BOULDER, Colo. — As the CU Buffs prepare to face longtime rival Nebraska in a highly anticipated football matchup, the atmosphere in Boulder is calm — but only on the surface. While Pearl Street, usually a hub of activity, is unusually quiet, the energy is building as fans gear up for Saturday’s showdown.
"The CU-Nebraska weekend is one that everybody looks forward to," said Mike Codrey, who has worked a hot dog stand on Pearl Street for the past seven years and witnessed the intensity of the rivalry season after season.
Despite the calm, Codrey emphasized that the anticipation is palpable, with many fans either on their way to Lincoln, Nebraska or making plans to watch the game at home.
“Yeah, it doesn’t feel like a game day because everybody is either heading out or making plans to watch it on TV tomorrow,” Codrey added. “They’re preppin’.”
This sentiment is echoed by Angie Chuang, a longtime professor at the University of Colorado, who noted the historical weight of the game for both schools.
“Nebraska-CU is a part of both schools' history,” Chuang said. “It’s an epic rivalry and I don’t think it will ever, even if we don’t play each other, I don’t think it will ever not be a thing.”
This is the last scheduled matchup between the two teams, so, this particular game carries added importance.
“I think they really, really want to win this game. We’d like to seal it off with a big win,” Chuang said.
Codrey, for one, isn’t convinced this will be the end. “I bet they find a way to play each other again,” he predicted, hopeful for the rivalry’s continuation.