Nebraska gets a night game at Lincoln Memorial Stadium on Saturday, and the setup looks friendly for the Huskers. Bowling Green comes in as a 29.5-point underdog, with the Falcons sitting at 4-8 last season and 4-9 under second-year head coach Eddie George, the same Eddie George who won the Heisman Trophy over Tommie Frazier.
That’s why this one has all the makings of a comfortable Nebraska win. The offense already showed plenty against Ohio, and it has room to look even sharper. The running game can take another step, the offensive line can be cleaner, and the defense has a chance to look better, too.
Anthony Colandrea was as good as advertised last week, and the expectation here is that he won’t have to do much after halftime. Bowling Green’s defense was gashed by an FCS team last week, giving up 464 yards, a 66 percent completion rate, two touchdowns, and more than 200 passing yards. Nebraska should have no trouble moving the ball, especially on the ground.
That leads to the first bold prediction: Colandrea has a short night. He should still pile up close to 200 total yards in the first half, including a long touchdown pass, but if the game goes the way Nebraska wants, he’ll barely be needed after the break. This offense has too many options for a defense like Bowling Green’s, and a big play from Quinn Clark or a strong night from Nyziah Hunter would fit right in.
The second bold prediction is even more eye-catching: Nebraska runs for 300 yards. Bowling Green gave up 7.8 yards per rush last week, and while that number won’t stay that ugly all season, it points to a night where the Huskers can keep feeding Jamal Rule, Mekhi Nelson, and Isaiah Mozee.
Rule is in line for his second 100-yard game, and Matt Rhule’s challenge to the offensive line should show up in a big way. If Nebraska gets to 300 on the ground, that would push the offense past 500 total yards.
That’s a lot, but that’s also the kind of night this could turn into for the Anthony Colandrea offense.
The final bold prediction: a first-half shutout. Rob Aurich’s Blackshirts were better than they got credit for against Ohio, holding seven drives to 12 yards or less and allowing just one explosive play.
Aurich even joked at his press conference that the Huskers would try not to give up another 68-yard play to open the game. With Owen Chambliss back, Nebraska should be even steadier on that side of the ball.
Bowling Green could get on the board eventually, most likely after halftime. But the prediction here is that Nebraska brings a clean first half and keeps the Falcons off the scoreboard until the second half.
In Other News...
Nebraska Unveiled An Old School Wrinkle Fans Will Want More Of
Anthony Jones Jr. gave Nebraska a little old-school flavor in the win over Ohio, lining up as a fullback and helping clear the way for touchdowns while still making his presence felt on defense. The defensive lineman also made three tackles in his Husker debut, a tidy start that only added to the value coaches have already seen in his versatility and leadership.
Jones is expected to keep contributing on defense when Nebraska meets Bowling Green next, but the wrinkle he brought to the offense was the kind of detail fans tend to notice quickly. It is not every day a lineman can help in the trenches on one side of the ball and then step into a lead-blocking role on the other, which is part of why his early impact has stood out. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Gets A Key Defender Back With One Big Concern
Owen Chambliss is working his way back at a time when Nebraska could use another steady piece on defense. The linebacker has been dealing with a hamstring injury that kept him out of practice and cut into his availability last game, but the coaching staff is still holding out hope he can get on the field against Bowling Green. His value goes beyond simple depth, too, since Chambliss has already shown he can be a key defender and knows defensive coordinator Rob Aurichs system well.
Even so, there is still real uncertainty around how much he can handle in game action. Hamstring issues can be tricky, and Nebraska does not sound ready to lock in a role for him just yet. For a defense trying to build consistency early, getting Chambliss back in any capacity would help, but the bigger question is whether he can return with enough confidence and enough burst to matter right away. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Looked Every Bit Like No. 1 Against Baylor
Nebraska kept rolling at John Cook Arena, handling Baylor in straight sets and looking every bit like the top-ranked team in the building. The Huskers won 25-20, 25-22 and 26-24 behind balanced production, with Manaia Ogbechie and Harper Murray each putting down 12 kills and Bergen Reilly steering the offense with a season-high 41 assists.
Reilly also added three aces as Nebraska improved to 6-0, while Baylor dropped to 5-2 after pushing the final set deep into extra points. Ogbechies breakthrough night gave the Huskers another efficient option at the net, and the way Nebraska closed out each set suggested a team that is already settling into the kind of rhythm that can make early-season rankings feel less like a snapshot and more like a warning. [Read more 🡒]