Big Red Primetime

I’ve come to expect a certain illness feeling watching football on Saturdays. Husker coach Matt Rhule may finally be the right doctor with the perfect prescription.
Nebraska beat the you-know-what out of Colorado in Primetime Saturday night, leaving Deion and his boys to have nightmares about the vaunted Blackshirts.
This had to be what it was like to watch the Huskers in its hay day, right? Nebraska was men against boys Saturday night. 
Friend of the program Dave Bradley answered simply from his front row seat inside Memorial Stadium. “Yep. Enjoy.”
Ty Robinson couldn’t be blocked. Colorado tried double and triple teams. Nash Hutmacher threw guys around like toys. 
It was beautiful, wasn’t it? Surely Grant Wistrom and the Peters boys liked the show. 
From the first snap, Colorado’s offense never stood a chance. The Buffs couldn’t run the football. 
Colorado QB Shadeur Sanders didn’t have enough time to think. Tommi Hill’s pick six at the goal line was an obvious point. Warren Sapp was surely having nightmare flashbacks from the Colorado sideline. 
When Colorado needed a yard, they couldn’t get it. What a sight to behold. For all the glitz and glamour, the Buffs quit Saturday night. 
We haven’t even addressed the other side of the ball yet. When was the last time both the offensive and defensive lines for the Big Red were absolutely dominant? A Frank Solich team?
It’s amazing how much easier things look on the offensive end when you have complete faith in QB1. 
Sure, Dylan Raiola has only played two games. I have more faith in him than I have in any Husker quarterback since, what, Eric Crouch? 
No disrespect to the former Heisman winner, but Crouch couldn’t sling it like Raiola. I’m sure he enjoyed the front row seats Saturday as well. 
Has any Husker QB been able to throw it like Raiola? He consistently puts the ball exactly where it needs to be. A bullet, touch pass, side arm or flip pass. 
It’s not just Raiola’s dazzling passes, either. Those of us in ‘Run the football’ family have been quite pleased through two games. 
The offensive line has continually created holes and the backs have put their feet in the ground. 
It’s been some time since a Nebraska football team has carried this much hype and momentum. Probably after the Oregon win at home in 2016? 
It’s not a coincidence that was the last season the Huskers made it to a bowl game, either. 
The Huskers started the 2016 season 7-0 before losing in overtime at Wisconsin. The Huskers were No. 7 in the country at that time. My college roommate had to scrape me from the bleachers at Camp Randall after that one.
This Husker team has all the potential to be 7-0 again at the end of October with a gigantic road game at Ohio State waiting.
It won’t be easy, though, and I have way too much Husker PTSD to assume a 7-0 record. Illinois next Friday will be tough. Purdue is never easy. 
But, this Husker team looks different. It feels different. They are tough. The Huskers been through the ringer and come out the other side.
The Big Red is ready for Prime Time. 
RICHARD RHODEN can be reached at sports@hamilton.net.