Buckle up, Colorado Buffs fans! The Big 12 season is just six Saturdays away, and the hype is already off the charts. CU alum Matt McChesney is already predicting a stellar season for Deion Sanders‘ team, with a likely 8 to 9 wins this season. But let’s get down to the specifics — the games we REALLY care about.

First up, North Dakota. McChesney sees this as a guaranteed win, saying, “The University of Colorado is destined for greatness this year…I know everybody out there that wants to see CU lose this game to fall. But I don’t see it happening.” Sounds good to us!

But the real heat comes with the second game — a showdown against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on September 7. On the July 15 episode of “Zero 2 Sixty Podcast,” McChesney dives deeper into the schedules. He calls this “the biggest game in Nebraska.” They have huge games against Michigan and Ohio State and are playing in the Big 10, but the Buffs are an old rival. “This is an old rival that spit your face beat the shit out of you last year. You haven’t beaten them in a long time,” he said, reminding Huskers of the crush they faced last year.

He also adds a “legit hatred between the fan bases.” These teams have been battling it out since the ’80s, so expect Memorial Stadium to be electric.  McChesney even predicts a “huge dub” for the Buffs, giving them a clear 2-0 start.

Last year, the Buffs pulled off a huge second-half comeback, leaving the Cornhuskers with a 36-14 defeat. Nebraska has a new quarterback, Dylan Raiola, who will replace Jeff Sims, who’s now at Arizona State. Can they change their fortunes?  

Can Nebraska’s new quarterback outduel the Colorado Buffs?

In July, Nebraska coach Matt Rhule praised the Colorado Buffs. First, Rhule praised Buffs quarterback Shedeur Sanders, calling him “one of the best football players I’ve ever coached against.” He clearly remembers last year’s loss, where Nebraska chased Shedeur all game (around 10 sacks!), but he still led them to victory. But Rhule isn’t giving it up just yet. He’s confident Nebraska can take down Shedeur and his team this time, all because of their new 5-star quarterback, Dylan Raiola.

On July 2, during a show with Joel Klatt, Rhule hyped up his new 6-foot-3 signal-caller, even drawing a Tom Brady comparison! He praised Raiola’s work ethic: “Always hear Tom Brady and these guys talk about when your best players work the hardest, you have a great team. Well, Dylan is those guys who tires to work the hardest.” Rhule also highlighted Raiola’s smartness and decision-making skills.

While the head coach hasn’t officially named Raiola the starter, his glowing words speak volumes. However, can the highly touted Raiola, fresh out of high school, hold his own against one of the nation’s best quarterbacks?