Nebraska walks into Saturday night’s Blackout game with a lot more on the line than just another conference win. The Huskers have already been through a rough stretch, dropping back-to-back games after holding fourth-quarter leads against both defending national champion Indiana and Oregon. That skid has reopened the same questions some fans were asking after the second loss: is Matt Rhule really the right man to get Nebraska where it wants to go?
A win over Washington would quiet plenty of that noise. It would also punch Nebraska’s ticket to a bowl game and set up a final four-game stretch that could still put the Huskers in position to finish 9-3. A loss, though, would send the conversation in a much harsher direction.
The betting market has kept Nebraska in a favorable spot all week, even with those two straight defeats. The Huskers opened as 9.5-point favorites, a number that caught some fans off guard given the recent mood around the program. That line has come down, though, with Washington seemingly healthier coming out of its bye week.
Jedd Fisch may have some key pieces back for the Huskies, including their top running backs. At quarterback, he could go with either Elijah Brown Jr. or Demond Williams, and he has said he won’t reveal that decision until game time.
By Saturday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had Nebraska favored by 7.5 points, with the total set at 49.5. The number suggests oddsmakers expect a game with plenty of offense, with Anthony Colandrea and whichever quarterback starts for Washington likely to keep things moving.
Dana Holgorsen summed up the Big Ten pretty cleanly earlier this week when he said most league games are a "race to 21," and whoever gets there first wins. Nebraska has been especially effective when it reaches that mark before the other side. After a week off to rest, recover, and search for the right formula on offense, the Huskers will try to do exactly that and finally get to six wins.
In Other News...
Nebraska Still Has One Late-Game Problem A Former Champion Didn't Ignore
Clester Johnson has seen enough Nebraska football to know when a team is leaving something on the table, and in a recent podcast interview the former wingback and national champion returned to a familiar theme: finishing. Johnson talked about the importance of closing out games and the accountability that comes with it, while also looking back on how Tom Osbornes staffs handled those moments when the pressure tightened and the details mattered most.
Johnson also framed the challenge in a more modern light, noting that todays Nebraska has to navigate a different college football reality with retention and recruiting adding another layer of difficulty. He pointed to quarterback Anthony Colandreas ability, but said the offense still needs more balance around him, a reminder that the late-game issues are rarely about one player alone and usually come back to whether the whole operation can hold up when it matters most. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Found Another Brutal Way To Waste A Winnable Game
For most of the afternoon, Nebraska and Washington played the kind of tight, low-scoring game that leaves every possession feeling heavier than the last. The Cornhuskers had chances to keep control of it, but quarterback Anthony Colandreas interceptions and a missed field goal from Kyle Cunanan kept turning manageable moments into wasted ones.
Washington finally broke it open late with a touchdown, then slammed the door with a pick-six off Colandrea to seal a 17-10 win. For Nebraska, it was another frustrating reminder that in a game there to be won, the biggest damage often came from self-inflicted mistakes. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Could Get A Huge Boost Before Its Blackout Showdown
Nebraska is getting healthier at just the right time, with defensive lineman Riley Van Poppel expected back for the Washington game after missing recent action because of injury. Running back Isaiah Mozee is also likely to be available, giving the Cornhuskers a little more depth as they prepare for a marquee blackout matchup that should draw plenty of attention.
The injury report still leaves some holes, though, with offensive lineman Gunnar Gottula and safety Jamir Conn ruled out. Washington is dealing with its own uncertainty as quarterback Demond Williams has gone from doubtful to probable, even if the Huskies have not yet announced a starter, so Nebraska may still have to wait until kickoff to see exactly what kind of challenge it is facing. [Read more 🡒]