Notes & quotes ahead of Huskers’ primetime matchup with Colorado

To say that Saturday’s game between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Colorado Buffaloes is highly anticipated seems to be an understatement.

The rivals will clash in primetime at Memorial Stadium, with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m.

It should be a perfect college football environment for the 73rd matchup between these two programs.

There has also been a lot said this week leading up to the big game, so here are some of the top quotes from Week 2 of the season, with some added context for each.

• “There’s a bunch of people comparing him to that guy up in Kansas City. I like to agree with them just because he plays really well, throws the ball really well, he’s very smart he helps us a lot by getting the ball out pretty quick so yeah, he’s a talented player.” — Huskers left tackle Turner Corcoran

Corcoran has apparently seen the comparisons of Dylan Raiola to Patrick Mahomes. The junior praised Raiola’s maturity for his age and said he believes the true freshman has “a really bright future here.”

• “We know we’re a physical team so we just gonna go out and play our game and we just hope that they can match that so I mean we’re just gonna play our game.“ — Huskers defensive lineman Jimari Butler

Butler, a junior and one of 12 defenders to earn a Blackshirt, on the type of tone they want to set against Colorado on Saturday.

Related: Huskers bringing back balloon release for Nebraska-Colorado game?

• “Every game, it’s big, but this one’s just got a lot of meaning to it.” — Huskers defensive back Isaac Gifford

The senior leader and Lincoln native knows the history of this rivalry and you can bet he’ll be motivated on game-day.

• “Yeah, you know it’s intense, I mean going out there, it’s really cutthroat both teams going at it, you can really feel the emotion and energy from both sides of the ball.” — Defensive lineman Ty Robinson

Another senior leader and Blackshirt, Robinson said he’s ready for the challenge Colorado brings.

• “I know the rivalry runs deep but we gotta stay focused to the task at hand and can’t get caught up in everything else so we just gotta worry about playing football and doing our brand of football.” — Raiola

The true freshman added that his father, former Huskers All-American Dominic Raiola, told him he never lost to Colorado.

• “I love it, I think that’s what college football is all about. Whether we’re in the same conferences or not but this is a tremendous rivalry and I look forward to it.” — Colorado head coach Deion Sanders

The coach of the Buffaloes says he loves the history and intensity of the rivalry with Nebraska, adding that Colorado’s governor talked to the team early this week about it, too, and made clear that they shouldn’t wear red this week.

• “I think it’ll be a great, great, great atmosphere. Night game, people have all day to kind of get themselves ready for the game and it should be loud, it should be a home field advantage. It was loud there last year, it should be a home field … like I said, Sunday, let’s all be Nebraska nice on Sunday but it should be a loud, loud, raucous, good atmosphere.” Huskers head coach Matt Rhule

Rhule said he thought the crowd for the UTEP game as “awesome” but expects even more for Saturday’s showdown.

• “I was hoping that he was going to be able to come out and just play and just play like he does. … He was like a freakin’ surgeon, it was amazing to see him, just his maturity, way beyond his years from that standpoint.” — Huskers offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield

Related: Huskers offensive coordinator Satterfield on Dylan Raiola in debut: 'He was like a freakin' surgeon'

Talking about his true freshman quarterback’s collegiate debut, Satterfield praised Raiola’s focus, which he’ll hope to see again on Saturday.

• “He is a talent. It seems like, if you go through and look at all the games, there’s a lot of ways people played him, and he was still able to perform and still able to execute. It’s a really big challenge, but he’s the type of player that makes you a better coordinator because you have to find ways, you have to be creative, you have to find ways to cover, you have to find ways to attack, you have to find ways to disguise. It’ll be a challenge.” — Huskers defensive coordinator Tony White

White, talking about the challenge of slowing down quarterback Shedeur Sanders and the Colorado offense, said the Huskers will have their hands full on Saturday.

Other notes:

• Rhule says Tristan Alvano will handle kicking duties, at least for field goals, but John Hohl could take over on kickoffs in certain spots.
• Senior linebacker Javin Wright, who has been out due to an undisclosed health issue, could be making his way back after Rhule said they got a “really positive update” this week. However, Wright still has a little ways to go before he could return, the coach added.
• Nebraska’s running back by committee approach remains the same this weekend so expect to see plenty of Rahmir and Emmett Johnson, Dante Dowdell and Gabe Ervin.