Nebraska heads into Saturday’s Big Ten opener with a clean record, a familiar question, and a defense that’s about to get its sternest test yet.
The Cornhuskers are 3-0 and will host Michigan State at 4:00 on the B1G Network. Nebraska is favored by 5.5 points, but the number only tells part of the story. This is the first conference game of the season, and as the source reminds us, every one of those games is going to matter from here on out.
Last week, Nebraska handled its final non-conference opponent behind 40 rushing attempts and a quicker pace. It wasn’t Power 4 competition, but there was still plenty to like.
The defense smothered North Dakota quarterback Jerry Kaminski, who had his second-worst outing, and the Blackshirt linebackers were in the middle of it with 11 tackles and 1.5 sacks. North Dakota’s quarterback threw five interceptions.
Nebraska also got younger players meaningful reps, and while the penalty count improved, it was still too high.
Through three games, a few themes have started to settle in. The screen game has become a useful piece.
The running back room has shown it can break tackles and protect the football. Jamal Rule appears to have the edge in the backfield - he’s the first freshman running back to post multiple 100-yard games since 2002 - but Isaiah Mozee has been the kind of steady, tough runner who can grind out yards, and Mekhi Nelson still has the look of a coach’s favorite with speed to match.
At quarterback, Anthony Colandrea has already shown he’ll take a hit if he has to, but he’d rather throw it. That part has worked out for Nebraska so far.
His decision-making and ability to extend plays have been strong, and those were two things the staff talked about in camp. The line, especially up front on defense, still has room to grow, and that makes Saturday feel like another trench battle.
Michigan State didn’t come into this game untouched. The Spartans lost to Notre Dame, but the score didn’t fully reflect how hard they played.
Drops, a fumble, and a blocked punt changed the shape of that game. Nebraska would love to catch Sparty still feeling the effects of that fight.
The Spartans are coached by Pat Fitzgerald, who is described here as a very good coach and someone who did a lot with less at Northwestern. Nebraska also gets them early, which is part of the appeal; nobody wants to see that kind of team in November. The reminder about seven games against Northwestern decided by three points or less makes the point plain enough: Fitzgerald teams have a habit of turning things into a fistfight.
Michigan State’s offense is built around a veteran quarterback room and a run game that can set up play-action. Cam Fancher is listed as the Spartans’ 6-year quarterback, though redshirt sophomore Alessio Miliovojevic had the better showing against Notre Dame.
He completed 9 of 17 passes for 123 yards and two interceptions. The ground game is anchored by No.
0 Cam Edwards, a redshirt senior transfer from UConn who Nebraska defensive coordinator Rob Aurich called “a slasher, jump cut running back.” Edwards averaged 3.2 yards against Notre Dame and can make defenders miss when he gets loose.
That’s why the run defense is the headline for Nebraska. The Huskers have to do what they couldn’t do at the end of last year: stop the run. Gang tackling is going to matter at every level.
Michigan State’s defense has its own centerpiece in No. 5 Jordan Hall, the senior linebacker and captain who is on the Butkus Watch list and viewed as a top NFL draft prospect.
Hall posted 13 tackles last week, so the hope that he’s still recovering seems like a long shot. If he’s not at full strength, senior linebacker Dion Crawford is there to help fill the gap.
The Spartans held Notre Dame to a season-low 27 points, well under the Irish’s usual output.
There are also a couple of pass-catching names Nebraska has to account for. Rodney Bullard, Jr. caught two passes for 66 yards last week, including a 53-yard grab that set up a score. Freshman tight end Jayden Savory, listed at 6-foot-5, added three catches for 30 yards and looks like a chain mover.
There are still a few Nebraska questions hanging in the air. Will Quinn Clark get the nod over Nyziah Hunter?
Will Jacory Barney clean up the mistakes, including the kind of penalties that wipe out scores and the wandering kickoff returns? Will one running back separate from the pack the way Emmett Johnson did last year?
Will a third receiver step forward, or will Luke Lindenmeyer remain the main target in that spot? And can Nebraska keep producing in the red zone?
Above all else, can the Huskers stop the run?
That’s the one that matters most this week. Nebraska gets a rare chance to watch from a comfortable chair after three straight tailgates, but the focus is already on Maryland next week. For now, it’s Michigan State, Big Ten football, and a test that should tell us a lot about where this team really stands.
In Other News...
Nebraskas First MSU Injury Report Brings Early Roster Concerns
Nebraska volleyball kept rolling after a postponed match against Missouri, finishing off a straight-set win to move to 11-0. Andi Jackson was again central to the performance, piling up 10 kills, six blocks and two aces while the defense kept Missouri from finding much rhythm at the net. For a program that has handled nearly every challenge so far this fall, the Huskers continue to look like a team built to absorb disruption and keep winning.
The football side of the ledger offered a less comfortable update ahead of Michigan State, with the first injury report putting Carter Nelson out, Jordan Ochoa questionable and Bryson Webber doubtful. Early-week availability reports always leave room for movement, but this one gives Nebraska a little more to monitor as it tries to get ready for a Big Ten road test. Between the volleyball teams clean start and the football rosters uncertainty, the Cornhuskers are heading into the week with two very different kinds of momentum. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Brings A Late Off-Field Twist Into Nebraska Showdown
Indianas buildup to the Nebraska game picked up an unusual off-field wrinkle as the Hoosiers continue to wait on the status of defenders Stephen Daley and Kellan Wyatt. The pair is tied to an eligibility dispute connected to a Colorado court ruling and the NCAAs new age-based eligibility model, turning what should have been a straightforward Week-to-Week personnel question into a legal matter with conference implications.
A Monroe County Circuit Court judge recently ruled both players eligible for the season, but the NCAA has already filed an emergency motion to stay that decision. For Nebraska, the uncertainty adds another layer to a matchup already carrying plenty of attention, with Indianas defensive plans still clouded until the legal process plays out and the Hoosiers learn whether Daley and Wyatt will be cleared to suit up. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas Big Ten Opener Puts Its Fast Start Under Real Pressure
Nebraskas fast start is about to get a different kind of test as Big Ten play opens against Michigan State, with the Huskers installed as 5.5-point favorites. The matchup brings a sharper edge than the early-season schedule, especially for a Nebraska team that has leaned on its rushing offense, gotten key work from special teams and needs its quarterback to keep operating behind solid protection.
Michigan State has also shown signs of improvement under coach Pat Fitzgerald, which makes this less of a routine conference opener than the record might suggest. The numbers point to a game Nebraska should be able to control if it keeps winning in the trenches and avoids self-inflicted trouble, but the gap between a promising start and a real Big Ten statement is exactly what this weekend is about. [Read more 🡒]