College football thrives on history, tradition, and those fierce, emotionally charged rivalries that turn otherwise ordinary Saturdays into legendary spectacles. Among the most electric and storied clashes in the sport’s history is the bitter feud between Nebraska and Colorado — a rivalry that once shaped conferences, crowned champions, and divided households.
And if there’s one man championing its return to annual prominence, it’s Fox Sports’ passionate analyst and former Colorado quarterback, Joel Klatt.
A Rivalry That Shaped a Generation
For Klatt, this isn’t just a football game. It’s personal. It’s nostalgia. It’s the very reason he fell head over cleats in love with college football. Speaking on The Joel Klatt Show, the outspoken broadcaster didn’t mince words about how much this rivalry means to him — and how much college football is missing out by letting it sit dormant.
“Bias of proximity, heartstrings — Colorado-Nebraska is the rivalry that hooked me on this sport. It’s the tradition I lived through, and it’s the battle I believe should grace our schedule every single year,” Klatt declared, his voice charged with equal parts conviction and sentiment.
The Fall and Flicker of a Classic Clash
Once a staple of the Big Eight and later the Big 12, the Nebraska-Colorado matchup was more than just a game — it was often a championship decider. Between the mid-1980s and early 2000s, this border war regularly determined who would hoist a conference trophy or secure a coveted postseason berth. Nebraska’s powerhouse run in the 90s made them a national juggernaut, while Colorado’s fiery upsets and bold swagger kept the rivalry unpredictable and enthralling.
“If you look back between 1985 and 2005,” Klatt pointed out, “this showdown almost always factored into deciding the Big Eight title, or later the Big 12 North crown. Sure, Kansas State had their flash in the pan, but Nebraska-Colorado was where it lived.”
But like many great rivalries, it fell victim to college football’s increasingly chaotic game of musical chairs. In 2010, Nebraska bolted for the Big Ten, while Colorado packed up for the Pac-12, leaving this cherished rivalry to fade into an occasional non-conference curiosity.
Since then, the programs have met only four times — in 2018, 2019, and two other sporadic matchups since their 2010 divorce. While Colorado has claimed bragging rights in recent years, Nebraska still holds a commanding 50-21-2 lead in the all-time series.
The Rise of a New Era — and a Perfect Time to Reignite Old Flames
Despite the rivalry’s current hiatus, both programs are now hurtling toward brighter days. With Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders injecting star power, swagger, and fresh talent into Boulder, and Matt Rhule beginning to turn the tide in Lincoln, both schools find themselves back on college football’s national radar. The timing, as Klatt sees it, couldn’t be better to breathe new life into this classic blood feud.
“They’ve tried to revive it now and then,” Klatt acknowledged, “but what we need is a firm, annual agreement. Put it on the calendar. Make it a Labor Day weekend staple, or a mid-season war. This game deserves its place in the heartbeat of college football.”
A Rivalry for the Soul of College Football
More than just a regional grudge match, Nebraska vs. Colorado embodies everything fans love about college football — the passion, the history, the grudges, the upsets, and the sense of place that professional sports often lack. It’s precisely the kind of tradition college football desperately needs to preserve amid the churn of conference realignment, NIL chaos, and playoff expansions.
In a world where so many historic matchups have become casualties of realignment deals and television contracts, Klatt’s plea resonates louder than ever. If college football wants to stay tethered to its roots while hurtling into a modern era, reviving iconic rivalries like Nebraska-Colorado isn’t just good for nostalgia — it’s essential for the soul of the sport.
Now, it’s up to the schedulers, the conferences, and maybe even the fans to make enough noise. Because if Joel Klatt has his way, this border war will be back on the marquee where it belongs.
