Here we go, Nebraska football fans. The Big Ten Conference slate is here for 2025. The Cornhuskers completed their non-conference schedule a perfect 3-0. First up for Nebraska...one of the blue-blood programs in college football, the Michigan Wolverines. Michigan is 2 years removed from a National Championship.
They might not be a "Jim Harbaugh" Michigan team, but they still are Michigan...they have great players everywhere on both sides of the ball. And they have one of the best true-freshman quarterbacks in quite some time, Bryce Underwood. Anytime you can get a win against the Wolverines, it's good for your program. Here are 3 keys for Nebraska to come out on top!
Nebraska football needs to tackle well
It might sound like a simple, fundamental thing, but my number one key to this game is for the Blackshirts to tackle the Michigan running backs, wide receivers, and yes, the quarterback on first contact. Michigan is going to try to run the ball down our throats, play typical Big Ten, smash-mouth football. Players like Vincent Shavers, Javin Wright, and DeShon Singleton need to shore up Michigan's top running back, Justice Haynes, so that he doesn't run loose. In 3 games this season, Haynes has rushed for 388 yards and 5 touchdowns, at a very impressive 7.9 yards per carry.
Nebraska will also have to deal with the true freshman quarterback, Bryce Underwood, in the running game. In last week's 63-3 blowout of Central Michigan, Underwood was unleashed in the running game for 114 yards on 9 carries, a 12.7 yards per carry average. Underwood is a bigger, athletic quarterback. At 6'4" and 228 pounds, he can be one tough guy to bring to the ground. It will be paramount that the Blackshirts do all they can to bring down Haynes and Underwood on first contact.
Dylan Raiola needs to keep doing what he's been doing
The first 3 weeks couldn't have gone much better for Dylan Raiola. Dylan has started the season with 829 yards passing, on 72-94 (76.6%) with 8 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. It's been a mixed bag as far as the coverages he's seen. Against Cincinnati, Raiola saw a lot of 3-high safety, a defense designed to keep everything in front of you. It tries to bait you into throwing it deep because of frustration. Dylan never took that bait. Raiola ended his night 33 for 42 for 243 yards and 2 touchdown passes. He basically just took what the defense gave him.
Then, against Akron & Houston Christian, Offensive Coordinator Dana Holgorsen got to open things up a bit. Against the Zips, Dylan completed 24 for 31 for 364 yards and 4 touchdowns, in just about 2 1/2 quarters of work. Then, against the Huskies, Nebraska took a 38-0 lead into halftime...and that's all Dylan would play last week. He still ended his day at 15 for 21 for 222 yards and 2 touchdowns. Now, granted, the last 2 games were against inferior competition, but Nebraska has played similar opponents in recent years...and NEVER looked as good as they did the last 2 weeks.
Michigan's defensive coordinator, Wink Martindale, has extensive NFL experience as a DC. Martindale is expected to put pressure on Dylan, no matter what it takes. If he can get pressure with 4, obviously, that would be their ideal scenario. But make no mistake, if Wink needs to bring the "house", he won't hesitate to do that either. The key for Dylan against Michigan is to keep playing the way you have been. The Wolverines are going to try to fool Raiola with the pre-snap look and change to something else after the snap. As long as Dylan continues to "see the field" the way he has been, that's all that Nebraska needs!
Memorial Stadium needs to bring the energy
There have been a few times in my life when I remember that the fans at Memorial Stadium actually caused the Cornhuskers to win. 1992 against Colorado...2014 against Miami...and last season against Colorado.
I personally was at the 1992 Colorado game. It's the loudest game that I've ever attended. The very first play of the game, Colorado QB Koy Detmer went back to pass, and was intercepted by defensive end Travis Hill. It was all downhill for the Buffs from that point on. Nebraska went on to win that day 52-7.
Against Miami (Fla) in 2014, Ameer Abdullah totally went off for 229 yards on 35 carries. The crowd for that game may have been the loudest from start to finish. Miami had no chance once the 4th quarter started, and they scored with 18 seconds left to make the final Nebraska 41, Miami 31.
And then, there was Colorado in 2024. All the hype with Coach Prime, his son Shedeur Sanders, and eventual Heisman trophy winner Travis Hunter. Nebraska, though, had its own "Star-Power" in the pound-for-pound Boxing King Terrence Crawford! With Crawford leading us out of the tunnel, the Buffaloes were done before it began. After DB Tommi Hill intercepted Sanders for a pick-six in the first quarter, that made the score 14-0...and again, the crowd was as loud as I've ever heard it.
So, that leads us to Saturday's Nebraska football game against Michigan. There's a lot more going on than just the game. Will Compton & Taylor Lewan will be in town for the "Bussin' Bowl". Rumor has it that Terrence Crawford, fresh off of his defeat of Canelo Alvarez, will once again be leading out his favorite team. The crowd at Memorial Stadium on Saturday has got to BRING THE ENERGY! Make Bryce Underwood FEEL the pressure. Cause their offensive lineman to jump early. Make the Michigan players wish they had never come to Lincoln. It's been done before; if we can do it again, that means we're 4-0 and everyone is talking about Nebraska and the playoffs. C'MON FANS...It's time to rise up! I think the fans will go above and beyond. Nebraska wins 27-17!