Nebraska returns from its bye week with plenty to sort out and a Halloween spotlight waiting at Memorial Stadium.
The Cornhuskers, 5-2 overall and 2-2 in the Big Ten, host Washington on Saturday night in the second annual Blackout game. The crowd will be in black, and the Huskers will be dressed for the occasion as well. After back-to-back narrow losses to Indiana and Oregon, Nebraska is hoping the extra week off helps it reset and bring some much-needed momentum into the final month of the regular season.
One of the biggest things to watch is how Nebraska handles Washington’s quarterback situation. Demond Williams Jr. entered the year with high expectations after a strong 2025 season, but a rib injury against Iowa three weeks ago changed the Huskies’ plans.
Washington turned to Stanford transfer Elijah Brown against Purdue, and he responded with 21 completions on 27 attempts for 302 yards and three touchdowns in the Huskies’ first Big Ten win of the season. Jedd Fisch still hasn’t tipped his hand on who will start this week, so Nebraska has to get ready for both quarterbacks again.
Rob Aurich said Tuesday the Huskers have enough film on each of them to be prepared. “I think No.
7 (Brown) has operated pretty quickly,” Aurich said. “His completion percentage has been pretty high...
Has kind of a good feel for the system.” Aurich also said Williams is similar to Nebraska quarterback Anthony Colandrea when scrambling out of the pocket, while noting the two Washington quarterbacks are very different and the offense changes depending on who is in the game.
Nebraska’s own offense has questions to answer, too, especially on the ground. Outside of Colandrea, the run game has been slow to get going over the last two games, and the banged-up running back room hasn’t helped. Dana Holgorsen said Tuesday he wants more from that group, and the bye week should help on that front.
There was at least one encouraging sign on Wednesday’s availability report: leading rusher Jamal Rule, a true freshman, was not listed. Sophomore Isaiah Mozee was marked probable, which could give Nebraska a healthier, more complete backfield for Saturday.
Holgorsen said he expects the group to bounce back after a rough stretch, and the numbers suggest Nebraska has a chance to lean on that part of the offense. The Huskers rank No. 29 nationally in rushing at 194.4 yards per game, while Washington’s defense sits at No. 52 against the run, giving up 131.1 yards per game.
The late-game story also looms large. Nebraska has led in the fourth quarter in both of its last two games, only to watch those leads disappear in three-point losses to Indiana and Oregon. The defense gave up an 82-yard touchdown drive that took 20 plays against Oregon, while the Huskers allowed just 20 points in the Indiana loss and 17 against the Ducks.
That leaves Aurich and the Nebraska defense with a clear task: clean up those crunch-time breakdowns before Washington arrives.
On the other side of the ball, Holgorsen’s offense needs better third-quarter production. Over the last six games, Nebraska has scored only 14 points in the third quarter combined, and Saturday offers another chance to fix that issue.
Nebraska and Washington kick off at 7 p.m. CDT Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln. The game will air on the Big Ten Network.
In Other News...
Ryan Walters Just Handed Nebraska Fans More Fuel For Memorial Stadium
Ryan Walters added a little more edge to Nebraskas home atmosphere with comments about Memorial Stadium and the kind of noise Huskers fans bring when the place is rocking. The Washington defensive coordinator and former Purdue coach pointed to the passionate crowd there and the way the stadium can go quiet when plays are made, which only gives Nebraska more reason to lean into its reputation as one of college footballs tougher home environments.
For a fan base that already treats Memorial Stadium as part rallying point, part intimidation factor, Walters remarks are the kind of thing the athletic department can use to stir things up even more. His history with Nebraska, along with previous critical comments, makes the latest round of noise feel less like an offhand observation and more like another chapter in a rivalry that still has some bite left in it. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Blackout Comes With One Huge Question Husker Fans Can't Ignore
A night game at Memorial Stadium always brings a different edge, and Nebraskas matchup with Washington should have it from the opening kick. The 7 p.m. start sets up a blacked-out crowd in what should be mild weather with only a slight chance of showers, but the bigger intrigue for the Huskers goes well beyond the atmosphere. Special teams remains a problem area, especially in punt returns, and it has become one of the first places fans look when trying to figure out whether this team can clean up the details that decide close games.
Washington brings an offense Nebraska has to respect, and the Huskers are also dealing with an injury situation that adds another layer of concern to a game they simply cannot afford to lose. The matchup feels like one of those spots where the margin for error is thin and every hidden-yardage swing matters, which is why the special teams piece looms so large. For Nebraska, the blackout is the backdrop, but the real question is whether the Huskers can handle the kind of game that leaves no room for the kind of mistakes that have lingered too long already. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Recruiting Faces A Bigger Test Than Fans Realized
Nebraskas recruiting calendar just shifted in a way that says plenty about how the Huskers are trying to land elite talent over the long haul. Two of the top 2028 prospects on their board, defensive lineman Zylan Little and cornerback Deonte Flemings, have both had visits moved to the Nov. 21 game against Ohio State, giving Nebraska a bigger stage to work with as it continues building relationships with younger targets.
Little has stayed in frequent contact with Nebraska and had originally been set to visit for the Washington game, while Flemings brings a different kind of challenge since he is already committed to Penn State. Even so, Nebraska is still expected to get him on campus later in the season, which gives the Huskers a chance to keep pushing in a recruitment that is far from settled. [Read more 🡒]