Nebraska’s season has reached that part of the calendar where every big swing carries extra weight. Washington is in the same spot, maybe even more so.
When the Huskers and Huskies kick off Saturday night at Memorial Stadium, this is about more than just moving to the next line on the schedule. Nebraska is 5-2 overall and 2-2 in the Big Ten; Washington comes in at 4-3 and 1-3. Both teams need this one, badly.
For Nebraska, a win keeps the door cracked open to something bigger. The Huskers would still have a path to a season that feels special, and, yes, a shot at staying in the College Football Playoff conversation. A loss would leave them staring at the kind of season that settles into the middle ground - maybe six or seven wins, with three of those coming against the early cupcakes.
The numbers, at least on paper, lean Nebraska’s way. FanDuel lists the Huskers as 7.5-point favorites, and The Athletic 138 has Nebraska at No. 34 while Washington sits at No. 56.
This is also a strength-on-strength game that could tilt on a few key snaps. Nebraska’s defense has been the backbone of the team.
Opponents are scoring 15.4 points per game against the Huskers, which ranks 14th nationally, and Nebraska is even better on third down, allowing just 17 conversions on 88 tries. That 19.3 percent mark leads the country.
Oregon managed only 3-of-17 on third down against Nebraska, and none of those conversions came in the first three quarters.
Nebraska is also ninth nationally in total defense, giving up 271.3 yards per game. That matters against a Washington offense that ranks 69th in total offense at 386.7 yards per game.
The Huskers can make life easier on themselves by leaning into the run early. Nebraska ranks 29th nationally with 194.4 rushing yards per game, and if Mekhi Nelson and Jamal Rule get going, it can set up a cleaner day for Anthony Colandrea and the passing game.
Matt Rhule said this week, “I think we’ve all seen what Jamal can do when he’s rolling,” and added, “This bye week comes at a really good time for Jamal and a really good time for even Mekhi. He doesn’t complain about it but I mean he hurt his ankle going into whatever game it was, I think maybe Maryland and he’s just fighting through it.”
Nebraska’s offense has also been efficient on third down, converting 50.5 percent of the time. That ranks 15th in the country and ties USC for the best mark in the Big Ten.
Then there’s the atmosphere. The Blackout isn’t a magic trick, and it won’t add points by itself, but it should give the home crowd and the Nebraska sideline a little extra energy.
Last year’s Blackout ended badly for the Huskers, who lost a game they should have had and saw quarterback Dylan Raiola suffer a broken fibula. This is a different year, though, and the vibe around the stadium figures to be fully engaged.
Washington can stress Nebraska in a different way. The Huskies rank 21st nationally in passing offense at 282.7 yards per game, while Nebraska’s pass defense sits 17th, allowing 171.7 yards per game. If Washington starts connecting through the air, Nebraska could be in for a long night.
The quarterback situation adds another layer. Demond Williams Jr. did not play against Purdue because of a rib injury, but he is listed as the starter on this week’s depth chart. His backup, Elijah Brown, played well against Purdue despite throwing three interceptions.
Williams is 116-of-174 for 1,396 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions. Brown is 51-of-69 for 578 yards, seven touchdowns and three interceptions. Washington has outgained opponents through the air, 1,979 yards to 1,435.
Rhule sees an offense with real structure and vertical punch. “They’re certainly very similar and different if I may,” he said.
“I think first of all Coach [Jedd] Fisch runs a fantastic system for guys who’ve been in the NFL, guys who’ve studied NFL tape. You can see he runs a true West Coast offense and it’s really, really, really elitely well constructed …
“They’re a vertical passing offense, I think they’re third in the Big Ten in passing offense. I think it’s 18th in the country passing offense.
They push the ball down the field. This is not like a dink and dunk only, this is a true play-action, push the ball down the field offense.
“So they have the guys to do it, so they have to be elite with their arm and they both use their legs to get in and out of trouble.”
Washington’s season has had some uneven patches. The Huskies opened with a win over Washington State, then barely survived Utah State before rolling Eastern Washington and winning at Purdue before the bye. Their losses, though, have come at home to Minnesota and Iowa and on the road at USC.
Fisch tried to sharpen his group during the break, calling the bye-week work “Training Camp 2.0” and putting the team in full pads for three days. Washington should be fresh and ready.
There is one area where the Huskies can make Nebraska uncomfortable. Washington held Purdue running back Fame Ijejoi to 19 yards after he ran for 195 against Minnesota a week earlier. Nebraska wants to run the football, but Washington’s rushing defense has been decent, ranking 53rd nationally and allowing 131 yards per game.
Both teams come in rested after the bye, and both know what’s at stake. Nebraska has consecutive losses to Indiana and Oregon, though it led in the fourth quarter of both prestige games. Washington snapped a three-game losing streak by beating Purdue last time out.
This one feels like a hinge game for both sides.
In Other News...
Washingtons Trip To Nebraska Looks Tougher Than Fans Might Think
Washingtons trip to Nebraska has the feel of a game that could be more complicated than it looks on paper. The Cornhuskers are 5-2 under Matt Rhule in his fourth year, and the structure around this team has changed enough that the old assumptions about Nebraska no longer really fit. Dana Holgorsen is coordinating the offense with Glenn Thomas working closely with the quarterbacks, and Anthony Colandrea has settled in as the kind of upgrade at the position that can change how a matchup is played and, just as importantly, how it is defended.
What makes this one tricky for the Huskies is how many moving parts Nebraska now has in place on both sides of the ball. Owen Chambliss is the headliner on a defense built around a 4-2-5 look, and the broader fan discussion around the Huskers has centered on player roles and whether this version of the team is finally built to hold up in the games that matter most. For Washington, that means this is not just another road test. It is the kind of matchup where the details, and not just the record, may decide how uncomfortable the afternoon becomes. [Read more 🡒]
Washington May Have Avoided A Bigger Problem Against Nebraska
Washingtons pass-rush plans got a little more interesting heading into Nebraska when Ramzak Frueans status changed from the bluntest possible injury designation to something far less final. The edge rusher had initially been listed out with a knee injury, but a strong day of rehabilitation put him back on the radar, and Jedd Fisch said he is now trending toward being available. Even with that progress, the Huskies are still being careful about what exactly he can handle if he suits up.
For a defense that needs bodies on the edge, the timing matters. Washington is preparing to start fifth-year edge rusher Isaiah Ward in Frueans spot, which gives the Huskies a workable backup plan if the week does not end with a full return. The larger question is less about whether Fruean can dress and more about how much he can contribute if he does, a detail that could shape how Washington attacks Nebraska. [Read more 🡒]
Washington May Finally Get Relief In A Battered Backfield
Washingtons backfield has been stretched thin for much of the season, so even a modest dose of good news carries some weight. Jayden Limar is on track to return for the first time since Week 1 after getting back on the practice field and showing up as probable on the injury report, a welcome development for a Huskies offense that has been piecing together its running game through injuries.
Head coach Jedd Fisch said he expects Limar to be available against Nebraska, and his presence alone should give Washington some needed stability. The next question is how quickly the Huskies can work him back into the rotation and how much they can lean on him after such a long layoff, with more clarity likely to come once the week unfolds. [Read more 🡒]