Before Nebraska heads to Oregon, the job for both sidelines looks part football and part psychology.
That’s true in almost every big game, but it feels especially sharp this week for Matt Rhule and Dan Lanning, both of whom are coming off tight losses. A strong showing Saturday night could do more than patch up the recent disappointment; it could give either team a clean launch into the final month of the season.
For Nebraska, the message is less about chasing something new and more about proving what showed up in the loss to Indiana was real. The idea is to take the good from that game, reinforce it all week, and trust that the film already says the Huskers belong in this kind of fight. Clean up a few things, and there’s a path over the hill.
Oregon’s challenge is a little different. The Ducks don’t need to be told they have talent, but they may need to be reminded - internally and externally - just how loaded this roster still is on paper.
“There are just a few teams and rosters out there that can honestly say we can beat anyone in front of us ... and Oregon is still one of those teams,” analyst Joel Klatt said while making the rounds this week.
That’s a fair read, and it’s worth keeping in mind for anyone too quick to lump Oregon in with the kind of team that takes a preseason No. 2 rating and then slips away from that level. Nebraska should be preparing for the Ducks version that started the year in that spot.
And then there’s Dylan Raiola, because that situation adds another layer to the week. Is he still ahead of Brock Thomas after getting pulled this past Saturday?
How does Lanning expect Raiola to respond once the game starts after that stumble? And what’s the read on whether Raiola is the kind of player who gets sharper in a “former team” storyline game, or the kind who goes the other direction?
In Other News...
Nebraska Still Waits On One Key Piece For Oregon Game
Nebraska enters its matchup with Oregon carrying a familiar week-of-game injury report, and the biggest name to watch on the defensive side remains Riley Van Poppel. The Cornhuskers have several moving pieces heading into the showdown, with Jamir Conn and Rex Guthrie already ruled out and Preston Taumua listed as probable, leaving the staff to sort through availability as kickoff approaches.
Oregon has its own uncertainty to manage, with receiver Evan Stewart also listed as doubtful and the Ducks trending toward Brock Thomas at quarterback. For Nebraska, the waiting game is less about surprise than it is about whether one more key piece can be available in time, and that decision could shape how the Huskers try to match up in a game that already has plenty of lineup questions attached to it. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas Early Buzz Just Hit A Troubling Reality Check
Nebraskas preseason optimism took a hit in its second exhibition game, as the Huskers fell to BYU after a second-half fade and a sloppy night with the ball. Fred Hoiberg has been using these tuneups to spread minutes around and get his bench more action, and that approach has offered a clearer look at the roster, even if the results have not been tidy.
BYU, meanwhile, leaned on its starters late to finish off the win, exposing the difference between a team still sorting out roles and one that was willing to push for the outcome. Nebraska still has one more exhibition to clean things up before the regular season starts, and the next stretch should give Hoiberg a better read on who can steady the Huskers once the games count. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Already Has An Early Problem To Clean Up
Nebraskas preseason tune-up has already produced more questions than answers. The Cornhuskers dropped both of their exhibition games, falling 79-74 to St. Louis before a 72-61 loss to BYU, and the early results have underscored how much work still remains before the games start to count.
Senior guard Cale Jacobsen tried to steady Nebraska against BYU with a team-high 15 points, but the offense never found enough rhythm against a Cougars group that got double-digit scoring from newcomers Collin Chandler and Jaxon Koehler. With one final exhibition against Kansas State set for Oct. 26, Nebraska still has a chance to smooth out the rough edges before the real season begins. [Read more 🡒]