Three games into the season, Nebraska has already put a few things on the board. The trick now is figuring out which of those early signs hold up once Big Ten play starts and the competition gets harder.
That’s the real test over the next nine games. Some of what the Huskers showed in non-conference play will carry over.
Some of it won’t. This week gives the first chance to sort that out, and the shift to Big Ten football is impossible to miss.
One of the clearest early takeaways was the offensive balance Nebraska showed. The Huskers topped 200 yards rushing and 200 yards passing in all three non-conference games, something they hadn’t done in three straight contests since 2016. That kind of production gives the offense a foundation heading into conference play.
The final non-conference game added another layer. Nebraska finished with 277 rushing yards and 216 passing yards against North Dakota, and the run game became the answer when the Fighting Hawks kept bringing pressure. The offensive line looked strong enough that Husker athletic director Troy Dannen pointed to its play this week.
But Big Ten defenses will ask different questions. Kenny Soares is threatening the edge, and Jordan Hall is sorting through traffic behind him. Those are the kinds of players that make every snap tougher - and the kinds Nebraska will have to try to beat.
Dana Holgorsen doesn’t sound interested in forcing the issue either way. The number of runs or passes doesn’t matter to him as much as finding the right answer.
He also defines balance a little differently.
"It's not run-pass. It's distributing the ball to all the people that can touch it ...
It makes them cover the whole field. They can't just focus on a particular person.
Like what we got as far as who we can get it to. Once again, that's my job to make sure we spread it around."
That’s where Nebraska’s next step comes in. The Huskers have shown they can find answers when one door closes. Now they get to see whether they can open another one in conference play.
Maybe this is the week the Nyziah Hunter door opens for a big play. Whether with one or two shoes, the Huskers will take it.
In Other News...
Nebraskas Secondary Suddenly Has A Pregame Question Before Kickoff
Nebraskas Friday availability update brought a little more clarity, and a little more concern, for a secondary that already had some pregame uncertainty hanging over it. Edge rusher Jordan Ochoa moved from questionable to probable, but the notable shift came on the back end, where safety Rex Guthrie was upgraded from doubtful to questionable while cornerback Bryson Webber was listed as out.
The Big Tens new availability format has turned these late-week reports into a bigger part of the game-week rhythm, with teams now required to submit them three days before kickoff and then update them daily through game day. Michigan States report added its own layer of uncertainty, with linebacker Brady Pretzlaff and special teamer Jay Coyne out and cornerback Tyran Chappell questionable, but Nebraskas biggest concern is still the state of its defensive backfield as kickoff approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas Undefeated Start Faces Its First Real Test At Michigan State
Nebraska has handled its non-conference schedule well enough to arrive at 3-0 with a little momentum and a lot of curiosity still attached to how real the start is. Now the Cornhuskers head to Michigan State for their first Power 4 matchup, and the early read from DraftKings has them favored by 5.5 points, a sign that the market believes in what Nebraska has shown so far on both sides of the ball.
Saturday should tell a lot more, though, especially with linebacker Brady Pretzlaff likely out and running back Cam Edwards appearing available. Nebraskas defense has looked sturdy and the offense has found enough rhythm to keep the pressure manageable, but road games in conference play usually bring a different level of stress. Anthony Colandrea could end up being one of the swing pieces in how smoothly that transition goes. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Faces Another East Lansing Test It Has Struggled To Finish
East Lansing has not been a friendly stop for Nebraska, which has not won there against Michigan State in 14 years and has only met the Spartans three times since 2012. Even so, this matchup has usually been tight enough to swing on a handful of plays, with most of the games between the schools since Nebraska joined the Big Ten decided by five points or less.
Matt Rhule brings a more experienced roster into this one, while Michigan State leans on the kind of defense that can make finishing drives a chore. Nebraska also has some personnel wrinkles to manage, with Carter Nelson out and Luke Lindenmeyer expected to handle most of the snaps, which adds another layer to a road test the Cornhuskers have struggled to close out. [Read more 🡒]