Nebraska returns to the field Saturday afternoon to take on Purdue, seeking its third-consecutive Big Ten Conference win.
The Huskers will have to overcome even more injury issues on offense this week, with three offensive linemen not available and wide receiver Billy Kemp IV also not in uniform against the Boilermakers.
There will be ample opportunity for players to step up this week, and will have to do so against a Purdue team that comes in off a bye week. Purdue is 2-5 on the season with wins over Virginia Tech and Illinois.
Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule said this week that he’s most concerned about his team continuing to play at a high level over the last five games of the regular season.
“The danger, and it goes back to Bill Parcells, who used to talk about the psychology of results,” he said. “There’s four things to it. One of them is, when you don’t play at the level you want to play at, when you don’t play well and win, sometimes you start to think ‘hey, I can win.’ That’s why you’ll hear me say I don’t care about the score all the time. Obviously, I want to win, but I care about how we play. There’s a standard.”
Here’s what we’re looking for, picks to click and final predictions:
KEYS TO SATURDAY’S GAME
Can Nebraska get to three straight wins? It’s been a while since the Huskers have won three straight games and Saturday would be the third straight after wins over Illinois and Northwestern. Those games the Huskers won through strong defense. It’ll likely be the same on Saturday, where the Boilermakers are largely below average on offense.
Who steps up next? All season the Huskers have received strong performances from unlikely sources. Players just stepping into roles when they’ve been given opportunities. Last week it was James Williams, who emerged, providing good pass rush in only a handful of snaps. The performances have largely been on the defensive side of the ball. Perhaps this weekend the Huskers could get an unlikely big play or two on specials teams or offense? –Mike Schaefer
I’m going to highlight a specific scenario I assume is going to pop up because – Big Ten. And the Huskers have to nail the moment. Nebraska is going to have a point in this game where Brian Buschini punts a football inside the 10-yard-line. Ideally inside the 2. And the Blackshirts need to be on point right then and there. Just like last week when such a punt, then a stop/sack, gave NU the ball back in good field position before the Malachi Coleman party. Just like last week where you deliver that 3-and-out and keep the field titled in your favor until you score. This is what these games down the stretch are about: Having the fight for territory trend your way and then not botching the deal.
Make Purdue kick it. Field goals, that is. If you look inside the numbers, the Boilermakers have a rather rough red zone offensive ranking of 127th. They’ve had eight of 26 trips end with no points. However, their red zone touchdown percentage is pretty good. They’ve scored touchdowns on 16 of those times (65th). What’s that tell you? They’re actually not bad down there about making a team pay by scoring touchdowns, but if they have to kick it they are just 3-of-9 on the season. Nebraska excelled last week about forcing Wildcat kicks. Ideally the NU offense doesn’t put the Blackshirts behind the 8-ball with turnovers like it did in that game. But the Huskers have to be clutch when those red zone moments arrive and make the «4-point plays,» as they say. Heck, stopping them might be worth seven points the way the kicks have gone.
–Brian Christopherson
Can the pass rush have an encore? Nebraska found its pass rushing mojo last weekend in the win over Northwestern. The Huskers tallied eight sacks and 13 tackles for loss in the win over Northwestern and will need to create havoc on Saturday. Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule talked this week about turnover differential and how the Huskers need to start forcing more turnovers. This week would be a good time for the defense to make that next step — a strip sack or a few interceptions would go a long way to helping Nebraska gets its fifth win.
Can the patch-work offensive line hit the ground running? One positive for Nebraska’s offense is that all three offensive linemen being asked to come in and start have some playing experience during their career. Teddy Prochazka has been Nebraska’s starting left tackle before, Justin Evans-Jenkins came in and played well against Northwestern and Henry Lutovsky has been a rotational player at guard. There will no doubt be growing pains with the group, but with Purdue coming to Lincoln with middle-of-the-road defensive numbers, there will be an opportunity to move the ball on the ground. –Michael Bruntz