Nebraska Tailgate Talk: Halloween treat or trick on tap vs Northwestern

Nebraska football hosts the Northwestern Wildcats on Saturday morning at 11 am. I'm calling it the Halloween game since next week's night game against USC is after the holiday. The game will be televised on FS1. Temperatures will be more like fall with a start temperature predicted at a partly cloudy 55 degrees with a high of 58. At the end of the game, one of these competitors will be bowl eligible.

So that horror show last Friday was enough to make me scared for the rest of the season. Clearly Minnesota wanted it more than Nebraska who decided to phone in a nightmarish and outhouse performance. Head coach Matt Rhule bluntly said it best, "We completely failed," Yes, you all did. After listening to the press conferences this week it doesn't sound like any of the coaches were spared in the butt chewing. Good. Everyone took accountability. Good. But what are you going to DO about it is my question.

Husker QB Dylan Raiola admitted there were things that were his fault but said they will be hungry on Saturday. Tight End Luke Lindenmeyer admitted it felt like they took their foot off the gas last week. I would say they weren't even in the driver's seat. I appreciate the fact that from coaches to players they are admitting they failed all of Husker Nation. The key is to find out the WHY and fix it. You have 5 games left to do it. Yes, this is a young team. Words like "a lack of maturity" were bandied about after the loss. However, in a day an age where these kids are paid well to play, and the coaches are paid even better, that excuse doesn't fly with me. You want paid, then you show up EVERY week. There's no "vacation" or PTO time in college football.

Nebraska is hoping for treats and no tricks against Northwestern

Losing linebacker Vincent Shavers due to hand pain from surgery that week, the gruesome bone sticking out of the hand injury of O lineman Rocco Spindler that sent him to the hospital, the ticky-tacky targeting call on lineman Elijah Pritchett, and Jacory Barney doing his best milk carton impression all conspired against Big Red. Spindler was at practice on Tuesday and will most likely play on Saturday. Pritchett also gets to start. Shavers is a "we'll see." There is no excuse not to use Jacory Barney but this is on Holgorsen. Thank goodness for Special Teams Coach Mike Ekeler who seemed to be the ONLY coach to have his guys ready to play.

As for the O-line that seemed to collapse more than a Dollar Tree lawn chair under 4th year O-line coach Donovan Raiola (of the Raiola Mafia as some call it), if you believe the rumor that his brother, Dominic, demanded that he stay on staff or Dylan wouldn't come to Nebraska, it explains why he still remains here despite the lack of production and development of players after four years. I'm not thinking this problem gets fixed this year until he has cardboard boxes outside of his office. I understand they are just a piece of the problem with the sacks, and you can't expect them to hold blocks for 7 seconds, but after 4 years, it should look better and losing 1 or 2 pieces shouldn't spell utter destruction and doom.

Questions I have for this Halloween game week.... Will Dylan channel post trauma Taylor Martinez and see ghosts of sacks past during the game or will he dink and dunk Nebraska to a victory? Will OC Dana Holgorsen call a better game as he said vowed to do at his press conference or continue to throw on first down? Will DC John Butler not panic following a long yardage run and remain committed to the defensive gameplan or go back to vanilla? Will the players be focused and physical or cash checks without remorse?

The gameplan for Northwestern will be short passes and lots of running. They have an excellent defense that only allows around 15 points per game. They are well coached and experienced. This is another game of trench warfare. They are gap sound and good defensively in the red zone. Wildcat running back Caleb Komolafe. averages 180 yards per game. Beware of the ghouls on the outside for the Wildcats. Edge Rushers Anto Saka and Michael Kilbane (his name even sounds spooky) will look to terrorize the Husker QB.

When NW QB Preston Stone does throw it's usually to 6' 2," 200 lb. wide receiver transfer from South Dakota State, Griffin Wilde who lines up all over the place. Stone throws at a 60% completion rate. He has 10 touchdowns and 7 interceptions which gives me a little hope for a defensive pick 6 in this one. Huskers will need some magic. In the win against Purdue, WR Wilde was 4/8 for 47 yards, the win against Penn State 7/8 for 94 yards, and the win against UCLA he was 7/7 with 98 yards. He boasts 4 touchdowns so far this season. Maybe put an experienced DB on this one coach.

I couldn't believe my eyes last week. It hurt to watch a too all familiar scene. This leads me to the recipe for this Halloween themed tailgate: Gummy Eyeball jello shots!! Looking at them can make your eyes water, lol. I used lemonade jello with Crystal light pink lemonade packets mixed with 2 cups of water and 13/4 cups of vodka. The result is a little scary but good. Get out early to support those tailgate hosts.

It's going to finally feel like football weather so layers are the key. I'm looking forward to the Huskers playing like they can and should this week despite the early start time. I hope the magic of the season returns to the coaches so they can manage play calling better. It may take 5 Warlocks, 3 Witches and 2 Wizards to get Jacory Barney back to his former yard-getting self. In the meantime, just give the ball to Emmett Johnson and let ghost down the field. It's time to get back on track and bowl eligible. As always, GO BIG RED!