** 2023 Opponent Preview : Michigan State (Game 9) **

[Toe]

Maryland is not a good football team. Why people keep giving them credit for being one is completely beyond me. They have some offensive fire power on occasion, but that’s about it. We have an incredibly strong defense. We are playing Maryland at home.

Yep. The computers like Maryland mainly because they put up big numbers against Michigan State, Indiana, and Virginia. Each of those teams has just two wins this season, and Virginia is the only one with a win over a P5 team. Michigan State and Indiana are tied for dead last in the Big Ten. (Believe it or not, neither of the two worst teams are in the West!) After that, Maryland put up 27 against Northwestern (#70 scoring defense), 24 against Illinois (#84 scoring D), and they did manage 17 against Ohio State (#2 scoring D, actually the most Ohio State has given up all year).

 

[funhusker]

I don’t understand this.

Maryland is not a good football team. Why people keep giving them credit for being one is completely beyond me. They have some offensive fire power on occasion, but that’s about it. We have an incredibly strong defense. We are playing Maryland at home.
 

Wisconsin is getting decimated by injuries and even before that they weren’t a dominant force by any stretch of the imagination. That said, this is definitely the toughest game left on the schedule and is a road game.

We beat Iowa last year with arguably a lesser team, against an iowa team that was probably about the same. Game is in Lincoln this year. 
 

3-1 down the stretch here is not just possible, it’s probable. 

I don't disagree with any of your assessments of other teams.

However, you are leaving out that Nebraska is also not a world beater.

I'll admit.  The past decade has given me some serious PTSD as a fan.  

 

[Kayvan]

I just don’t see Wisconsin and Iowa as any better than the teams we’ve been beating up on. Maybe a LITTLE better They’ve all been beating up on each other too. Iowa gets beat by Minnesota and scrapes by Purdue, Wisconsin gets beat by Iowa and scrapes by Illinois before the key injuries. Iowa has played some horrendous competition thus far. And their only game against a good team, and the bad offensive team might I add, they got scorched.
 

For all of our injuries on offense, I would also argue that the more injuries we’ve gotten, the better the offenses played, turnovers aside Especially as HH settles in. I would argue that if the turnovers go away, 3-1 or 4-0 is indeed probable. 

 

[Kayvan]

I don't disagree with any of your assessments of other teams.

However, you are leaving out that Nebraska is also not a world beater.

I'll admit.  The past decade has given me some serious PTSD as a fan.  

I’m definitely not claiming us to be a world beater. But, outside of turnovers, we are playing some pretty darn sound football, especially on defense and special teams is rising. I think Iowa and Wisconsin are a lot worse than people think. And I think our guys feel like they can win now. I don’t think Michigan State, Maryland, Wisconsin, or Iowa I really believe that in themselves. 

 

[Kayvan]

I want to also add that I’m tickled that we are even debating these things…a bowl game, 8-9 wins, a Big 10 West title…all that in November. I think we can all agree that this is really freaking cool. It wasn’t that long ago that we were all disappointed with 9 wins, but I’m hella ecstatic right now. Haha. 

 

[BigRedBuster]

It wasn’t that long ago that we were all disappointed with 9 wins,

I'm very happy.  But, this seems like a very long time ago.

 

[Kayvan]

I'm very happy.  But, this seems like a very long time ago.

Yeah, you’re probably right.
 

I was a teenager in the mid-90s and I just think of those teams as the standard and fondly remember them like they were yesterday. For better or worse. 

 

[Saunders]

He's not wrong. But... Minnesota's 5th string running back had 6 total carries on the season before rushing 40 times for 200 yards against MSU. And they couldn't run at all against us, and passed 35 times in the 2nd half alone. Meanwhile, they ran 18 straight times in the 2nd half, scored twice, and put the game away. The recipe is there, but we have to stick to it. Give Johnson, Fleeks, and even Grant the lions share of the carries, hit our shot plays, and we'll be fine.

 

[knapplc]

After playing their two easy non-con games to start the season (Central Michigan & Richmond), Michigan State is averaging 11.3 points per game.

Nebraska is averaging 20.25 PPG. Even taking away our two easiest games (Northern Illinois & LA Tech), we're averaging 16.5 points.

If we just stick to what we've been doing, we should win this game by at least a touchdown. Cut down on turnovers and it could be much easier. 

Of course, it'd be nice to have an opponent have a bad game against us. Maybe we're due, and Sparty will just **** the bed and it'll be relatively easy.

 

[Cdog923]

I just don’t see Wisconsin and Iowa as any better than the teams we’ve been beating up on. Maybe a LITTLE better They’ve all been beating up on each other too. Iowa gets beat by Minnesota and scrapes by Purdue, Wisconsin gets beat by Iowa and scrapes by Illinois before the key injuries. Iowa has played some horrendous competition thus far. And their only game against a good team, and the bad offensive team might I add, they got scorched.
 

For all of our injuries on offense, I would also argue that the more injuries we’ve gotten, the better the offenses played, turnovers aside Especially as HH settles in. I would argue that if the turnovers go away, 3-1 or 4-0 is indeed probable. 

Iowa and Nebraska are remarkably similar this season; both giving up relatively similar amounts of yards and points, while holding teams to similar amounts of yards and points on D. Iowa has a stronger strength of schedule. 

Wisconsin has, statistically, the best offense but worst defense of the three, while also playing the hardest schedule of the three. 

 

[Decoy73]

Iowa and Nebraska are remarkably similar this season; both giving up relatively similar amounts of yards and points, while holding teams to similar amounts of yards and points on D. Iowa has a stronger strength of schedule. 

Wisconsin has, statistically, the best offense but worst defense of the three, while also playing the hardest schedule of the three. 

I’d say the SOS is a wash between the three.  It will probably come down to turnovers, which probably doesn’t bode well for us.  

 

[Cdog923]

I’d say the SOS is a wash between the three.  It will probably come down to turnovers, which probably doesn’t bode well for us.  

There is a bit of distance between the three; Wisky is 9th, Iowa 20th and Nebraska 37th. But yea, turnovers are probably going to be a major deciding factor. 

 

[funhusker]

After playing their two easy non-con games to start the season (Central Michigan & Richmond), Michigan State is averaging 11.3 points per game.

Nebraska is averaging 20.25 PPG. Even taking away our two easiest games (Northern Illinois & LA Tech), we're averaging 16.5 points.

If we just stick to what we've been doing, we should win this game by at least a touchdown. Cut down on turnovers and it could be much easier. 

Of course, it'd be nice to have an opponent have a bad game against us. Maybe we're due, and Sparty will just **** the bed and it'll be relatively easy.

I had to laugh.  What would you call the month of October?  It's not like anyone in the last three games had "good" games 

I kid, I kid...  I'm enjoying this season because I've been interested to the finish of every game outside of Colorado and Michigan!

 

[admo]

Yes, Michgian State is a mess - they lost their HC with an embarrassing public scandal and perhaps the players are looking to put this year behind them.

Currently they lost 6 in a row.  However, 5 of those games were to Washington, Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota and Maryland.  A lot of Big Ten teams would lose to those opponents.  

This game won't be a cake walk, and it will be on the road.  Before the Huskers won on the road against iLLinois, the Big Red went 1-11 on the road.  

The positive in all of this, is that the Huskers have been winning lately (and that energy carries over from week to week), while Michigan State has struggled to put up points during their losing streak (7, 9, 16, 0, 24, 12) and their defense has given up a lot of points (41, 31, 26, 27, 49, 27).  

We know our own offense hasn't been lighting up the scoreboard.  We know what to expect defensively, but also offensively when we don't play clean (turnovers and penalties).  Even so, the Huskers should put up 20-30 points through 4 quarters, and the Blackshirts should be able to limit Michigan State to 17 points or fewer.  

I cannot wait to see this game.  I like this Huskers in another ugly, physical game with the Huskers in charge throughout the day.  This game has the making for our Huskers to win their 2nd road game of the year, which would be impressive, nevertheless.  

 

[Packerhuskerfan]

It isn't a matter of IF, but WHEN, WHERE on the field, and HOW MANY on Nebraska turning the ball over.  That is why even against this horrible  MSU team, I don't feel 100% comfortable.  We should win, but nothing is close to a guarantee with this team.