NU’s Callahan ‘just focused on Colorado’

By Arnie Stapleton - Associated Press Sports Writer     Nov 23, 2007

The stakes go way beyond bowl eligibility when the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Colorado Buffaloes play their annual grudge match on the day after Thanksgiving.

Only interim athletic director Tom Osborne knows for sure if this is Bill Callahan’s last game as Nebraska’s coach, and the Buffs could clear up the matter for everyone else with a win today.

That also would make the Buffaloes bowl-eligible just a year after going 2-10 in Dan Hawkins’ inaugural year as coach. Both teams are 5-6 and need a win to avoid staying at home for the holidays.

The Buffaloes are aiming to avoid consecutive losing seasons for the first time in 22 years. The Cornhuskers are hoping for their 38th trip to a bowl game in 39 seasons despite a five-game losing streak that put Callahan’s job in peril.

Callahan is scheduled to meet Saturday with Osborne, who has given no indication which way he’s leaning.

“No disrespect, but we’re just focused on Colorado,” Callahan said.

However, he’s given his players notice that change could be coming, receiver Todd Peterson said.

“Basically, they’ve just told us that this is a business, and it’s about putting a product out on the field,” Peterson said. “And when you put the product we’ve put out this year, eventually there are going to be some changes. Whether it will be this year, we don’t know. We can’t control that.”

Colorado linebacker Jordon Dizon, one of the nation’s top tacklers, knows exactly what the Huskers are going through, having experienced Gary Barnett’s fade into firing in 2005, and he expects Nebraska to look nothing like the team that couldn’t seem to stop anybody for much of the season.

“I can kind of put myself in their shoes. Two years ago when we were hearing that coach Barnett was going to get fired we all started playing harder, trying to keep him around, and I can only see what they’re doing,” Dizon said.

PREV POST

6Sports video: KU women's basketball returns to action

NEXT POST

26630NU’s Callahan ‘just focused on Colorado’