Last week’s Hail Varsity Historical included predictions by Missouri players of Colorado winning against the Huskers the following Saturday, Nov. 10, 1994.
It wasn’t just Missouri predicting a Buffalo victory. Colorado came to Lincoln ranked second by the Associated Press. Nebraska football was third, Penn State first.
That despite the game being played at Memorial Stadium, the 200th-consecutive sellout, and the Huskers having 22 regular-season victories in a row. “We were labeled underdogs,” quarterback Brook Berringer said afterward. “We don’t take that lightly, especially at home.”
Nebraska won 24-7. But first, consider more context.
ABC televised the game nationally, with ESPN’s Game Day on campus. The Nebraska sports information office issue 538 press credentials, the most since the 1987 Oklahoma game.
Attendance was 76,131. Kickoff was at 11:08 a.m.
Colorado, ranked second nationally in total offense (averaging 502.9 yards) and fourth in scoring (40.3) and rushing (295.4), featured running back Rashaan Salaam, quarterback Kordell Stewart and wide receiver Michael Westbrook. They were compared to Nebraska’s 1983 Scoring Explosion “Triplets,” Mike Rozier, Turner Gill and Irving Fryar.
Salaam was the nation’s leading rusher, averaging 179.4 yards. He would win the Heisman Trophy.
Even so, “I felt if we would play well, we would win,” Husker Coach Tom Osborne said.
During the week leading up to the game, Colorado Coach Bill McCartney had indicated he didn’t think Berringer could handle the pressure. Berringer, remember, stepped in when a blood-clot issue sidelined Tommie Frazier. He was 3-0 as a starter.
“He was no different than any other game,” fullback Cory Schlesinger said.
Berringer handled the pressure, completing 12-of-17 passes for 142 yards and a touchdown, 30 yards to tight end Eric Alford early in the third quarter for a 24-0 lead.
Berringer got help from a gritty running game. I-back Lawrence Phillips carried 24 times, nearly half of Nebraska’s attempts, for 103 yards. He had rushed for more than 100 yards in every game.
Schlesinger scored the first touchdown on a 14-yard run with 5:47 remaining in the first quarter. Back-up I-back Clinton Childs scored the second touchdown from 2 yards out with 36 seconds remaining in the first half, after Tom Sieler kicked a 24-yard field goal early in the second quarter.
Oh yes, Berringer got help from the defense. Colorado managed 314 net yards and its touchdown came on a 6-yard Salaam run with 1:06 remaining in the third quarter. “We’re still Nebraska,” said Husker cornerback Barron Miles. “We’re still the same defense.”
Salaam rushed 22 times for 134 yards, all but 21 of Colorado’s net. Stewart completed 12-of-28 passes for 150 yards. The Blackshirts sacked him four times. Westbrook caught six passes for 80 yards.
“This is one of the biggest wins for me,” Nebraska defensive coordinator Charlie McBride said. “But the credit goes to the players.”
Linebacker Troy Dumas led the Blackshirts with 11 tackles. Linebackers Ed Stewart, Doug Colman and Donta Jones and rover Kareem Moss each had seven. Defensive tackle Terry Connealy had two sacks. Jones and defensive tackle Dwayne Harris had the other sacks.
“The defense, I thought, did an awfully good job throughout the game,” said Osborne.
The significance of the victory was reflected in the AP Poll. Even though Penn State defeated No. 21 Ohio State 63-14, the Huskers climbed to first, where they would remain.
Colorado dropped to seventh and would finish third, behind Nebraska and Penn State.
