Final thoughts ahead of Nebraska’s matchup with Iowa on Black Friday. Nebraska will be looking to make it two straight against the Hawkeyes, after knocking off Iowa in last year’s regular season finale in Iowa City.
The Huskers own a 30-20-3 all-time advantage in the series, but have won just one of the last eight matchups with Iowa.
Iowa comes in to Friday’s matchup sitting at 9-2 overall, having wrapped up an appearance in the Big Ten title game by defeating Illinois 15-13 on Saturday. Iowa has won three straight games.
Nebraska will be seeking a sixth win and will be looking to reverse a three-game losing streak after falling in overtime to Wisconsin. All three of Nebraska’s losses in November have been one-score losses.
Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule this week said that he’s working this week to get his team to leave the recent losses in the past.
“At the end of the day, you can only control what you can control,” Rhule said. “Just like when we were on a three-game win streak, I didn’t consider us on a three-game win streak. We were trying to go 1-0 that week. To me it is all about us versus Iowa. Things that they do well and the things that we do well and the things we have to take advantage of and the things that they are going to try and take advantage of.
“I’m just trying to constantly reiterate that to the players. That is the only benefit of a season like this in year one. You have these ebbs and flows and turns. It all comes down to one game never carried on into another. Just teaching the guys that football is football. We are going to go out and play and have fun.”
Here’s what we’re looking for, picks to click and final predictions for Friday’s matchup with the Hawkeyes.
KEYS TO SATURDAY’S GAME
What kind of sequel exists for the Chubba Purdy experience on Friday? Will it be good like Spider-Man 2 or atrocious like Caddyshack 2? Why are those the movies selected? Not important. But how Purdy plays on Friday will dictate if the Huskers are legitimately in this thing. Against Wisconsin he showcased strong improvisation skills and the ability to create with his feet, while also hitting some passes and giving his receivers chances to make plays. Nebraska can’t go into a shell against Iowa. It’ll need a spark. Can Purdy provide it?
It’d be very tempting to look at this game as one where Nebraska can just rely on its defense, punt and play field position. Here’s the problem with that — no one is better at those things than Iowa so wouldn’t that be playing exactly into the Hawkeyes’ plans? Nebraska is going to have to take a few risks. It’ll need to hit on big plays somewhere. Whether those are catch and runs or scrambles or gadget plays doesn’t matter. Some punts are perfectly fine. But if Iowa consistently pins Nebraska back the Huskers will need to get creative rather than allow the Hawkeyes to sit at midfield all game.
–Mike Schaefer
Can the Huskers not allow that crushing explosive run by patient Iowa? The Hawkeyes’ offensive struggles have been well documented. But in this rivalry series, Iowa always seems to have one of those slow developing stretch plays that get stopped, and stopped, and stopped, and then it suddenly bursts. Even last year, when down 24-0, the Hawkeyes broke off a 44-yard TD that started to put things on edge. The Husker run defense has been of the top 5 variety. Can they deliver a magnum opus to cap it off and put this team in the postseason?
Can Nebraska be solid and break even in special teams? Asking for a win in this category against Iowa is asking a lot, given Iowa’s punter Tory Taylor is averaging 48.2 per punt and has a gift for pinning teams deep. But if NU is sound in this phase of the game and can break even, it takes away a big wild card from Iowa. This includes not having a net of 25 yards or less or fair catching one at the 2? That happened-pre in this game pre-Rhule era once. Just smart football, make the kicks, no mishit punts – and ideally, a couple lucky bounces. You know there’s going to be a punt or two by Iowa that hits at the Husker 5 and you need to hope it doesn’t check up like a Rory wedge shot.
–Brian Christopherson
Friday’s matchup will likely swing on a small handful of plays. The Black Friday tilt with the Hawkeyes will likely be low-scoring and as we saw last season, hitting a few big plays would go a long way to helping Nebraska’s cause. Chubba Purdy’s run and Purdy’s pass to Jaylen Lloyd last week against Wisconsin helped settle things a bit for the Husker offense. This will be a challenging game to string together long drives, so Nebraska’s offense will need to find chunk plays where possible.
Can Nebraska’s defense own the line of scrimmage? This year, more than others in this series, the Husker defensive line seems like a group that can more than stand up against Iowa in the trenches. Nebraska’s defense has given up 100-yards on the ground in back-to-back games after being under the century mark for four straight. If the Huskers are able to get Iowa into third-and-long, that’s where Nebraska can maybe find a turnover or two that could swing the game. –Michael Bruntz
PICKS TO CLICK
Pick to Click: Ty Robinson
The news came out this week Robinson is coming back for another year and to help stabilize the Nebraska defensive line much like he did this year. Look for Robinson to make a couple big tackles and put some pressure on Deacon Hill. –Mike Schaefer
Pick to click: Emmett Johnson
Assuming Heinrich Haarberg doesn’t play, Johnson needs a net of 94 yards to become Nebraska’s leading rusher this regular season. He had 384 for the year with a high of 84. If he reached that 94 number, Nebraska likely wins. I don’t know if he gets there but I’ll say he has a couple key explosive runs on a day when every breakthrough should be cherished. –Brian Christopherson
Pick to click: Brian Buschini
It’s been an inconsistent season for the Husker punter, but Nebraska will need Buschini to be at his best against Iowa. The Hawkeyes will want to play the field position game and Buschini will need to be able to flip the field on what will be a cold Friday in Lincoln. –Michael Bruntz
SCORE PREDICTIONS
Prediction: Iowa 22, Nebraska 3
Multiple times this year I’ve given Nebraska the benefit of the doubt only for the Huskers to fail to put the game away. This week I think Iowa’s punting game pins Nebraska most of the contest and the Hawkeyes take advantage of a handful of miscues. –Mike Schaefer
Prediction: Nebraska 17, Iowa 13
Chubba plays solid. Nothing flashy, but avoids the string of giveaways to doom the operation. And the Blackshirts get a couple key takeaways themselves to push the Huskers into a bowl game for the first time in seven years. –Brian Christopherson
Prediction: Nebraska 15, Iowa 12
In Nebraska’s final game in the Big Ten West, this is going to be a four quarter, roll in the mud kind of matchup with the Hawkeyes. Chubba Purdy will value the ball and Nebraska’s defense will make enough plays down the stretch to help the Huskers pull out a win. –Michael Bruntz