It's been five years since a Colorado-Nebraska matchup meant something in the national college football picture.

Not since 2001 — when the Buffs entered the regular season finale ranked No. 14 and the Huskers were ranked No. 2 — has there been a marquee quality to the game.

But plenty has happened since.

The Huskers have fallen, fired a coach, and climbed back to respectability.

The Buffs have made half that trip.

Technically, there's not

much at stake for either team today.

No matter what happens, the Huskers will be headed to the Big 12 Championship game for the first time since 1999 while the Buffs won't be going anywhere.

As CU coach Dan Hawkins noted earlier in the week, "It will not be fun staying home for the holidays."

But a win over Nebraska would be a nice stocking stuffer, particularly in the wake of one of the most disappointing seasons in CU's history.

Not that one victory would erase the sting of nine losses in Hawk's first year. It's been a season Buff fans won't forget, no matter how hard they try.

But a win today would accomplish a couple of things:

One, it would provide momentum and promise for next season — commodities that have been in short supply in Hawk's first year.

Two, it would send a message to the Big 12 that the Buffs' trip to the lower division is not a one-way ticket.

That's a message the Buffs need to deliver.

What's become clear this season is that Nebraska is slowly returning to form in Bill Callahan's third year. These Huskers are his recruits playing in his system. There are still holes in NU's armor — witness the 41-29 beating by Oklahoma State — but steady progress is evident.

There's no reason to think that progress won't continue. Take a look at NU's recruiting, and you'll see more and more top players committing to the Huskers. Over the years, Nebraska has often been the standard by which other teams are measured, and that day appears to be returning again.

But a Buff win today would give CU's returning players — and potential recruits — reason to believe they still measure up to that standard.

In many ways, Hawk is in the same shoes that Callahan occupied three seasons ago in his first year. A program that had been quietly slipping, a team with someone else's recruits, and expectations that exceeded the overall talent level.

This is Hawk's last chance this season to instill confidence in a program greatly lacking in that department.

Oddsmakers don't give the Buffs much of a chance. The Huskers have a solid defense, one that will likely give CU quarterback Bernard Jackson fits. NU also has a balanced offensive attack — and while CU's defense has been solid at times, it's also been disturbingly porous in recent weeks.

It's why NU is a solid two-touchdown favorite.

But this game has seldom followed form. A year ago, the Buffs were favored — and Nebraska delivered a 30-3 thumping.

Meanwhile, Colorado has played well in Lincoln the last three trips, winning the last two and playing the third down to the wire before losing in the final seconds.

The wild card is Hawkins.

Call today a measuring stick for CU's first year coach and his staff. They've had two weeks to prepare for what is clearly the most important game of the year. They've had time to dissect, analyze and get ready.

There's no reason for the Buffs to flop.

Not to say that today will be any kind of defining moment, at least not in the long run. Since the day Hawkins arrived, the bet from this corner has been that he will be successful at Colorado. That wager is still on the table.

But today does have the potential to be a solid step forward in a season that has seen too many slips and stumbles, too many opportunities lost.

Today, the opportunity is clear: Matched against the No. 24 team in the nation, Colorado has the chance to serve notice that it is still relevant in the Big 12.

That's an opportunity that needs to be seized.