Nebraska heads to Oregon on Saturday night with a real opening to flip the script after the Indiana loss, and the matchup starts with one big question: can the Huskers make Oregon’s quarterback situation and protection issues pay off for them?
With Dante Moore out, Oregon’s offense is suddenly built around uncertainty. The Ducks may turn to Dylan “Pies de Piedra” Raiola, or they may go in another direction entirely, but either way Nebraska has a chance to make life difficult through pressure.
Oregon’s offensive line looks vulnerable, and SMQ’s read is that Raiola’s mobility won’t be enough to clean up the problems in front of him. That sets up a favorable spot for the Blackshirts to create mistakes if they can get home.
The danger, of course, is that Oregon still wants the kind of explosive plays Nebraska has sometimes struggled to prevent. So the game could come down to whether the Huskers can keep the Ducks from finding those quick-hit shots and forcing the defense to cover ground. UCLA offered a useful blueprint: attack the short throws Oregon uses to slow the pass rush, crowd those windows, make the quarterback hold the ball, and let the pressure do the rest.
On offense, Nebraska doesn’t need to get fancy. Jamal Rule and the short passing game to the tight ends gave the Huskers something steady against Indiana, and that same approach should be in play again. Dana Holgorsen doesn’t need to unearth some hidden wrinkle; he just needs to keep leaning on what already works, even if it doesn’t come with a “genius” label attached to it.
That means the edges matter. Oregon’s front is a problem on inside runs, but the defense appears more exposed outside.
Anthony Colandrea’s scrambling could be a big factor, and the Ducks’ secondary is described as vulnerable, so Nebraska should have chances to attack there if Colandrea can stay upright long enough to deliver the throws that are there. Work the width of the field first.
Use the tight ends. Then ask the line to hold up on the deeper throws.
If the run game starts rolling, Nebraska should keep going back to it. The fourth quarter is where all that pounding can really start to wear a defense down, and SMQ’s point is simple: don’t get away from it just because the score is close.
There’s also a coaching layer here that adds intrigue. Dan Lanning and Oregon have been criticized for issues with adjustments, despite the talent level available in Eugene. Nebraska’s own adjustment questions are well known, but this time Oregon may be the team under the microscope.
Autzen Stadium still gives the Ducks an edge, though there’s at least some question about the crowd factor with Oregon sitting at 3-2 and thousands of tickets still listed on the resale market. Even so, the broader sense from SMQ is that the opening is there for Nebraska to make this interesting.
The prescription is straightforward: run the edges, use Luke Lindenmeyer to help slow the pass rush, pressure the quarterback, and attack the Oregon secondary. SMQ believes the same general game plan from last week can work here, only against a worse defense. The 7½-point Oregon spread feels too rich, the 51.5 total looks high if Nebraska can take advantage of the protection issues, and the call is Nebraska 24, Oregon 17.
In Other News...
Nebraska Just Got A Break Before Oregon But The Challenge Remains
Oregon is heading into its matchup with Nebraska a little thinner than expected, with quarterback Dante Moore ruled out and wide receiver Evan Stewart downgraded to doubtful. That changes the look of a game that already carried plenty of weight for Nebraska, which has spent the week preparing for one of the most difficult tests on its schedule and now gets a slightly different version of the Ducks than the one it may have been game-planning for.
Even with those personnel questions for Oregon, the challenge for Nebraska does not disappear. The Huskers still have to deal with a program that has the speed, depth and organization to make life difficult on either side of the ball, and the broader Nebraska sports picture keeps rolling too, with volleyball stretching its regular-season win streak to 49 matches in a sweep of Northwestern and basketball set to return with an exhibition against BYU featuring returning players Pryce Sandfort and Braden Frager. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Faces A Real Road Test As Oregon Prep Gets Complicated
Matt Rhule said Nebraska is spending the week not just on Oregon, but on the logistics that come with a late kickoff and a difficult road environment. The Cornhuskers have had to adjust their routine for the unusual start time while keeping the emphasis on football, and Rhule pointed to the kind of details that can decide a game away from home, including crowd noise and cleaner communication.
Jamir Conn has been ruled out, which opens the door for other Nebraska players to take on more leadership as the Huskers get ready for one of their tougher tests of the season. Oregons quarterback situation is still unsettled, adding another layer of preparation for Nebraska, but Rhules message has been straightforward: stay locked in, handle the noise, and be ready for whatever version of the Ducks shows up. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Has A Real Shot To End Its Ranked-Game Misery
Nebraska heads into the Oregon matchup with more reason for optimism than it usually carries into a ranked showdown. The Huskers know quarterback Dylan Raiola well enough to at least feel comfortable with the challenge, and they have some offensive answers of their own if Anthony Colandrea can help keep the offense moving and the rushing game does its part.
Oregons recent turnover issues give Nebraska a path to stay in the game, and maybe more than that if the Huskers can capitalize when opportunities arrive. The bigger backdrop is impossible to ignore: Nebraska has spent too long coming up short against ranked opponents, and this one offers a chance to finally change that story. [Read more 🡒]