Nebraska is halfway through the season, sitting at 5-1 and staring at a stretch that could shape everything about the rest of the year. One more win gets the Huskers bowl eligible.
Two more, against Oregon and Washington, would match last season’s seven wins. Add three more, including Illinois, and Nebraska would reach its best finish since 2016 at 8-4.
If things broke perfectly, a win over Rutgers paired with an Ohio State loss could even send the Huskers into the Iowa game at 9-2.
But that’s getting way ahead of things.
For now, the road gets pointed toward two ranked opponents that remain on the schedule: Ohio State at No. 4 and Iowa at No. 17. Oregon was supposed to be part of that picture too, but the Ducks fell out of the polls this week after a 17-15 loss to UCLA in Eugene on Saturday.
That matters because Nebraska had been looking at the possibility of another shot at breaking its long losing streak against ranked teams, which now stands at 31. If Oregon had handled UCLA, the Huskers would have been facing a ranked opponent again. Instead, they get a vulnerable-looking Ducks team and a possible opening.
There’s also a quarterback wrinkle that adds plenty of juice to Saturday night in Eugene. Oregon’s Dante Moore, who entered the season as the Ducks’ Heisman hopeful, suffered a concussion in the USC game two weeks before and may not be ready to go. Last Saturday, former Husker quarterback Dylan Raiola - who transferred to Oregon in the offseason - started for the Ducks against UCLA.
Raiola struggled badly before being replaced by former Oregon walk-on and senior Brock Thomas. Thomas settled things down, finishing 11-for-15 for 156 yards and a touchdown, and nearly pulled Oregon into position to win.
The question now is who starts against Nebraska. That may not be answered for a few days. If Raiola is back under center, it would certainly make for a strange twist against his old team and coaches.
Nebraska probably let a similar opportunity slip against Indiana in Lincoln. The formula is pretty clear: clean up the dumb penalties, play smart for four quarters, and win the physical and mental battles. The Huskers brought a level of intensity last week that hasn’t shown up often lately, and Indiana had to know it was in a fight.
Still, costly mistakes can burn you against teams at Oregon’s level. A missed field goal and an offensive lineman being 10 yards downfield on a pass play are the kind of errors that kill drives and can’t be shrugged off.
Matt Rhule still has to find a place-kicking operation Nebraska can trust to cash in in the red zone. It’s difficult to square a program with an $84.1 million budget not having a reliable field goal unit.
Most preseason predictions had Oregon down as a Husker loss. After the Indiana game, though, some are now calling this one winnable for Nebraska in Eugene.
Kickoff is set for 10:00 pm CDT Saturday night, and yes, that’s a caffeine-and-pajamas kind of start time.
Nebraska will be hoping the Indiana loss serves the same kind of fuel that the 1994 Orange Bowl loss to Florida State gave the ‘94 and ‘95 Huskers, who turned that setback into undefeated seasons the next two years.
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Big Ten Admission Gives UCLAs Oregon Win A Controversial Twist
UCLAs 17-15 win over Oregon in Eugene carried extra weight on its own, since it was the Bruins first victory there since 2004. But the game also ended with a rules wrinkle that left a sour edge to the Ducks first league loss in their new conference setting, because a key late two-point conversion try was handled incorrectly by the officials after a facemask penalty on UCLA.
The Big Ten later issued a statement acknowledging the officiating mistake and clarifying how the rule should have been applied. For Oregon, that confirmation did not change the result, but it did underline just how thin the margin was in a game that already had plenty of significance for both programs. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Faces A Bigger Question Than Nebraska In This Big Ten Test
Nebraskas latest trip to the West Coast brings a familiar Big Ten twist, with both teams still trying to steady themselves after close losses to ranked opponents. The Cornhuskers head into Eugene for a conference game that carries plenty of interest beyond the standings, not least because Oregon expects quarterback Dante Moore back after missing time with a concussion.
Anthony Colandrea has given Nebraska a real passing threat this season with 13 touchdown throws, and the setting adds another layer to a game already loaded with questions. It will be Nebraskas third straight appearance on the West Coast and its first night game there, while Oregon is left sorting out what this matchup means in a much bigger conference picture than one Saturday in Eugene. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Lanning Sends Clear Message After Oregon's Offensive Letdown
The offensive frustration that followed Oregons loss to UCLA is already drawing a response from Dan Lanning. The Ducks coach signaled that changes are coming on that side of the ball, pointing to a need to get more production from the players who can tilt the field, including tight end Jamari Johnson and receiver Dakorien Moore.
Lannings message was less about a single bad night than about how the offense has been functioning. Turnovers and a limited number of plays helped stall the Ducks, and the coaching staff appears ready to adjust the way the ball is distributed as Oregon tries to avoid a repeat of the same kind of letdown. [Read more 🡒]