The "Big" Games -0/2 - 1/1 - 2/0?

[GBRHouston]

I have hope for OSU. They always have one game a year where they fall apart and play horribly. Maybe that will be our game.

[drfish]

tOSU is 3rd in scoring offense and 1st in scoring defense. Huskers will have to play perfect and need some lucky breaks to win that one.

 

Wisconsin is 5th is scoring defense, but 87th in scoring offense. They can be beat. That being said, the Huskers cannot fail to score from the red zone and win that game.

[broganreynik]

I think we lose at Indiana, beat Purdue and Wisky, lose at Ohio State, and win out the regular season.

[marko polo]

Last year we should've beat Wisconsin and almost did. This year, were much improved and they are a different team. We will take them out by 10+.

 

Last year, no one gave us a chance at MSU, and we pulled one out.

 

I think we give OSU a good enough game that when we get a rematch with them in the B10 title game, we will be in position to win and get into the Playoffs.

Matty, Matty, Matty...back on the chronic again I see.

[lo country]

I think we match up well against Wisky. IF we can generate a pass rush we should make their QB have a horrible day. Key will be to make them one dimensional and shut down/slow their running game. I hope that between now and then Langs will have a few plays to slow their D. I am sure, like us they plan to stack the box and stuff our run game. Langs needs to call plays that will make them suffer for pinning their ears back and coming in i.e. traps, counters, PA, roll out, misdirection etc.... Anything to make their DL and LB hesitate a step or two.

 

OSU, like Bama, Clemson, Louisville etc are all at another level right now. No knock on us, very few teams come close to the talent and level of coaching that those teams have. OSU seems to have been good for a while, but the others were down and then the right staff got them winning. And wining got them recruits and more winning.......We will have our hands full, but thats why we play the game.

 

Both are winnable. I just like our chances much better against Wisky.

[Redux]

tOSU is 3rd in scoring offense and 1st in scoring defense. Huskers will have to play perfect and need some lucky breaks to win that one.

 

Wisconsin is 5th is scoring defense, but 87th in scoring offense. They can be beat. That being said, the Huskers cannot fail to score from the red zone and win that game.

 

Agreed. We get into the red zone, the players need to already have an idea of what to do play wise. Hurry thep up, catch em off guard and take their D outta rythym.

[lo country]

I'd like to add. If we start slow and wait until the "4th to wear them out", we will lose both. We also might drop Indiana, Iowa, Maryland and Minnie.... The team just needs to start and finish well. Believe Gerry said something to this effect after the Illinois game (about needing to start better).....

[ScottyIce]

Stand by my undefeated prediction.

 

Also, we are already 1-0 in big games. Not fair to take that title away from that game. It was a huge game.

[dvdcrr]

I cant understand the delusion that would have some of you believing DONU is likely to beat either one of these teams. Wisconsins gap control defense is sound, and well disciplined. They will have no trouble taking away the NU run game (they will do this better than NW did). Once the run game has been denied Tommy will be slinging it into tight coverage, that is a shaky proposition. Conversely, will Wisconsin be able to move the ball on us? Illinois rushed for 5.9 yds per carry. The defense shows gaps at times.

[Count 'Bility]

I cant understand the delusion of thinking we dont have a chance against Wisconsin. I get not thinking we have a chance against Ohio St. theyre one of two teams in College football right now that appear to be 6 steps above the rest. Other than that, everyone has a chance against everyone.

 

Dont forget. Wisconsins style of offense is much more predicated towards what we do on defense than the teams we've been facing. And the big advantages for us is in the back 7, on both sides of the ball, athletically. We may not be able to run with a lot of success, but we have receivers and a highly athletic qb that can slice and dice their back 7, and conversely, I think our back 4 can successfully lock down with an athleticism advantage and free up the linebackers to focus on the run game, which by the way, does not include a lot of qb run game.

 

This is a team that beat us last year, as bad as we were, at the last second, and has since replaced their DC and qb. Both teams have shown improvement. Wisconsin is a good team, yes. But I think folks are blinded by their wins over LSU and Mich St. It has to work both ways. If we're worried cuz Oregon has turned out to be garbage, then Wisconsin has to take a step down to since LSU and Mich St have turned out to be no where near top ten teams either.

[VectorVictor]

I can see us actually going 2-0 in these games. But then we drop a head-scratcher to Iowa or Minnesota.

 

Remember, Riley's modus operandi is to win the big, supposedly unwinnable games. The catch is that there are losses to teams that he shouldn't lose to.

 

Plus, tOSU has a lot of excellent skill players, but their O-Line has looked rather shaky (at best) so far. I know it's hard to see this since they've been routing teams, but the fact that an Oklahoma team that really isn't that good gave them fits should be more than encouraging to us.

 

Honestly, the biggest thing stopping this team from achieving greatness are themselves--stupid penalties, mistakes, taking a powder on a series. Fix that, and we're ridin' on a gravy train with biscuit wheels.

[BIG ERN]

Wisconsin: QB is average. Two good route runners, but no major threats at WR. Run game is only averaging 3.8 ypc (have played tough defenses though). Defense has played superb. Overall, we have more talent than they do. On the road, and our track record vs them shows that this will be a tough game however. 50%

 

Ohio State: Their offensive run game has been solid. QB is very efficient. Defense has played tough as well. They are the better team and will be playing at home. One thing I have noticed though, they don't have any world beaters like last year on defense. 25%

[grandpasknee]

I have hope for OSU. They always have one game a year where they fall apart and play horribly. Maybe that will be our game.

I'd prefer to be able to just kick the snot out of them directly, but I'm not above hoping for them to have an 8 fumble fiasco like we did against Iowa State. I don't care if half ot their team gets suspended for kissing Kentucky girls.....just win baby.

[Saunders]

According to the advanced stats predictors...

 

ESPN FPI

http://www.espn.com/college-football/team/fpi?id=158&year=2016

37.5% chance against Wisconsin

10.5% chance against OSU

 

S&P+

http://www.footballstudyhall.com/pages/2016-nebraska-advanced-statistical-profile

41% chance against Wisconsin

13% chance against OSU

 

Both models show us favored in every other game, but a slight favorite against Iowa (54.7% and 52%)

[Thanks_Tom RR]

Wisconsin has beat two good but one-dimensional teams in LSU and Michigan St. Nebraska has a good defense and brings in a balanced run-pass offense that will formation, screen, and motion the hell out of a Wisconsin defense, who has should good an ability to read keys but will be out-coached by Langsdorf. Add in that the Badgers will be coming off the toughest stretch of their schedule, I can see Huskers getting a win in Camp Randell. The loss to Michigan puts Nebraska in the driver seat in the West, so this will be a big game.

 

The Buckeyes are one of the Top 2 teams in the country (Alabama being the other), they are a difficult out for any team in the country, so a loss will not be unexpected. Nebraska has shown that they can close out games this season, so if they can keep it close going into the 4th quarter, Husker fans should not count them out.

 

I could see a 1-1 result.