Jimmy Horn Jr. says Colorado football team is taking Nebraska rivalry 'real serious'

Jimmy Horn Jr. had the best game of his college football career to open the 2024 season, but a bitter rivalry dating back to 1898 is all that's on his mind this week.

The Colorado football team (1-0) travels to Memorial Stadium on Saturday for a matchup with Nebrask a (1-0). It's a game that means just a little bit more than the rest.

"I can tell that our team is taking this rivalry real serious," Horn Jr. said Thursday of Nebraska. "It's a lot of history behind it and we just have to rep this CU logo that we play for. I know Nebraska is a big rivalry team and we're not about to play with them because I know they're not coming to play with us so that's really the whole team's mindset."

It seems as though both teams have the same energy towards each other.

On Tuesday, Nebraska linebacker Mikai Gbayor said some things about the Colorado matchup that evidently got back to Horn Jr.

"Hit them hard from the start," Gbayor told local media Tuesday. "I'm going to be running down on kickoff. You'll see me down there. They're going to need two guys to block me. I want them to know that. That's how we're coming down there.

"For another team to come in here, thinking that they're going to run through us or it's going to be sweet, good luck to them. I wish them the best."

More: What Deion Sanders said about Colorado football's Week 2 matchup vs Nebraska

Gbayor led the Cornhuskers in total tackles (five) during their 40-7 season-opening win over UTEP and had his best game of the 2023 season in a 36-14 loss to the Buffs (five solo tackles).

However, if Horn Jr. or one of the Colorado receivers get a chance to make a play in Gbayor's vicinity, they'll be licking their chops.

"I’ve watched a couple of their interviews so I’m on that timing," Horn Jr. said Thursday. "My receivers group, we on that timing. We know what time it is."

Horn Jr. opened Week 1 of the college football season with a career-high 198 receiving yards and a touchdown on seven receptions. The senior's 69-yard touchdown catch against North Dakota State put his elite speed and elusiveness on display.

Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule on Monday called Horn Jr. a "difference maker."

"Obviously, you know 12, Travis (Hunter) is playing both ways, which is amazing, but to me, 5 (Horn Jr.) dominates the middle of the field," Rhule said.

More: Nebraska football coach Matt Rhule talks Colorado, Shedeur Sanders before rivalry game

The Cornhuskers' defense will have their hands full trying to guard Horn Jr,. Travis Hunter and the rest of Colorado's talented receivers with Shedeur Sanders throwing them the ball. Horn Jr. caught eight passes for 64 yards while Sanders threw for 393 yards and two touchdowns (zero interceptions) as the Buffs beat Nebraska for the third consecutive time last year.

Colorado and Nebraska kickoff from Memorial Stadium at 5:30 p.m. MT (NBC) on Saturday.

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This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Jimmy Horn Jr. says Colorado football team is taking Nebraska rivalry 'real serious'