It’s hard to believe the Husker football season is already half over. One more win makes Nebraska bowl eligible, two wins (Oregon and Washington) would ensure NU reaches last year’s record of seven wins. Three wins (Illinois) would give the Huskers their best record (8-4) since 2016, With another win over Rutgers and a loss to Ohio State, Nebraska could be going into the Iowa game at 9-2.
Whoa big fella, let’s not get too far ahead of our skis.
The rest of Nebraska’s regular season includes only two teams that are currently ranked in the AP poll: 5-1 Ohio State (#4) and 5-1 Iowa (#17).
Note: The Oregon Ducks dropped out of the polls this week due to their 15-17 loss to UCLA Saturday in Eugene, Oregon.
Had Oregon not lost to the Bruins, NU would have had a second consecutive chance to snap its long string of losses (31) to ranked teams.
Right now, the Ducks seem to be somewhat vulnerable to an upset by the Huskers. Oregon QB Dante Moore, the Ducks’ preseason Heisman hopeful, sustained a concussion in the USC game two weeks before and might not yet be able to play against Nebraska this Saturday night in Eugene.
To add some intrigue to Saturday’s game is that last year’s Husker starting quarterback, Dylan Raiola who transferred to Oregon in the off season, was the Ducks’ starter Saturday in their loss to UCLA. Raiola had a terrible game and was replaced by former Duck walk-on, senior Brock Thomas. Thomas played well (11-15 for 156 yards and 1 TD) and almost got Oregon in position for the win,
So who’ll be the starter? We probably won’t know for a few days. It would be fitting if Raiola faces his old teammates and coaches
So how can Nebraska pull out the win in Nikeland?
It’s the same way NU could have beaten Indiana in Lincoln.
Eliminate stupid, costly penalties, play smart football for four full quarters. Win the physical and mental battles. Last week, Nebraska played with a level of intensity seldom seen lately by a Husker football team.
The Hoosiers had to know they were in a dogfight in Lincoln Saturday.
But missing a critical field goal and having a Husker O-lineman ten yards downfield on a Husker pass play isn’t going to cut it against top-tiered teams like Oregon.
Matt Rhule needs to find a place kicking unit that can be relied upon to get points in the red zone. It’s hard to fathom how a football program like Nebraska’s with an $84.1 million budget can’t find a championship level field goal unit.
Seriously?
Most sportswriters in the preseason had the Oregon game penciled in as a Husker loss. But after the Indiana game, some are putting this game in the winnable column for Nebraska Saturday in Eugene.
I’ll load up on caffeine and be in my little jammies for Saturday’s 10:00 pm (CDT) kickoff. Yawn.
Unfinished Business 2.0?
Let’s hope the Huskers use the Indiana loss as motivation the way the ‘94 and ‘95 Huskers used the loss to Florida State in the1994 Orange Bowl to go undefeated the next two years.
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