Nebraska comes out of Week 9 riding high and feeling strong heading into Week 10. The Cornhuskers are also in an unusual spot for the recent history of the program.
When the Huskers take the field on Nov. 4, the team will be above .500 (5-3) and riding a 3-game winning streak. Nebraska is also 3-2 in the B1G and stands tied for first in the B1G West standings.
While Matt Rhule’s group focuses on the day-in and day-out process, fans surrounding the program are experiencing a bit of honest hope for the first time in a while. Now, Nebraska enters Week 10 with a legitimate shot at a bowl game with just one more win needed to get to the postseason.
Here’s how the full stock report for the Huskers looks after the 31-14 win over Purdue:
Key stat: Time of possession
Considering what went into Saturday’s game, it’s hard to see how Nebraska pulled away with a 17-point win against Purdue. The ground game was inconsistent while the Huskers turned the ball over 4 times.
In the end, the time of possession battle proved to be a major factor with Nebraska controlling the ball for 33 minutes of the action. By contrast, Purdue held the ball for right at 27 minutes.
Despite the other issues impacting the game, Nebraska’s ability to hold the ball and control the clock ultimately led to the double-digit win.
First impressions for Week 10
Next up, Nebraska heads to East Lansing for a showdown against Michigan State. The Spartans are 2-6 overall and winless in the B1G while playing most of this season under interim head coach Harlon Barnett after the midseason firing of Mel Tucker.
While the team continues to fight, it is hard to pinpoint one area in which Michigan State has been consistently playing well over the course of the season. The offense is averaging just 18 points per game while the defense is giving up 27.8 points per game.
Most recently, the Spartans gave up 27 points and 204 yards on the ground to Minnesota’s Jordan Nubin. That type of performance plays right into the hands of the Huskers as a team looking to grind the ball and eat up the yardage in the ground game.