Nebraska football returns home to Lincoln on Saturday to square off with Maryland in a morning 11 a.m. kick.
Both teams will be looking to reach bowl eligibility on Saturday by getting a sixth win, and will do so in a game to be broadcast on Peacock, NBC’s streaming service.
Nebraska plays two of its three remaining games at home. The Huskers are 4-1 at Memorial Stadium this season and are looking for a fifth home victory for the first time since winning all seven home games in the 2016 campaign.
Maryland comes to Lincoln with a 5-4 record, including a 2-4 mark in Big Ten Conference play. The Terps opened the year with five straight victories, but have dropped their past four games, including a pair of losses to opponents ranked in the top 10.
“We are studying them,” Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule said of Maryland. “We know what they can do and how explosive they can be but we got beat last week when our eyes weren’t where they were supposed to be. When we are in the third and we come running up on a run play and the ball gets thrown with a double pass. So again the lessons always go back to just, ‘Hey guys trust yourself. Trust your technique. Do your assignment. Play hard. Play together.’ And we are probably going to have a chance to win games.”
Here’s what we’re looking for, picks to click and final predictions for Saturday’s game with the Terrapins.
KEYS TO SATURDAY’S GAME
There’s no savior coming for Nebraska’s offense. The Huskers will have to find a way in one of their final three games (and could for potentially all of them) to do enough to put the team in positions to win. The Huskers aren’t going to change strategies, seem very unlikely to change the quarterback and are betting on the formula that helped the team go 3-0 in October. Make enough plays on offense. Attempt to minimize mistakes. Strong special teams. That recipe didn’t work in East Lansing, but it can still work on Saturday.
How and when Nebraska chooses to blitz is among the most interesting things for Saturday. Defensive coordinator Tony White shared his own personal remorse this week on not putting the heat on Michigan State’s inexperienced quarterbacks. This week, however, White and Nebraska’s defense face a far more experienced signal caller in Taulia Tagovailoa. But is his offensive line is still a mess? Does Nebraska send heat or does white see if Cameron Lenhardt, James Williams and his big nasties in the middle can generate enough pressure themselves? Regardless how it happens it is critical for the Huskers to force action from Tagovailoa.
–Mike Schaefer
Can Brian Buschini and that punt team have itself a day? And what about the Husker punt return game while we’re at it? Yeah, Michigan State won the punt game exchange a week ago. But it’s a new week and Buschini does have a capable leg and the ability to have a day where he’s pinning the foe against its goal line. That’s the type of thing this Husker team with small margin for error needs. Maryland, for what it’s worth, is a respectable 30th in the country in net punting and seventh in the league in punt returns while Nebraska is 12th. As Buschini’s crew looks to get on top of things, does NU burn the redshirt of returnman Ethan Nation and see if he can make a big play back there down the stretch? Is Billy Kemp healthy enough to catch it and run with it? Most of all, Nebraska just needs a day of savvy decisions in special teams, with ideally no fair catches inside the 6.
The Husker defense puts up points itself. Yeah, that’s a big ask. But for as solid as this defense has bene, that’s the one box you still want to see checked. Why not this week? A pick six. A sack and forced fumble someone scoops on the run? Hey, even if it just sets up a short field, Nebraska’s defense needs to go on the offensive this game. Just one play like that could be all the difference and set up a fall party in Lincoln.
–Brian Christopherson
Can Nebraska’s defense be more aggressive? By his own admission, Nebraska defensive coordinator Tony White wasn’t aggressive enough in the early stages of Nebraska’s loss at Michigan State. This week against Maryland, the Husker defense will need to be the aggressors in a smart way. Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa has the ability to make plays on the run, but Nebraska also can’t let Tagovailoa get comfortable in the pocket, and will have to bring pressure. A key in the game will be whether Nebraska’s defensive front can win one-on-one battles and get pressure on the veteran quarterback.
Can the Husker offense find big plays? The math is fairly simple for Nebraska as it’s currently constructed in most games. Nebraska’s offense needs to find a big touchdown play or two, put together a sustained drive and try to limit turnovers. That’s been easier said than done this season. Heinrich Haarberg will likely need to hit a big throw or two against the Terrapins, and of course limit turnovers. Maryland will look to dictate the flow of the game with offensive tempo, and Nebraska will wan to grind it out. Which ever team wins that battle, likely will win Saturday’s game.
–Michael Bruntz
PICKS TO CLICK
Pick to Click: Josh Fleeks
Maryland is susceptible to big plays. Nebraska has done a few interesting things with Fleeks in recent weeks. This is one where the big-play potential results in the Huskers hitting a home run with the former Baylor athlete. –Mike Schaefer
Pick to click: Isaac Gifford
As Matt Rhule said, Gifford is now to that point where he knows he’s a good player so one bad play doesn’t have him questioning himself. He’d be the first to say there was a play or two he’d like back in the first half last week. He’s also the type of guy who could flip a game like this Nebraska’s way with his versatility. This Husker defense hums at his best when he does. Taulia Tagovailoa is the kind of skilled QB where you need your top dudes like Gifford to be dogs from start to finish. –Brian Christopherson
Pick to click: Nash Hutmacher
Hutmacher has been dominant in Nebraska’s recent wins and his ability to push the pocket and shut down early runs will be valuable on Saturday. –Michael Bruntz
SCORE PREDICTIONS
Prediction: Nebraska 27, Maryland 21
This score could easily be reversed and I wouldn’t be surprised. However I like this spot for a Matt Rhule led team. Nebraska will come out aggressive and Maryland still smarting from the Penn State game a week ago is unable to match it. –Mike Schaefer
Prediction: Maryland 23, Nebraska 20
If Nebraska can get out of its three to four turnover trend on offense, it can win this sucker and secure bowl eligibility. The pattern is worrisome to me until it’s not. Win the turnovers and the Huskers win the day, I think, but the track record on that stat is a concern item in this one. –Brian Christopherson
Prediction: Nebraska 25, Maryland 21
It won’t be pretty and there will likely be tense moments, but Nebraska finds a way to get it done at home against the Terrapins as the Husker defense and special teams hold up their end of the bargain. –Michael Bruntz