A Post-Nebraska Re-Cap

It’s November 28th, 2008, and I’m in Lincoln, Nebraska. There the Buffs were, so there I went. No one ever wants to be in Lincoln, it’s the kind of place you end up because you have to. I would’ve preferred literally anywhere else to spend my post-Thanksgiving weekend that fall, but it was what it was.

The Buffs of that year, if you’ve since forgotten, headed east needing a win over the Huskers to attain bowl eligibility for the 2nd time in as many seasons. What would make for an earth-twisting development now was then a rather routine possibility then -- little did we know at the time the direction the program would take in the coming decade. It is in that light that the '08 game takes on a larger meaning. Had it gone differently, I have no doubt that the coming years - Dan Hawkins’ lame duck seasons, the disastrous Jon Embree experiment, the plaintive rebuilding effort by Mike MacIntyre - would each have swerved more positively, sidestepping at least some of the numerous pratfalls that we’ve since had to live with. Unfortunately, that was not to be.

The game itself, the 67th all-time meeting between the two ancient Big 8 foes, was an exciting one. The Buffs burst out to a quick 14-0 lead before Nebraska bounced back to take their first lead of the game in the 2nd Quarter. CU would then sprint into the halftime locker room thanks to a Jimmy Smith counter-punch. The future NFL corner had sniffed out a fake field goal attempt in the waning seconds of the half, intercepted the pitch, and briskly jogged the remaining 58 yards for a schadenfreude-heavy game-tying score. By the time the game was deep into the 4th Quarter, CU was holding onto a lead gained through a methodical drive that ended with a four-yard Demetrius Sumler plunge that still had CU up 31-30 with a few minutes to play.

On what was to be the game’s climactic drive, started by the Huskers with a little more than four minutes left on the clock at their own 26-yard line, all the Buffs needed to do was keep Nebraska out of field goal range and they would win. A quick pass and two consecutive big runs by the Scarlet Letterman, however, had them precisely there, flipping the field to the CU 25 with over two minutes to play. That’s when Husker QB Joe Ganz took a delicious 15-yard sack on 2nd down to push Nebraska back to the 40, seemingly well out of field goal range. When the ensuing 3rd down pass fell incomplete to bring up 4th and 25, the small knot of Colorado fans who had made the trip could all but taste victory.

It's at this point that first-year Husker coach Bo Pelini did the unthinkable -- he called for his kicker. Enter: Alex Henery. The future NFL booter trotted onto the field to line up for an NU record 57-yard field goal. “No way,'' I thought, “put someone back there for the return when it falls short.” Mind you, this game was being played at low-plains elevation on a Midwestern November day. The sun had set, the air heavy and cool. There’s no way a college kicker not named Mason Crosby should’ve been able to make that kick. Instead, the Nebraska native Henery drilled the fuckin’ ball right through the uprights with yards to spare, sending the red-clad horde into a frenzy. It was the longest field goal he ever made, either in college or the pros.

What followed, two straight CU drives that ended in interceptions, the first returned for a touchdown to end all doubt, was inevitable. The final, 40-31, sent Colorado home for bowl season, marked the first of what would become eight-consecutive losing seasons, and cross-checked all claims to progress that Dan Hawkins could make at the end of his third campaign. The table was then set for the calamity that followed, all thanks to that miracle kick.

It was with this in mind that I watched Nebraska punter Isaac Armstrong, pressganged into service as a placekicker with regular starter Barret Pickering sidelined with an undisclosed injury, line up for a 48-yard field goal attempt in overtime of Saturday's 71st iteration of the CU/NU blood feud. This was a chance, I thought, for a karmic balancing of the scales.

The Buffs, of course, had scarcely looked like they would be in a position to see this moment come to pass. Down 17-0 after a first-half where they mostly flopped around the field like an oxygen-starved trout, the team barely looked improved as the 2nd half started and they went a total of 30 yards on 11 plays through their first two 3rd quarter possessions.

Nebraska, though, seemed to be 'going through some shit.' After their first three drives of the game had resulted in 237 yards and 14 points, it had originally appeared as if NU would run away with the contest. Then, they just kind of... got drowsy. There's no other way I can describe it. Ill-conceived play calling, passivity from QB Adrian Martinez, and overall conservatism (probably combined with the high-plains altitude and a typically-omnipresent Colorado sun) conspired with a CU defense gaining confidence to stunt the Huskers offense in their tracks.

Following a shortened field situation where they could only muster a field goal, Nebraska would gain just 35 yards over their next five drives; a span of 20 plays (albeit one of them a kneel into the half). This mid-afternoon siesta gave the Buffs just enough time to shake out the cobwebs of a decidedly un-Pac-12 early afternoon kickoff, and find their offensive rhythm.

First, a 64-yard, 8 play drive that was capped by Colorado running back Jaren Mangham's 11-yard scamper got the Buffs on the board. Then, after stepping around the still snoozing Husker offense, CU caught lighting in a bottle with a 96-yard flea-flicker pass from Steve Montez to KD Nixon to get the Buffs within three points early in the 4th quarter, 17-14. The play, which caught NU unawares, saw Nixon side-step the lone remaining defender at the midfield logo, then briskly jog the remainder of the field untouched, not unlike how Jimmy Smith had when he blew-up the fake field goal 11 years ago. A game that had exhibited all the makings of a dour rout was, all of a sudden, a terse battle, and the Buffs had all the momentum.

The ensuing Husker possession was their first spurt of positivity in about 90 minutes of real-time, however. A swing pass from Martinez to wideout Maurice Washington broke CU's contain on the edge, thanks in part to safety Aaron Maddox getting caught taking a bad angle into traffic, and went for a 75-yard score. But, and this is very much to their credit, the Buffs refused to go away quietly. Back down the field they went, churning up their own 75 yards in five plays to score their third touchdown in as many drives, bringing them back to within three, 24-21. An NU fumble then led to a shortened field and a compromise field goal for Colorado to tie the game up at 24-all. As good as Nebraska had looked early in the game, Colorado now looked ascendant, and the numerous red-clad goobers who had followed their Corn west grew sternly quiet.

The teams would trade touchdowns in the remaining minutes -- Nebraska's, a resounding seven-play, 75-yard effort; Colorado's, which ended in a 26-yard touch pass from Montez to Tony Brown, brought to mind last season's finale in Lincoln. Now tied at 31-31, the teams headed into overtime, with Folsom more electrified than it had been at any point since the 2016 season.

Into the extra frame, CU got the ball first but had to settle for a field goal after their shortened drive stalled at the 17. Which brings us, finally, back around to Mr Armstrong and his dance with a 48-yarder.

Just as in 2008, the kick was set up by an ill-timed sack taken by a Nebraska QB. Colorado lineman Mustafa Johnson, an All-Pac-12 performer from 2018, burst past his blockers on 3rd down to grab at Martinez, who had been slowed in his downfield reads by a bad snap. In the NFL, Johnson's tackle, from the ground, at Martinez's legs, would've been ruled illegal, thanks to our nation's continuing efforts to keep Tom Brady as coddled as possible, but, this being college, it was righteous and glorious.

Contrary to 2008, however, the Huskers were forced to rely on a backup playing out of position, rather than a future professional. Even given the perfect conditions on the day - sunny, little breeze, dry, and warm - Armstrong gave himself little chance. I knew it was a miss from the second it came off his foot. Let alone right or left, the ball was sailing flat and starting to frisbee from the off. It was destined for nowhere but dead space, and immediately the Colorado students recognized the moment. The field was rushed, Armstrong was left to slam his helmet and slump off (another one for the #CollegeKickers meme), and the Buffs bathed in vengeance for 2008. 34-31, order maintained.

--

The Bulle(i)t Points

• You may be asking yourself, “Who the hell is this guy,” or, “Why the hell did you come out of pseudo-retirement for some random football win?”  Well, my name is Ben, and I used to blog a bit in my spare time. I decided to pick back up the virtual quill right about the same time the Buffs exited the halftime locker room down 17-0 to the damn Huskers. Just the first time in years that I've been both moved to write and blessed with the free time to do so.  I will not commit to any other posts at this time, though I hope you enjoyed this one.

• Steve Montez, confirmed at 5-0 against CSU and Nebraska in his career, could become the first QB in school history to ever beat CSU, Nebraska, and Utah in the same season with a win over the Utes in November.

• Note: I didn't actually look this up, and some other QB may have already claimed this honor.  However, this sounds right, and I’ve slandered Steve enough over the last few years, so I feel I owe it to him to take a chance this one, regardless of what may or may not be factual.

• Speaking of Montez, he has looked sharp and poised this season. He's really only made one obvious error through two high-pressure games and has got his team in the endzone when needed. Not much more you could ask for. Honestly, he's starting to look more like his predecessor, Sefo Liufau, did in 2016 -- a rock around which this team can construct itself.

• Whither Laviska Shenault? The preseason All-American wide receiver has just 125 combined rushing and receiving yards through two games, with just one touchdown and a fumble to show for it. Opponents are dedicated to making his life a living hell, with jams at the line, double- and triple-teams down the field, and physical attempts to deny him the ball once it has been thrown at him. It's obvious that Viska is both frustrated and banged up in the process. For the Buffs, it's lucky that wide receiver is the deepest potion on their depth chart, but it's still disquieting to see the young phenom struggle so in the early going.

• Mel Tucker has his time with CU off to about as good of a start as could be dreamed up. With opening wins against Colorado's two largest non-conference rivals, no one can complain about the results, so far. The team has proven to have a mental resiliency that far surpasses what we saw last year (*cough* Oregon State *cough*), and which could spell a successful season, even given a daunting schedule. Play like this against Pac-12 teams, and you'll get some wins.

• At one point during the game, I turned around to talk with a Buff fan seated behind me. In the conversation, he made reference to his friend, seated next to him, who was wearing a Husker shirt. Something about the conversation was off, however. I put on the brakes, asking "Hold on, what school did you attend?" The Husker sheepishly said, surprisingly enough, "For undergrad? Northwestern." Stunned, I shot back, "At any point did you attend the school on your shirt?" No, he had not. It always amazes me how people will come to care about a school they have no link to. That they would travel hundreds of miles and shell out $1,000+ to watch them play is even more baffling. I get pride in your school, but someone else's? Weird.

• On that point: attendance. For you Buff fans who sold your tickets to someone wearing red, well, I understand. Season tickets aren't cheap, and I don't know your financial situation. If you needed the money, and some drooler from out east was willing to offer it to you, then, by all means, go ahead and take it. There are plenty of Buffs who paid for their entire season on Saturday by staying home, and I won't begrudge them that choice. If they show up the rest of the season loud and proud, then it's all water under the bridge.

• Kudos to both Ball and CU for the new aluminum cups at the stadium. For all the green reasons behind their rollout, they're really cool, and I'd be down with them even without the lessened environmental impact. In fact, I took home nine of the cups after the game yesterday, both as a reminder of how much beer I had been drinking and as souvenirs.

• I say nine, but it should've been 10. However, my friend Dave forgot to save his, so took one of mine. I feel I'm owed one.

• Speaking of beer, have you all checked out Stampede from Avery? Tabbed as a 'Colorado Gold Lager,' it's your basic sessionable lager. Clear, crisp, light. It has slightly more flavor than the adjuncts you're familiar with and comes with a beautiful image of Ralphie on the can. In lieu of posting every week, consider it my Gameday Beer of the Season for 2019.

• Some 13 years since they last graced us with an album, Tool is back in our lives, dropping Fear Inoculant back at the end of August. I've been a Tool fan since I was in middle school but had long ago given up on the dream of ever hearing a new album. To get this is like receiving a long-delayed Christmas present. The best part? I really like it! If you don't mind a little prog in your metal, I highly recommend it, though, buyer beware, not a single full song on the album is fewer than 10 minutes in length.

• I had been discussing the album with some of my coworkers this past week who are fellow Tool-heads. They were, to my surprise, less pleased with the product. At one point, one of them expressed to me that they felt it was far too self-indulgent. Well, of course it is! Have you ever listened to Tool? Maynard especially lives with his head four feet up his ass at all times. That's part of the charm, though! You don't get a song with 47 key signature changes if the band in question isn't completely full of themselves.

• Finally, in case you were wondering, the basketball team is going to be really good this year.  I wish I had the time to spend 20k+ words on them, but, if you’re looking for a preview… they’re going to roll some fools.  (Wow, saved myself a shit-ton of words simplifying that… should’ve figured that out years ago.)

'Sko and #RollTad