Can Nebraska pull it off?
Cornhuskers vs Hawkeyes, this is a big one. Following a loss to Illinois confidence may be a little on the low side, however I believe this clash of Big 10 West foes will come down to two very simple yet crucial factors. In my opinion this game will come down to whether or not Nebraska can move the ball through the air on offense and if they can stop the Hawkeye’s ground game on defense.
As I noted in my previous post the air attack for Nebraska or lack thereof served as a hurdle the Cornhuskers could not clear in their attempt to come back against the Illini. There is no doubt that Iowa noticed this Achilles heel and will be eager to exploit it in the upcoming rivalry game. Coach Frost and Offensive Coordinator Matt Lubick need to build a game plan that will allow Luke McCaffery to not only thrive with his legs but his arm as well. This is not all on the staff as in last weekend’s game the young quarterback missed many throws he probably wishes he could have back. However, that is part of the learning process and should be expected with a young player. What is key is that he bounces back.
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McCaffery is obviously supremely talented and a top class competitor, and it is on the coaching staff to maximize this. It is in the coaching staff’s court to put him into a position to thrive. One player that could be key in this situation is Wan’Dale Robinson. Robinson with the ball in his hand was one of the few bright spots against the Illini both out wide and in the backfield and with elite speed and surprising strength he is a mismatch, one that could prove vital against Iowa.
The other key to victory for the Cornhuskers is if they can stop the Iowa run game. According to ESPN, Iowa only passes for 191 yards per game, however they rush for 181. This is both good and bad news for Nebraska. The good news is that it is rather obvious how Iowa plans to approach this game, the bad news is that they approach the game with a run first mentality. This is particularly troubling when taken into consideration according to ESPN Nebraska allowed 285 yards on the ground to Illinois. Iowa is superior competition to Illinois so the Huskers will need to seriously step up against the Hawkeyes.
A big game is on the horizon for Nebraska, one that Iowa comes in at 13.5 point favorites according to ESPN PickCenter. This is a similar situation to the Penn State game (although Iowa is not in free fall) let’s all hope like the Penn State game, Nebraska can pull off the upset.