Lincoln, Neb. ? Colorado and Nebraska will meet one more time as members of the Big 12 before they head off to different leagues, and the game is setting up like one of those day-after-Thanksgiving throwdowns of yesteryear.

There’s a lot at stake for both teams today: No. 16 Nebraska (9-2, 5-2 Big 12) can win the Big 12 North, and Colorado (5-6, 2-5) can become bowl-eligible.

Cornhuskers coach Bo Pelini is coming out of a tumultuous week in which he apologized for his over-the-top sideline rants against officials in last week’s loss at Texas A&M and squelched rumors that QB Taylor Martinez had quit the team after being on the bad end of the one of the tongue-lashings.

Buffaloes interim coach Brian Cabral, who has won two straight since taking over for the fired Dan Hawkins, can also strengthen his bid for the permanent job with an upset in Lincoln.

Oh, and the Colorado-Nebraska rivalry has been rekindled just in time for it to end again.

Nebraska and Colorado have met every year since 1948, and eight of the past 14 games have been decided by 10 or fewer points.

The Huskers head to the Big Ten next year and the Buffs to the Pac-12. Future meetings will be nonconference or bowl games.

“It’s unfortunate that it has to end,” Cabral said. “It’s in the hearts of so many former players and so many people through the years.”