Nebraska gets a first real test of the stretch run Saturday, and the matchup with Michigan State has all the ingredients for another one of those games that stays tight far longer than Husker fans would like.
The Huskers are 3-0 and heading into Big Ten play against a Spartans team that arrives at 2-1 after a 27-10 loss at No. 3 Notre Dame last Saturday.
Michigan State opened with wins over Toledo and Eastern Michigan, and its non-conference profile has been built on defense: just 295.7 yards and 18.0 points allowed per game. The Spartans also bring a balanced offense, even if it didn’t have much success against Notre Dame.
Nebraska, meanwhile, has already separated itself in a few statistical categories. It is the only team in the country ranked in the top 10 in both third-down conversion percentage, where it sits ninth at 57%, and third-down defense, where it ranks eighth at 23%. The Huskers are also one of only three schools in the nation in the top 15 in both total offense and total defense.
Still, the history between these two says to expect a fight.
Five of the last six meetings have been decided by five points or fewer, and all four games in East Lansing since Nebraska joined the Big Ten have come down to five points or less. Last season’s meeting in Lincoln was a good reminder of how fast things can tighten up.
In a game played in winds that regularly gusted over 40 mph, Nebraska trailed 21-14 late in the third quarter before Dylan Raiola got rolling, Emmett Johnson found his rhythm and the Huskers finished on a 24-6 run for a 38-27 win. It was the only game in the last six matchups to be decided by more than five points.
That backdrop is why Saturday feels less like a celebration and more like the start of the real examination. Michigan State is now coached by former Northwestern head coach and player Pat Fitzgerald, and the Spartans already have the look of a team shaped in his image. Their offense has not drawn much attention this season, especially after being smothered by Notre Dame, but they did hang around for much of that game and kept the Irish from running away with it.
Nebraska should be favored here, but the recent pattern makes a blowout feel unlikely.
Kickoff is set for 4:00pm CST, with the game on the B1G Network. Jeff Levering will handle play-by-play, Jake Butt will be the analyst and Fletcher will be on the sidelines. The game will also stream on the Fox Sports app.
For radio listeners, the broadcast can be streamed free on Huskers.com or the Huskers App. Kyle Crooks will do play-by-play, Jay Moore will provide analysis, and Jessica Coody will be on the sidelines. The pre- and postgame crew includes Matt Coatney, Jessica Coody, Ben McLaughlin and Jeremiah Sirles.
Weather should be mild for kickoff, with sunny skies and temperatures around 69 degrees. By the end of the game, it should cool into the mid-60s, with breezes in the 5-8 mph range.
The numbers around Nebraska’s start keep piling up. The Huskers completed non-conference play unbeaten for the third straight season, their longest run of unbeaten non-league seasons since a five-year stretch from 1997 to 2001. They’ve also now won 11 straight regular-season non-conference games dating back to 2023.
There’s more at stake beyond Saturday, too. Nebraska is looking for its first win in a Big Ten opener since a 42-38 victory at Illinois in 2019.
Since joining the Big Ten in 2011, the Huskers are 6-9 in conference openers. This is the second time they’ve opened league play against Michigan State, with the Spartans taking the 2021 opener in East Lansing, 23-20 in overtime.
And the schedule only gets more interesting from there. Maryland comes next, and both of its last two games were decided in the final minute.
After that comes Indiana, which will be the first defending national champion to play in Lincoln in 20 years. Nebraska’s freshman running back Jamal Rule has already scored six touchdowns through three games, including five rushing touchdowns and one receiving score.
That total matches the most by a Husker through three games since Taylor Martinez had six rushing touchdowns in 2011.
In Other News...
Nebraskas First MSU Injury Report Brings Early Roster Concerns
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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 🡒]