November 29, 2002 BUFFS STUFF NU Colorado storms back from first half deficit to rock the Huskers 28-13 By Jim D. Berryman MissingNebraska.com Editor It has been one of the most incredible seasons in Nebraska football history. In this case, incredible ain't that great. How appropriate that after wondering which Husker team would show up to play Colorado, Husker fans were treated to the two-for-one special. We got to see both. After a devastating loss to CU in Boulder last season, the Buffaloes came to Lincoln, jumped around the big “N” on the turf, then out-muscled the Huskers in the second half after trailing Big Red at halftime. Final Score Colorado 28 Nebraska 13. Nebraska finishes the regular season at 7-6, and…must take a breath here, 3-5 in the Big 12. Colorado is off to Houston to play Oklahoma in the Big 12 championship. Records and streaks are dropping like jaws across the college football community. The Huskers were cruising along just fine in the first half. Sure Colorado jumped out first, but Nebraska somehow battled back even though breaks were going any which way but to Big Red. In the first half, Nebraska was unable to block a punt that should have been blocked. Big Red was bottled up again and again in red zone situations and could not come through with a touchdown instead of field goal. Even after Colorado turned over the ball to make it easy for the Huskers. In addition, the Huskers were unable to punch it in for a touchdown after the Buffs were feeling generous and turning the ball over to NU. But in the second half, the Colorado was feeling anything but generous. Colorado stormed back scoring 21 unanswered points to seal the deal. Husker fans will have to wait another year for a shot at the Buffs and they’re already dreading the fact that the game is in Boulder. Nebraska’s offense sputtered throughout the game, especially in the second half. Even so, Husker quarterback Jammal Lord and I-Back Dahrran Diedrick had numerous nice runs. But not enough of them. The CU defense was constantly in Jammal Lord’s face. Lord was hesitant to pitch the ball, partly because he was bothered so much by a fierce Colorado defense, but also partly because of unwise decisions on a number of occasions. So the question now is which bowl game will the Huskers go to? As of now it’s a tossup between the Toilet Bowl and Tidy Bowl. Kidding aside, and trying not to sound like a complainer, this entire season was bound to happen. It wasn’t meant to be. Off-field problems, arrests, squabbles with the media, secrecy, backstabbing, booster-bitching…the list goes on and on. It was a season many Husker fans think of as a nightmare, and they’re just want in the worst way to wake up and start the season over. The loss to Colorado Saturday wasn’t a crushing loss in my book. Just more of the same in this season of seasons. Big Red fans have now grown accustomed to losing. In a million years would anyone have predicted that Nebraska would go 7-6 in the regular season this year? Nope. For awhile, when all the end-of-streaks details were flashing on the television screen, I thought for a few moments that I was experiencing the death of Cornhusker football with about a million and a half of my Nebraska friends. Yet I know next year's season is a whole new ball of wax. Whatever coaching changes happen or not, whatever pundits say or shout, whatever all the Huskers haters say to rub it in just a wee bit more, I say a team can't go on doing what Nebraska has done in college football any more. Dominance like that is history. We've seen other storied teams fall and rise again and Nebraska can do it too. Yahoo! Live Broadcast Post Feedback NEBRASKA - KANSAS STATE GAME STORIES, PICS, AND LINKS: 11-29-02: Nebraska's nine-win era is over More from Omaha World Herald 11-29-02: Game Stats Details Huskers on ESPN.com Husker Hot Pics Photos from AP Husker Game Watch Locations Nationwide