***2015 Game 8 “Expert” Picks: Northwestern at Nebraska***

[Saunders]

2015 Game 8 “Expert” Picks: Northwestern at Nebraska

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CollegeFootballNews.com

http://collegefootballnews.com/2015/northwestern-vs-nebraska-game-preview-prediction

All of a sudden, Nebraska (3-4), with one win over a mediocre Minnesota team, looks like it might have things turned around, while Northwestern (5-2) is suddenly in big trouble after getting destroyed by Michigan and Iowa by a combined score of 78-10. This is a pecking-order game that should push the winner up into another level of the West. Check out the Northwestern vs. Nebraska prediction and game preview.

Why You Need To Care

Northwestern used to be really good. It still owns a win over a Stanford team that’s probably going to win the Pac-12 title, and it’s the only team to beat Duke so far, but all of a sudden, the toughness and physical play of the first five weeks seems like it was a long time ago. The offense was a disaster against Michigan, and it got steamrolled over by Iowa, but one win over Nebraska could change things back up. With three of the final four games at home – or at least close to it, playing Illinois at Soldier Field – there’s still plenty of time to come up with a great record, but beating the Huskers would be special after rough losses to them the last two seasons.

Nebraska finally started to look the part. With four tough losses on the resume that all could’ve easily have gone the other way, it’s been a rough season that hasn’t been anywhere near as strong as it might have been had the Huskers pulled out just one of those games. But 3-4 is 3-4, and with Purdue up next, there’s still a chance to be a player. Win the next few games, and then, all of a sudden, the visit from Michigan State really matters. With the Spartans coming to Lincoln, along with Iowa, there are plenty of shots to be interesting.

Why Northwestern Will Win

If there was ever any hope for the Northwestern passing game to get going, this would be it. Nebraska is a decent rushing team, but it’s not going to get physical like Michigan and Iowa did up front. That’s not the big issue for the Wildcats – they should be able to handle the Husker ground game. The key will be to at least give it a shot at getting the ball down the field against a defense giving up over 300 passing yards in every game but the loss to Illinois, who threw for 251. If Minnesota is throwing for 301 yards, your secondary is having problems. The Northwestern passing game has been way too erratic, but it has to at least give it a try after being bottled up too much against the Wolverines and Hawkeyes. However …

Why Nebraska Will Win

Really, Northwestern can’t throw. It hasn’t been a hard thing to figure out – stop the Northwestern running game, and nothing else will work. Somehow, the Cats and QB Clayton Thorson were on fire against Minnesota, but the passing attack was miserable against both Michigan and Iowa once Justin Jackson was bottled up. They got behind in both games, and didn’t have the ability to come back. Granted, the stats look good because everyone is throwing, but everyone is throwing on Nebraska because they can’t run. Maliek Collins and the Husker defensive front are giving up just 3.2 yards per carry and have yet to allow more than 147 yards. However …

Player Who Matters

Nebraska has allowed over 100 yards in just four of the seven games this year – BYU, Miami, Illinois and Wisconsin. The Huskers lost all four games. On the flip side, Northwestern ran for over 100 yards in five games this year – all five of the wins – and ran for 38 against Michigan and 51 against Iowa. So now it’s about Justin Jackson and if he can get any room to move. A 20-plus carry back over each of the first five games, he only ran 22 times over the last two weeks as the Wildcats abandoned the run because they had to. Last year, he ran for 128 yards and two scores in the loss – he needs to do that again.

What’s Going To Happen?

Nebraska has found it. The run defense will swarm around Jackson, Thorson won’t be effective enough, and the Huskers will come up with a nice win. The Northwestern offensive woes will continue.

PREDICTION: Nebraska 23 - Northwestern 16

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SBNation/Football Study Hall

http://www.footballstudyhall.com/2015/10/22/9584208/week-8-s-p-picks

Nebraska 27 - Northwestern 21

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ESPN FPI

http://espn.go.com/college-football/team/fpi?id=158&year=2015

Nebraska - 73.4% chance of winning

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BTN.com

http://btn.com/2015/10/21/polls-its-time-to-pick-your-week-8-big-ten-football-winners/

Tom Dienhart: Nebraska 35 - Northwestern 14

Sean Merriman: Nebraska 24 - Northwestern 14

Brent Yarina: Nebraska 27 - Northwestern 20

Tom Shatel : Nebraska 35 - Northwestern 14

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ESPN Big Ten Blog

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/125692/big-ten-week-8-game-picks-can-northwestern-rebound-knock-off-huskers

Brian Bennet: Nebraska 28 - Northwestern 24

Josh Moyer: Nebraska 28 - Northwestern 20

Dan Murphy: Northwestern 21 - Nebraska 17

Mitch Sherman: Nebraska 31 - Northwestern 21

Jesse Temple: Nebraska 31 - Northwestern 21

Austin Ward: Nebraska 21 - Northwestern 10

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Big Red Wrap-Up

http://netnebraska.org/interactive-multimedia/sports/big-red-wrap-northwestern-prediction-2

Kevin Kugler: Nebraska 24 - Northwestern 20

Blake Lawrence: Nebraska 21 - Northwestern 20

Damon Benning: Nebraska 31 - Northwestern 17

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Daily Nebraskan

http://www.dailynebraskan.com/sports/dn-sports-desk-nebraska-vs-northwestern-score-predictions/article_3dd16b72-7624-11e5-bafa-3bbf2f333b43.html

Josh Kelly: Nebraska 30 - Northwestern 13

Brett Nierengarten: Nebraska 31 - Northwestern 24

Nick Wilkinson: Nebraska 38 - Northwestern 21

Michael Dixon: Nebraska 31 - Northwestern 17

Vanessa Daves: Nebraska 20 - Northwestern 14

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Athlon Sports

http://athlonsports.com/college-football/predictions-every-college-football-game-week-8

Steven Lassan: Nebraska

Mitch Light: Nebraska

David Fox: Nebraska

Braden Gall: Nebraska

Mark Ross: Nebraska

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[beorach]

On paper, the Wildcat passing attack does look hopeless. The only thing that really confuses me above is how MINNESOTA could potentially win the game between the true NU and the "wannabe." That line about how Northwestern used to be really good is just silly. They won a game against a team people respect more lately.

 

[GBRedneck]

ESPN FPI

http://espn.go.com/c...d=158&year=2015

Nebraska - 73.4% chance of winning

I'd feel a lot safer is that was about 99.5%. Well, maybe not.

 

[darkhorse85]

ESPN FPI

http://espn.go.com/c...d=158&year=2015

Nebraska - 73.4% chance of winning

I'd feel a lot safer is that was about 99.5%. Well, maybe not.

If it makes you feel any better this was last weeks:

ESPN FPI

http://espn.go.com/c...d=158&year=2015

Nebraska - 53.1% chance of winning

 

[Elf]

Dan Murphy is a loser....

 

[JJ Husker]

Won't say I disagree with the "experts" but who woulda thunk we would be an overwhelming favorite pick after the start we have had and after Northwestern basically dismantled that Stanford team? Crazy game this college football.

 

[ADS]

I feel like this is the kind of game we would lose with the previous staff. Big win last weekend and sneaky team coming up this week. Hopefully Riley and the staff has the team ready to go.

 

[darkhorse85]

Won't say I disagree with the "experts" but who woulda thunk we would be an overwhelming favorite pick after the start we have had and after Northwestern basically dismantled that Stanford team? Crazy game this college football.

Right? IT seems that each team is trending in a different direction than how the beginning of their respective seasons started. I know we're just off of one win but it looked like things were starting to click.

 

[VectorVictor]

Why Northwestern Will Win

If there was ever any hope for the Northwestern...

Why Minnesota Will Win

On paper, the Wildcat passing attack does look hopeless. The only thing that really confuses me above is how MINNESOTA could potentially win the game between the true NU and the "wannabe." That line about how Northwestern used to be really good is just silly. They won a game against a team people respect more lately.

Because Langsdorf, man...he'll become schizophrenic after calling three running plays in a row and think we're Minnesota.

 

[Mavric]

https://twitter.com/huskerextra/status/657289986077646848

 

[Touchdown Tommie]

Oh boy...all but one thinks the Huskers will win...

Another reason they will win....the 95 team will be honored (I think) and it would be nice to have a couple of them playing. Maybe that will inspire the current players!

 

[Saunders]

Why Northwestern Will Win

If there was ever any hope for the Northwestern...

Why Minnesota Will Win

On paper, the Wildcat passing attack does look hopeless. The only thing that really confuses me above is how MINNESOTA could potentially win the game between the true NU and the "wannabe." That line about how Northwestern used to be really good is just silly. They won a game against a team people respect more lately.

Because Langsdorf, man...he'll become schizophrenic after calling three running plays in a row and think we're Minnesota.

Sorry.... I threw this together real quick before an all day video shoot. I'm slippin' man...

 

[Igetbored216]

Won't say I disagree with the "experts" but who woulda thunk we would be an overwhelming favorite pick after the start we have had and after Northwestern basically dismantled that Stanford team? Crazy game this college football.

Just a case of good timing for Northwestern really. Sure they played well, but Stanford looked horrible in the first game of the year. Stanford would destroy them now and will most likely face Utah in the Pac-12 Championship.

That being said, Nebraska is far from Stanford and they will need to play like they did @Minnesota to pick up the win. Getting Freedom & Rose-Ivey back will definitely help on defense. I thought the defense did a good job pressuring Leidner and hit him a lot. Need to keep that up the rest of the year to help our secondary. I'm definitely excited to see Freedom and Rose-Ivey back on the field!