*** 2017 Game 4 "Expert" Picks: Rutgers at Nebraska***

[Saunders]

2017 Game 4 “Expert” Picks: Rutgers @ Nebraska
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CollegeFootballNews.com

http://collegefootballnews.com/2017/09/nebraska-rutgers-prediction-game-preview

 

There are teams that need to win, there are teams that need to win in an ugly blowout fashion, and there are teams that need to show up and perform some sort of a human sacrifice in an attempt to exorcise the demons of past weeks. Nebraska needs all of the above. After the horrible loss to Northern Illinois – who’s pretty good, by the way – the Huskers get Rutgers, and Illinois, and then comes the issue with Wisconsin and Ohio State at home. The Big Ten season starts now. Everything that happened before it doesn’t matter. Rutgers finally got to have a little fun with a 65-0 win over Morgan State, but it has to take advantage of a wounded Husker team. With Ohio State up next, the Scarlet Knights have to rise up and pull off something special.

 

One Reason Why Rutgers Will Win

What’s Nebraska’s biggest problem? Turnovers is one of them, with Tanner Lee throwing two pick sixes to Northern Illinois as part of the eight giveaways the Huskers have coughed up so far. The other issue? Time of possession. Nebraska is holding the ball for a pathetic 20:08 per game – second-worst in the country. Rutgers might not be any good, but it’s deliberate about it. The Scarlet Knights under offensive coordinator Jerry Kill hold the ball over 34 minutes.

 

One Reason Why Nebraska Will Win

Totally lost in the loss to NIU was how the defense wasn’t all that bad. Nebraska’s issues are mostly around the offense that can’t seem to figure out what to do. The defense has been good enough, stuffing the Huskies for 85 yards on the ground and not giving up anything big through the air. Forget what happened against Morgan State – Rutgers can’t move the ball. It’ll try to pound away, but the downfield passing game isn’t there. Nebraska – DON’T TURN THE BALL OVER and you’ll be fine.

 

What’s Going To Happen

Nebraska won’t do anything to make Big Red fans feel any better, but it’ll slug its way through a rocky win. Rutgers will be the better running team, but it won’t be able to come through with enough scores off the long drives. Lee won’t make up for the NIU game, but he’ll be just good enough to get by.

Nebraska 30 - Rutgers 16

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BTN.com

http://btn.com/2017/09/20/polls-its-time-to-pick-your-week-4-big-ten-football-winners/

 

Tom Dienhart: Nebraska 30 - Rutgers 17

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ESPN FPI

http://www.espn.com/college-football/game?gameId=400935362

 

Nebraska - 73.3% Win
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Bill Connelly S&P+

https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2017/9/21/16339152/college-football-picks-week-4-2017-predictions-odds-spreads

 

S&P+: Nebraska 30 - Rutgers 17 (76.7% Nebraska Win)
F+ Projection: Nebraska by 18 (84.9% Nebraska Win)
Adjusted S&P+: Nebraska by 22 (90.1% Nebraska Win)
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Athlon Sports

https://athlonsports.com/college-football/college-football-picks-expert-predictions-every-game-week-4-2017

 

Steven Lassan: N
Mitch Light : N
Bryan Fischer: N
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Big Red Wrap-Up

http://netnebraska.org/interactive-multimedia/sports/big-red-wrap-rutgers-prediction-1

 

Kevin Kugler: Nebraska 35 - Rutgers 14
Blake Lawrence: Nebraska 27 - Rutgers 20
Jay Foreman: Nebraska 21 - Rutgers 13
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Daily Nebraskan

http://www.dailynebraskan.com/sports/football-score-predictions-nebraska-vs-rutgers/article_53bb17ca-9c16-11e7-9ed8-93a1b6dae0c5.html

 

Greg Harmon: Rutgers 21 - Nebraska 17
Zach Markon: Nebraska 21 - Rutgers 13
Anna Gleason: Nebraska 17 - Rutgers 14
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[Saunders]

I decided I might as well start adding a poll to these.

[teachercd]

I love the expert picks!  It always makes me feel better/worse about what I think for the game.

 

I think we see a high scoring first quarter...like 14-14...then it gets settled down.

[swmohusker]

W but a close game.  Lee throws 4 TD's, the difference is 3 are for us and only 1 for them this time and Huskers get the W.  Defense continues to grow and puts up a good performance.  Defense will have to lead this team through the conference slate. 

[Saunders]

Quote

 

Mitch Light - Athlon Sports

https://athlonsports.com/college-football/college-football-picks-predicting-every-game-week-4-2017

 

Last week in this space, I said — in reference to Northern Illinois’ trip to Lincoln — “This is a game Mike Riley cannot afford to lose.” Well, the Huskers lost. This week? It’s a game he really cannot afford to lose.

Nebraska 24 - Rutgers 13

 

 

[TGHusker]

I  think we win ugly. Fans remain up in arms.  Than comes the disaster @ Ill as Lovie Smith out-coaches MR.   Sorry, I'm on a negative trend here after NIU. 

[VectorVictor]

43 minutes ago, saunders45 said:

Mitch Light - Athlon Sports

https://athlonsports.com/college-football/college-football-picks-predicting-every-game-week-4-2017

 

Last week in this space, I said — in reference to Northern Illinois’ trip to Lincoln — “This is a game Mike Riley cannot afford to lose.” Well, the Huskers lost. This week? It’s a game he really cannot afford to lose.

Nebraska 24 - Rutgers 13

 

So it's a game Riley really, REALLY can't afford to lose?

 

That's some mighty fine analyzing there, Mitch.

 

21 minutes ago, TGHusker said:

I  think we win ugly. Fans remain up in arms.  Than comes the disaster @ Ill as Lovie Smith out-coaches MR.   Sorry, I'm on a negative trend here after NIU. 

 

You're being pragmatic based on the on-the-field product, TGHusker. Nothing wrong with that. 

 

And yes, if this team loses at Illinois...there better be a prominent vacancy in the AD office come Saturday morning. 

[Caliborn72]

Really hoping for a game where we can get our starters out early. A necessity with the short week ahead as injuries are already becoming an issue.

 

An ugly, grind it out win would be a disaster even though a win is a win.

[BigRedBuster]

33 minutes ago, TGHusker said:

I  think we win ugly. Fans remain up in arms.  Than comes the disaster @ Ill as Lovie Smith out-coaches MR.   Sorry, I'm on a negative trend here after NIU. 

 

Well, until this team proves that ISN'T going to happen, I'm not sure it's logical to expect anything else.

[Redux]

Greg Harmon can suck a toe

[TGHusker]

Another interesting read.  The different perspectives of being 1-2. 

Some things to consider why or how this could be an upset in the making:

1. Jerry Kill as OC at Rutgers.  While he may not know MR's team, he knows Nebraska, respects Nebraska and would love nothing more to game plan a win against his old Big 10 rival once again.

2. No huddle - spread.  We've done poor in the past against no huddle & against the spread in particular.  It may be worse wt the new D still in the works and no pass rush.

3.  Motivation:  NU deflated and has injury issues after NIU.  Rutgers - a rare opportunity to beat NU and to win at NU would be frosting on the cake (bringing more calls for Frost - pun intended).

4.  Coach Kill as OC beats MR as HC in motivation and game planning.   

 

While I still say NU wins ugly, I would not be surprised by the opposite result due to the the above. 

 

http://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/index.ssf/2017/09/you_think_1-2_is_bad_at_rutgers_its_a_calamity_in.html

Quoted in part:

You think 1-2 is bad at Rutgers? It's a calamity in Nebraska

Rutgers could not only change the trajectory of its season -- and maybe its entire program -- with an upset victory on Saturday when it travels to Nebraska. It could get a lot of people fired, too.

This is not hyperbole. This is very real. Nebraska lost to Northern Illinois last weekend, falling to 1-2 on the season, and the mood of the fanbase is somewhere just a notch or two below a total riot. They do, after all, know how to use a pitchfork out there.

"Sickening loss," is what one noted Cornhuskers fan -- Larry The Cable Guy -- tweeted after the game. One longtime observer of this program said that head coach Mike Riley "looked like he was 104 years old" as he dealt with the pressure and fallout from the loss at his weekly press conference.

He wasn't the only one who had to answer questions. The university's chancellor, Ronnie Green, was grilled about the team following his "state of the university" speech, which isn't surprising given that a university regent said that his email "lit up like a Roman candle" after the loss with angry fans.

"We certainly are frustrated at the moment at the level of performance of our team," Green said. 

All of this is before Rutgers comes to town. And if the Scarlet Knights somehow leave with a victory? There won't be a big enough cornfield in the entire state for Riley and his boss, athletic director Shawn Eichorst, to hide. There are careers at stake in Lincoln. 

[seaofred92]

I don't really know why, but I'm cautiously optimistic about this week. I think Nebraska comes out and plays their best, most sound game of the season so far which will help calm the stormy waters a bit. I don't know that we will truly "wow" anyone with the win this week but I think it will put to rest some of the 4-8 discussions.

 

Nebraska 34 Rutgers 17.

[bale]

2 hours ago, saunders45 said:

The other issue? Time of possession. Nebraska is holding the ball for a pathetic 20:08 per game – second-worst in the country.

 

?!?!?!!??!?!!?!?!!?!?!!?!?!? 

 

NU averages 32:45 TOP per game... 20:08???? Where in the hell did they get that number?

[brophog]

3 hours ago, saunders45 said:

The other issue? Time of possession

 

Pointless stat is pointless.

[BigRedBuster]

1 hour ago, bale said:

 

?!?!?!!??!?!!?!?!!?!?!!?!?!? 

 

NU averages 32:45 TOP per game... 20:08???? Where in the hell did they get that number?

My thoughts too.