a trio last fall for the Big Red.
Last Thursday, conversely, was the first time CU’s rebuilt offensive line had ever started together as a group. Statistically, the debut proved to be something of a mixed bag. While Shedeur Sanders often threw under duress, he was only sacked once. The Buffs chewed up clock in the third quarter, they ran the ball for just 59 net yards on 23 attempts against an FCS opponent. Albeit one that gave up only 117 rush yards and 3.9 yards per carry to foes a year ago.
Sanders was sacked five times on Saturday.
Oregon postgame: You better get us now.
Nebraska: Hold our beer.
With apologies to Utah, the Wisconsin of the West, the Cornhuskers fielded arguably the best defense, and most physical offensive and defensive lines, that CU will see the rest of the way.
Much of what Coach Prime promised is still on the table. Technically. But not the College Football Playoff. Not this fall. Not for a team with more penalties at the half (seven) than first downs (six).
Not for a team that has a former Ohio State tailback in Dallan Hayden, and so rarely uses him.
Deion Sanders has been running a program without a huddle, hurrying up to maximize the last collegiate years of sons Shedeur Sanders and Shilo Sanders, trying to milk the pre-NFL time the superlative Travis Hunter has left.
He’s got 10 games. And he might be missing Shilo for at least some of those.
As a test, as an affirmation, Saturday wasn’t just telling. It was screaming.
Fire up the portal.
Can we get a new offensive line in here?
New defensive line?
New offensive coordinator, maybe?
This was Eugene without the three-week honeymoon, Oregon without the fumes. Except for the steam coming from Deion Sanders’ ears on the sideline.
“(Expletive) CU!” the Nebraska students chanted.
“Shilo’s broke!” they bellowed during warmups.
By the hosts’ second series, Shilo was on the bench, getting treatment. With 5:51 left in the first quarter, he was seen headed to the locker room.
The elder Sanders said at halftime his son might’ve broken his forearm. Things for Shedeur didn’t start much better.
The Huskers ran out with their ’94 national championship team. The Buffs ran out with Terrell Owens. Derrick White was in the house because Derrick White is everywhere.
CU got the ball first, and the contrast between last September and this was apparent immediately. Mostly in terms of locale, as the younger Sanders appeared to struggle to be heard. His first play, a screen to Hunter, skipped across the turf. His second, a screen to LaJohntay Wester, was off the mark. His third ended in a sack by Ty Robinson for a 9-yard loss.
Deion Sanders could outrun the football gods and dare them to keep up. Coach Prime can’t. At some point, all that empty catches up with you.