Nebraska’s 4-0 start has set up the kind of Week 6 conversation Husker fans haven’t had in years, but the Terrapins are the team standing between the Huskers and that bigger undefeated-vs.-undefeated meeting with Indiana.
The Huskers have done plenty to earn the buzz. Nebraska’s defense has lived up to the Blackshirts label through four games, ranking fifth in yards allowed, top 10 in points allowed and seventh against the pass nationally. Even with that success, the staff has made sure the preparation matches the opponent.
“Phil Snow said, 'Let's add a tempo period,'” Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule said during his press conference Monday. “We practice it more until we get it right. Maryland is a tempo team no matter what.”
That makes sense when you look at Maryland’s offense. The Terrapins are averaging 431.3 yards per game, which ranks 44th in the country, and 283 passing yards per game. That passing game against Nebraska’s elite pass defense is one of the biggest matchups of the week, and it should say a lot about where the Huskers stand as the season moves forward.
Offensively, Nebraska has given fans something they’ve been waiting for: points. The Scarlet and Cream are scoring 42.5 points per game, good for 19th in the FBS.
Quarterback Anthony Colandrea has been a major reason why. The transfer has thrown 10 touchdown passes, rushed for two scores and turned the ball over only once through the air. If Nebraska wants to keep the winning going, that efficiency has to stay in place.
The Huskers are coming off a 31-13 win over Michigan State, while Maryland enters Lincoln after a rough 54-3 home loss to a now 23rd-ranked UCLA team. Even so, Nebraska can’t treat the Terrapins like a walk-through opponent. Maryland’s other loss came by nine points to unbeaten Virginia Tech.
All of that makes Saturday afternoon a potential trap if Nebraska isn’t sharp at Memorial Stadium. With plenty of attention already drifting toward that Week 6 showdown with Indiana, the Huskers still have to clear Maryland first.
Indiana has its own business to handle against Rutgers in order to get to 5-0. The Hoosiers survived Northwestern 29-23, while Rutgers is coming off a 58-7 win over Howard after nearly pushing USC a week earlier in a 42-35 loss to the ranked Trojans. Nebraska and Maryland kick off Saturday at 3 p.m. in Lincoln.
In Other News...
Maryland Football Faces An Ugly Fan Reality After UCLA Collapse
Marylands homecoming game against Rutgers was supposed to have a built-in buzz, but the secondary market is telling a different story. Ticket prices for the Oct. 17 matchup have slipped under $10, a sharp sign of how quickly fan interest has cooled after the loss to UCLA and a disappointing start that has already put pressure on the programs early-season momentum.
The attendance problem is now part of a bigger conversation inside the athletic department, where leaders are dealing with both the optics and the revenue hit that comes with a half-empty building. Maryland heads to Nebraska and Ohio State next, and by the time the Terps return home for Rutgers, the mood around the season will have had plenty of time to either recover or sink even further. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas Defensive Surge Sets Up A Real Test For Marylands Offense
Nebraskas defense walked away from its Michigan State win with real momentum, and defensive coordinator Rob Aurich had plenty to like about what the Huskers put on tape. Forcing three turnovers in one game gave that group a clear lift, and Aurich pointed to the continued growth of the defensive tackles as another encouraging sign as Nebraska turns its attention to Maryland.
The matchup now shifts to a different kind of challenge, with Maryland quarterback Malik Washington giving Nebraska a new problem to solve. Aurich also flagged the Huskers need to handle tempo changes more cleanly, a detail that could matter plenty once the Terps start pushing the pace and testing whether Nebraskas recent defensive surge can hold up on the road. [Read more 🡒]
Dante Trader Jr. Is Giving Maryland Fans A Real NFL Reason To Watch
Week 3 gave Maryland football fans a little NFL roll call to keep up with, with 11 Terrapins alumni seeing action around the league. For a program that likes to point to its pro pipeline, it was Miami Dolphins safety Dante Trader Jr. who delivered the clearest reminder, finishing with nine tackles and a pass defended against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Trader Jr.'s showing stood out in a weekend that also featured a mix of other Maryland names in different roles, from game-day production to practice squad and injured reserve updates. For Terrapin followers, it is the kind of early-season snapshot that makes Sunday football feel a little more personal, especially when one of their own is making real noise against a heavyweight opponent. [Read more 🡒]