Nebraska heads into its meeting with Michigan State with a simple goal: bring home the “W.”
There’s history here, and some of it leans against the Huskers. Nebraska’s last win in East Lansing came 14 years ago.
But that streak comes with an asterisk, because the teams have only met three times in East Lansing since 2012. On the flip side, Michigan State has dropped three straight in Lincoln.
Since Nebraska joined the Big 10, the Huskers are 5-4 against Sparty after going 5-0 in the pre-conference era. And the games have almost always been tight. Six of the nine Big 10 meetings have been decided by five points or fewer, including five of the last six.
What changes this year is Nebraska’s age and experience. For the first time under Matt Rhule, the Huskers are bringing in a much older roster, and that matters because Nebraska has repeatedly found ways to lose games against teams that did not appear to have more talent.
Michigan State, meanwhile, doesn’t exactly arrive with a roster full of familiar names at the skill positions. But the Spartans do bring a tough, physical defense, and with Pat Fitzgerald in charge, the expectation is they won’t beat themselves.
The formula is familiar: don’t turn it over, keep punting, avoid taking chances on fourth down, and wait for Nebraska to make the mistake. That approach has worked against the Huskers before.
This Nebraska team is built differently, though. The offensive line is older.
The wide receiver room is older. Pretty much the whole defense is older.
The only real young group is at running back, and that group has been doing just fine.
So the question becomes whether Michigan State - and the other opponents down the road - still have an answer if these Huskers stop handing over games late. And if Dana Holgorsen gets Anthony Colandrea and the offense rolling, does Michigan State have enough firepower to keep up?
That’s the part that makes this one hard to pin down. The setup is there for a close game, and the vibe is that nobody should expect an easy read.
On the injury front, Carter Nelson remains out. Luke Lindenmeyer has handled most of the snaps, and Eric Ingwerson and Wood Bonner should be able to absorb the rest. Rex Guthrie is a game-time call, while Dwayne McDougle III has taken over at safety over the last couple of weeks.
And yes, that hit was a penalty and should have been an ejection - and maybe still will be a suspension, because Texas seems determined to show everyone how low they can go. The reaction afterward only made it worse: “Wait. You mean that’s not OK?”
In Other News...
Nebraskas Secondary Suddenly Has A Pregame Question Before Kickoff
Nebraskas Friday availability update brought a little more clarity, and a little more concern, for a secondary that already had some pregame uncertainty hanging over it. Edge rusher Jordan Ochoa moved from questionable to probable, but the notable shift came on the back end, where safety Rex Guthrie was upgraded from doubtful to questionable while cornerback Bryson Webber was listed as out.
The Big Tens new availability format has turned these late-week reports into a bigger part of the game-week rhythm, with teams now required to submit them three days before kickoff and then update them daily through game day. Michigan States report added its own layer of uncertainty, with linebacker Brady Pretzlaff and special teamer Jay Coyne out and cornerback Tyran Chappell questionable, but Nebraskas biggest concern is still the state of its defensive backfield as kickoff approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas Offense Faces Its First Real Test In Big Ten Play
Nebraskas offense rolled through its first three non-conference games with a balance the program had not shown since 2016, clearing 200 yards both on the ground and through the air in each one. The line opened holes, the passing game stayed productive, and the overall effort drew praise from athletic director Troy Dannen after the strong finish against North Dakota, which only added to the early optimism around Dana Holgorsens group.
Now comes the harder part, with Big Ten play set to ask different questions of the same attack. Holgorsen has already stressed the need to spread the ball around and keep multiple players involved, a reminder that what worked in September has to hold up when defenses get faster, more physical, and far less forgiving. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas Undefeated Start Faces Its First Real Test At Michigan State
Nebraska has handled its non-conference schedule well enough to arrive at 3-0 with a little momentum and a lot of curiosity still attached to how real the start is. Now the Cornhuskers head to Michigan State for their first Power 4 matchup, and the early read from DraftKings has them favored by 5.5 points, a sign that the market believes in what Nebraska has shown so far on both sides of the ball.
Saturday should tell a lot more, though, especially with linebacker Brady Pretzlaff likely out and running back Cam Edwards appearing available. Nebraskas defense has looked sturdy and the offense has found enough rhythm to keep the pressure manageable, but road games in conference play usually bring a different level of stress. Anthony Colandrea could end up being one of the swing pieces in how smoothly that transition goes. [Read more 🡒]