Nebraska returns from its bye week with plenty to sort out and a Halloween spotlight waiting at Memorial Stadium.
The Cornhuskers, 5-2 overall and 2-2 in the Big Ten, host Washington on Saturday night in the second annual Blackout game. The crowd will be in black, and the Huskers will be dressed for the occasion as well. After back-to-back narrow losses to Indiana and Oregon, Nebraska is hoping the extra week off helps it reset and bring some much-needed momentum into the final month of the regular season.
One of the biggest things to watch is how Nebraska handles Washington’s quarterback situation. Demond Williams Jr. entered the year with high expectations after a strong 2025 season, but a rib injury against Iowa three weeks ago changed the Huskies’ plans.
Washington turned to Stanford transfer Elijah Brown against Purdue, and he responded with 21 completions on 27 attempts for 302 yards and three touchdowns in the Huskies’ first Big Ten win of the season. Jedd Fisch still hasn’t tipped his hand on who will start this week, so Nebraska has to get ready for both quarterbacks again.
Rob Aurich said Tuesday the Huskers have enough film on each of them to be prepared. “I think No.
7 (Brown) has operated pretty quickly,” Aurich said. “His completion percentage has been pretty high...
Has kind of a good feel for the system.” Aurich also said Williams is similar to Nebraska quarterback Anthony Colandrea when scrambling out of the pocket, while noting the two Washington quarterbacks are very different and the offense changes depending on who is in the game.
Nebraska’s own offense has questions to answer, too, especially on the ground. Outside of Colandrea, the run game has been slow to get going over the last two games, and the banged-up running back room hasn’t helped. Dana Holgorsen said Tuesday he wants more from that group, and the bye week should help on that front.
There was at least one encouraging sign on Wednesday’s availability report: leading rusher Jamal Rule, a true freshman, was not listed. Sophomore Isaiah Mozee was marked probable, which could give Nebraska a healthier, more complete backfield for Saturday.
Holgorsen said he expects the group to bounce back after a rough stretch, and the numbers suggest Nebraska has a chance to lean on that part of the offense. The Huskers rank No. 29 nationally in rushing at 194.4 yards per game, while Washington’s defense sits at No. 52 against the run, giving up 131.1 yards per game.
The late-game story also looms large. Nebraska has led in the fourth quarter in both of its last two games, only to watch those leads disappear in three-point losses to Indiana and Oregon. The defense gave up an 82-yard touchdown drive that took 20 plays against Oregon, while the Huskers allowed just 20 points in the Indiana loss and 17 against the Ducks.
That leaves Aurich and the Nebraska defense with a clear task: clean up those crunch-time breakdowns before Washington arrives.
On the other side of the ball, Holgorsen’s offense needs better third-quarter production. Over the last six games, Nebraska has scored only 14 points in the third quarter combined, and Saturday offers another chance to fix that issue.
Nebraska and Washington kick off at 7 p.m. CDT Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln. The game will air on the Big Ten Network.
In Other News...
Nikola Dzepina Suddenly Carries A Huge Washington Frontcourt Burden
Washingtons frontcourt looks a lot different this season, and the changes leave Nikola Dzepina in a spot the Huskies probably did not envision for a second-year forward. With Hannes Steinbach and Franck Kepnang gone, the post rotation is thinner, and coach Danny Sprinkle has been clear that Dzepinas value now stretches well beyond spot minutes or a developmental role. He is expected to help anchor the rebounding and give the Huskies some production around the rim.
Mady Traore is the only other true big on the roster, which only sharpens the pressure on Dzepina to handle a bigger load inside. Sprinkles emphasis on his rebounding and post offense suggests Washington will need him to be a steady presence rather than just a supplemental piece, and that makes his progression one of the more important storylines hanging over the frontcourt as the season approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Washington Needs Kodi Greene As O-Line Turmoil Keeps Growing
The shuffle along Washingtons offensive line just got a lot more complicated, with center Landen Hatchett now out for the rest of the season after suffering a head, neck and spine injury in practice. Kolt Dieterich is moving back to center, which means the Huskies are once again trying to piece together the front five on the fly, a tough ask for any team and especially one still searching for stability in protection and run blocking.
Amid all of that movement, true freshman Kodi Greene has become a name to watch. He opened as the starting left tackle, then has bounced between tackle and guard as the staff looks for the right mix, and coaches have noted that he has been improving as the reps keep coming. With the interior and edge spots still in flux, Washington needs Greene to keep settling in and giving this line some semblance of continuity. [Read more 🡒]
Washingtons Defensive Line Just Took A Tough Hit Before Nebraska
Washingtons defensive front is heading into a tricky Big Ten test without one of its emerging pieces. Ramzak Fruean, a true freshman who had been starting on the line, left the Purdue game with a knee injury and will not be available against Nebraska, leaving the Huskies to reshuffle a pass rush that has already been adjusting on the fly.
The next-man-up plan now points to Logan George and Russell Davis II, both of whom are in line for expanded snaps with Fruean sidelined. For Washington, it is a tough development at a spot where early-season continuity matters, especially with Nebraska waiting and the margin for error on defense likely to be thin. [Read more 🡒]