Saunders
Heisman Trophy Winner
Yahoo! Sports - http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/f...RXS6YhqdJIcvrYF
Gerry Ahern (N) - Tom Dienhart (N) - Mike Hugenin (N) - Yahoo! Users (N)
THE BUZZ: Minnesota actually leads this series 29-20-2, but that's misleading. The teams haven't met since 1990, and Nebraska has won the past 14 meetings. As bad as Minnesota has been this season, you can't blame the Huskers if they're already looking ahead to next week's game against Michigan State.
THE LINE: Nebraska by 24.5 THE PICK: Nebraska 49 - Minnesota 14
----------
Phil Steele - http://www.philsteele.com/Blog...11/DBOct19.html
NU may’ve saved their ssn prior to the bye with their biggest comeback in history trailing OSU 27-6 in the 3Q before rallying for a 34-27 win. NU changed their off schemes and ran for 195 yds in the 2H after totalling just 37 at HT while the turning point came when LB David’s 3Q FF set up NU’s 1st TD drive of just 23/2pl. OSU’s Miller was KO’d on the next series and NU had a 297-51 yd edge the rest of the way. Beleaguered QB Martinez avg 169 ypg (54%) with a 6-6 ratio and 584 rush yds (5.8). RB Burkhead is B10’s #2 rusher (635, 5.9) underachieving Blackshirts are #75 FBS in rush D (168, 4.5) and now must make do without future NFLer DT Crick (OFY). With a 1-5 start and being outscored 103-17 in B10 play, UM is focused on the future playing a league high 18 true frosh. Gophers QB Gray (125 ypg, 49%, 3-4, #1 rusher 371) should be healthier after the bye (turf toe). UM allows 167 rush ypg (4.8) and are #109 FBS scoring D (35 ppg). NU is just 2-11 ATS as a DD conf fav and have Legends leader Mich St on deck. The Huskers are 8-4 as an AF and it’s hard to believe but this is the first time in Kill’s career that his tm is a lined HD. Expect lots of Red in the TCF crowd.
PHIL’S FORECAST: NEBRASKA 45 - MINNESOTA 17
----------
CBS Sports - http://www.cbssports.com/colle...rs/expert/picks
Dennis Dodd (N) - Brett McMurphy (N) - Tom Fornelli (N)
Adam Jacobi (N) - Jerry Hinnen (N) - Chip Patterson (N)
----------
Collegefootballnews.com - http://cfn.scout.com/2/1118851.html
Nebraska (5-1) at Minnesota (1-5) Oct. 22, 3:30, ABC/ESPN2/ESPN3
Here’s The Deal … In 1983, Turner Gill, Mike Rozier, and Irving Fryar led a Nebraska team that came into the Minneapolis Metrodome and scores 21 points in each quarter on the way to a squeaker of an 84-13 victory. That’s been par for the course in a matchup that’s been a wee bit one-sided in the past.
This is the first meeting since 1990 – a 56-0 Husker romp. Over the last ten games between the two schools, Nebraska has gone 10-0 winning by a total score of 489 to 45. That’s an average score of 49 to 4.5, and this game might not be that close if Minnesota doesn’t show something more than it has in the last few weeks.
The Nebraska inaugural Big Ten season tour goes about six hours up the road to Minneapolis for a chance to come up with its first Legends division win. With two weeks off after turning the season around with a tremendous comeback to beat Ohio State, now comes the breather before dealing with a battle with Michigan State in the game that might decide the division title. With the shaky first half against the Buckeyes, and with the way they were blown away by Wisconsin, the Huskers could use a nice, easy conference win to tune things up a bit. It’s time to start dominating, but do they have the ability to do it?
If Minnesota isn’t the worst BCS conference team, it’s in the running after getting destroyed the last two games on the road at Michigan and Purdue by a combined score of 103 to 17. At 1-5 in an ugly and disastrous first season under head coach Jerry Kill, the Gophers have to find something positive to build on and need to show some signs of life over the second half of the year. Even though Wisconsin is coming up soon and there’s a nasty date at Michigan State coming up in a few weeks, three of the next four games are at home and it’s time to start taking more chances and trying to open things up a bit. Neither side of the ball is doing much, but quarterback MarQueis Gray is healthy again, the team got two weeks off to prepare, and now it gets a chance to try to turn things around with what would be the program’s biggest win since beating Michigan in Ann Arbor in 2005.
The two schools have met 51 times with Nebraska winning the last 14 going back to 1960. Welcome to what might be a decent new geographic rivalry if the Gophers can raise their game a bit.
Why Nebraska Might Win: Minnesota’s offense hasn’t just fizzled, it’s gone into the tank. It’s not like Michigan and Purdue are Alabama and LSU, but the Gophers couldn’t move the ball with just 213 yards of total offense against the Boilermakers and 177 against the Wolverines. The biggest problem has been a passing game that can’t move the chains and can’t do anything on third downs. Long drives have been few and far between and scoring points has been like pulling teeth. It shouldn’t take too many points for the Huskers to put the game away. As soon as the Gophers have to start throwing the ball, it could be over.
Can Minnesota stop the Nebraska running attack? Overall the run defense hasn’t been too bad, but it wasn’t even close against Michigan with the linebackers constantly out of position and totally unable to slow down Fitzgerald Toussaint and a ground game that tore off 363 yards and five scores. Taylor Martinez and Rex Burkhead are rested, and if the Husker offensive line can play like it did in the second half against Ohio State, the ground attack should go ballistic.
strong> Why Minnesota Might Win: The Nebraska defense has been lousy, and now it’s without its star for the rest of the year. It’s not like the Husker line was doing anything great, and Jared Crick was having an uncharacteristically mediocre season, and then he was knocked out with a torn pectoral muscle against Ohio State. If Minnesota was ever going to get the ground game moving, this might be the week if Gray can start to play up to his potential and the O line can find something that works on the inside. The Nebraska line isn’t generating any pressure, and stunningly this year, it can be pushed around.
Yes, the Husker O line was frothing-at-the-mouth great in the second half against Wisconsin, but it’s been hit-or-miss all season long and it’s been one dimensional. Pass defense has been the Gopher D’s biggest issue, but that won’t be a problem against a Nebraska passing game that’s not efficient and not effective with nothing coming from the receivers and Martinez not throwing well. With two weeks to prepare, Minnesota might be able to figure out how to sell out and key on Martinez from taking off. Stop Martinez, and you stop Nebraska.
What To Watch Out For: Rex Burkhead has run for over 100 yards seven times in his Nebraska career. The Huskers are 7-0 in those games, including two weeks ago when the junior ran for 119 yards against Ohio State and after tearing off 170 yards and two scores against Wyoming and 120 yards and two touchdowns against Washington. He’s not all that big and looks like everyone’s kid brother, but he runs hard and has a knack for getting through the hole in a hurry and getting to the secondary when he gets the ball in space. Minnesota will key on stopping Martinez first, but that means the secondary has to be ready for No. 22 when he takes the pitch.
While Minnesota continues to try to figure out its quarterback situation, it needs senior Duane Bennett to be a steadying force. The 5-9, 210-pounder saw his workload as a runner fall off the map last year after ripping off 187 yards in the opener against Middle Tennessee and 104 yards against South Dakota, and this year, he’s been struggling to find any room to move with just 250 yards on 68 carries. His lone score came in the opener against USC. In desperate need of anything that works, watch out for the Gophers to start feeding Bennett early on to see if he can have any success up the middle against the shockingly average Husker line.
What Will Happen: It’s not exactly the Big Red Machine rolling into Minneapolis, but Nebraska shouldn’t have too many problems as long as the offensive line can recapture a little bit of the magic it showed a few weeks ago. As bad as things have been for Nebraska, it’s still 5-1, and no matter how the team has looked, 6-1 is 6-1.
CFN Prediction: Nebraska 37 … Minnesota 17
----------
ESPN Bloggers - http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten...-big-ten-week-8
Brian Bennett: This one could get real ugly, fast. Taylor Martinez and Rex Burkhead each run for 150 in three quarters of play, and the Blackshirts get to have some fun against a struggling Gophers offense. ... Nebraska 58, Minnesota 7
Adam Rittenberg: I don't see things getting that bad, but Nebraska won't be sweating it out in Minneapolis. The Huskers run it plenty, but Martinez and his receivers also build some confidence against Minnesota's flimsy defense. Minnesota's offense makes some big plays here and there, but Nebraska cruises. ... Nebraska 44, Minnesota 17
----------
Gerry Ahern (N) - Tom Dienhart (N) - Mike Hugenin (N) - Yahoo! Users (N)
THE BUZZ: Minnesota actually leads this series 29-20-2, but that's misleading. The teams haven't met since 1990, and Nebraska has won the past 14 meetings. As bad as Minnesota has been this season, you can't blame the Huskers if they're already looking ahead to next week's game against Michigan State.
THE LINE: Nebraska by 24.5 THE PICK: Nebraska 49 - Minnesota 14
----------
Phil Steele - http://www.philsteele.com/Blog...11/DBOct19.html
NU may’ve saved their ssn prior to the bye with their biggest comeback in history trailing OSU 27-6 in the 3Q before rallying for a 34-27 win. NU changed their off schemes and ran for 195 yds in the 2H after totalling just 37 at HT while the turning point came when LB David’s 3Q FF set up NU’s 1st TD drive of just 23/2pl. OSU’s Miller was KO’d on the next series and NU had a 297-51 yd edge the rest of the way. Beleaguered QB Martinez avg 169 ypg (54%) with a 6-6 ratio and 584 rush yds (5.8). RB Burkhead is B10’s #2 rusher (635, 5.9) underachieving Blackshirts are #75 FBS in rush D (168, 4.5) and now must make do without future NFLer DT Crick (OFY). With a 1-5 start and being outscored 103-17 in B10 play, UM is focused on the future playing a league high 18 true frosh. Gophers QB Gray (125 ypg, 49%, 3-4, #1 rusher 371) should be healthier after the bye (turf toe). UM allows 167 rush ypg (4.8) and are #109 FBS scoring D (35 ppg). NU is just 2-11 ATS as a DD conf fav and have Legends leader Mich St on deck. The Huskers are 8-4 as an AF and it’s hard to believe but this is the first time in Kill’s career that his tm is a lined HD. Expect lots of Red in the TCF crowd.
PHIL’S FORECAST: NEBRASKA 45 - MINNESOTA 17
----------
CBS Sports - http://www.cbssports.com/colle...rs/expert/picks
Dennis Dodd (N) - Brett McMurphy (N) - Tom Fornelli (N)
Adam Jacobi (N) - Jerry Hinnen (N) - Chip Patterson (N)
----------
Collegefootballnews.com - http://cfn.scout.com/2/1118851.html
Nebraska (5-1) at Minnesota (1-5) Oct. 22, 3:30, ABC/ESPN2/ESPN3
Here’s The Deal … In 1983, Turner Gill, Mike Rozier, and Irving Fryar led a Nebraska team that came into the Minneapolis Metrodome and scores 21 points in each quarter on the way to a squeaker of an 84-13 victory. That’s been par for the course in a matchup that’s been a wee bit one-sided in the past.
This is the first meeting since 1990 – a 56-0 Husker romp. Over the last ten games between the two schools, Nebraska has gone 10-0 winning by a total score of 489 to 45. That’s an average score of 49 to 4.5, and this game might not be that close if Minnesota doesn’t show something more than it has in the last few weeks.
The Nebraska inaugural Big Ten season tour goes about six hours up the road to Minneapolis for a chance to come up with its first Legends division win. With two weeks off after turning the season around with a tremendous comeback to beat Ohio State, now comes the breather before dealing with a battle with Michigan State in the game that might decide the division title. With the shaky first half against the Buckeyes, and with the way they were blown away by Wisconsin, the Huskers could use a nice, easy conference win to tune things up a bit. It’s time to start dominating, but do they have the ability to do it?
If Minnesota isn’t the worst BCS conference team, it’s in the running after getting destroyed the last two games on the road at Michigan and Purdue by a combined score of 103 to 17. At 1-5 in an ugly and disastrous first season under head coach Jerry Kill, the Gophers have to find something positive to build on and need to show some signs of life over the second half of the year. Even though Wisconsin is coming up soon and there’s a nasty date at Michigan State coming up in a few weeks, three of the next four games are at home and it’s time to start taking more chances and trying to open things up a bit. Neither side of the ball is doing much, but quarterback MarQueis Gray is healthy again, the team got two weeks off to prepare, and now it gets a chance to try to turn things around with what would be the program’s biggest win since beating Michigan in Ann Arbor in 2005.
The two schools have met 51 times with Nebraska winning the last 14 going back to 1960. Welcome to what might be a decent new geographic rivalry if the Gophers can raise their game a bit.
Why Nebraska Might Win: Minnesota’s offense hasn’t just fizzled, it’s gone into the tank. It’s not like Michigan and Purdue are Alabama and LSU, but the Gophers couldn’t move the ball with just 213 yards of total offense against the Boilermakers and 177 against the Wolverines. The biggest problem has been a passing game that can’t move the chains and can’t do anything on third downs. Long drives have been few and far between and scoring points has been like pulling teeth. It shouldn’t take too many points for the Huskers to put the game away. As soon as the Gophers have to start throwing the ball, it could be over.
Can Minnesota stop the Nebraska running attack? Overall the run defense hasn’t been too bad, but it wasn’t even close against Michigan with the linebackers constantly out of position and totally unable to slow down Fitzgerald Toussaint and a ground game that tore off 363 yards and five scores. Taylor Martinez and Rex Burkhead are rested, and if the Husker offensive line can play like it did in the second half against Ohio State, the ground attack should go ballistic.
strong> Why Minnesota Might Win: The Nebraska defense has been lousy, and now it’s without its star for the rest of the year. It’s not like the Husker line was doing anything great, and Jared Crick was having an uncharacteristically mediocre season, and then he was knocked out with a torn pectoral muscle against Ohio State. If Minnesota was ever going to get the ground game moving, this might be the week if Gray can start to play up to his potential and the O line can find something that works on the inside. The Nebraska line isn’t generating any pressure, and stunningly this year, it can be pushed around.
Yes, the Husker O line was frothing-at-the-mouth great in the second half against Wisconsin, but it’s been hit-or-miss all season long and it’s been one dimensional. Pass defense has been the Gopher D’s biggest issue, but that won’t be a problem against a Nebraska passing game that’s not efficient and not effective with nothing coming from the receivers and Martinez not throwing well. With two weeks to prepare, Minnesota might be able to figure out how to sell out and key on Martinez from taking off. Stop Martinez, and you stop Nebraska.
What To Watch Out For: Rex Burkhead has run for over 100 yards seven times in his Nebraska career. The Huskers are 7-0 in those games, including two weeks ago when the junior ran for 119 yards against Ohio State and after tearing off 170 yards and two scores against Wyoming and 120 yards and two touchdowns against Washington. He’s not all that big and looks like everyone’s kid brother, but he runs hard and has a knack for getting through the hole in a hurry and getting to the secondary when he gets the ball in space. Minnesota will key on stopping Martinez first, but that means the secondary has to be ready for No. 22 when he takes the pitch.
While Minnesota continues to try to figure out its quarterback situation, it needs senior Duane Bennett to be a steadying force. The 5-9, 210-pounder saw his workload as a runner fall off the map last year after ripping off 187 yards in the opener against Middle Tennessee and 104 yards against South Dakota, and this year, he’s been struggling to find any room to move with just 250 yards on 68 carries. His lone score came in the opener against USC. In desperate need of anything that works, watch out for the Gophers to start feeding Bennett early on to see if he can have any success up the middle against the shockingly average Husker line.
What Will Happen: It’s not exactly the Big Red Machine rolling into Minneapolis, but Nebraska shouldn’t have too many problems as long as the offensive line can recapture a little bit of the magic it showed a few weeks ago. As bad as things have been for Nebraska, it’s still 5-1, and no matter how the team has looked, 6-1 is 6-1.
CFN Prediction: Nebraska 37 … Minnesota 17
----------
ESPN Bloggers - http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten...-big-ten-week-8
Brian Bennett: This one could get real ugly, fast. Taylor Martinez and Rex Burkhead each run for 150 in three quarters of play, and the Blackshirts get to have some fun against a struggling Gophers offense. ... Nebraska 58, Minnesota 7
Adam Rittenberg: I don't see things getting that bad, but Nebraska won't be sweating it out in Minneapolis. The Huskers run it plenty, but Martinez and his receivers also build some confidence against Minnesota's flimsy defense. Minnesota's offense makes some big plays here and there, but Nebraska cruises. ... Nebraska 44, Minnesota 17
----------
