Nebraska returns home for a prime-time game against No. 5 Ohio State under the lights at Memorial Stadium. Let's take a closer look at how the Huskers and Buckeyes compare.
How the Huskers light up the scoreboard
1. Take care of the ball. It’s simple. Don’t turn it over four times like they did last week. Or any times, for that matter.
2. Balancing act. If Nebraska can run the ball against Ohio State, that can help open up the pass. If Adrian Martinez can run the ball, that attracts eyeballs from Buckeye defenders. Conversely, the Husker receivers must be able to get open.
3. Acts of aggression. The kicking game is a big ol’ mystery in Lincoln. Nebraska is 2-of-7 on the season. That means the Huskers are going to have to think about keeping the offense on the field and going for it in some — or maybe many — fourth-down situations.
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4. Shot caller. You want to win a game like this? You’re going to need to hit some big shots down the field, either in the run game or the pass game. You can bet that Scott Frost and company have a couple of wrinkles ready for the Buckeyes. Those have to work.
How the Blackshirts shut ’em down
1. Help from their friends. Ohio State has running backs and a quarterback who are tough to bring to the ground. Overall, NU’s tackling has been pretty good and its pursuit has been consistent. Both have to be in top form against the Buckeyes.
2. A Fields first. Justin Fields hasn’t thrown an interception this season. The Huskers would do well to force the talented redshirt freshman into at least one big mistake.
3. Something’s got to give. Nebraska allowed just one first down in 11 tries to Illinois last week and is surrendering first downs at just a 28.8% clip through four games. Ohio State is converting at 46.6%. Can the Blackshirts win the money down?
4. Dobbins duty. A year ago, 107 of OSU standout running back J.K. Dobbins’ 163 rushing yards came in the second half, including 74 and a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Can the Huskers better contain the powerful junior?
Defensive coordinator Erik Chinander talks after practice on Sept. 24, 2019 about getting ready for Ohio State's mobile quarterback.
Three numbers to know
53.5: Ohio State’s points per game, tops in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes are second in scoring defense (9.0).
21.3: Yards per reception for Husker junior JD Spielman, second in the Big Ten among players with 10-plus catches.
23.1: Percent conversions allowed on third down by OSU, second-best in the Big Ten behind only Wisconsin.
Under the radar
Luke McCaffrey
QB | No. 7 | Fr.: The freshman quarterback has not appeared in a game yet. There’s no reason to think — unless things go awry — that this one will be lopsided enough for garbage time. But what if maybe, just maybe, McCaffrey, an electric athlete, has some kind of role in the game plan?
Dicaprio Bootle
CB | No. 23 | Jr.: Lamar Jackson’s been praised widely so far this fall for his improved play as Bootle just continues to play consistently good, solid ball. He’ll be tested continually against the Buckeyes’ passing attack. This is the best equipped NU has been to handle such an offense and Bootle is a big reason why.
Marquee matchup
NU's front seven against Fields, Dobbins and company
Nebraska’s defensive line has been the strength of that unit so far this season and the Huskers have been pretty solid against the run so far. This is the biggest test yet, not only against junior back J.K. Dobbins but quarterback Justin Fields, as well. If the Huskers can hold up there — or even win consistently — they can cause OSU some offensive stress.
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Biggest mismatch
Chase Young against Nebraska’s tackles/offensive line
Don’t take this as a knock on Nebraska’s offensive line. Or at least not fully. Young is going to be a matchup nightmare for pretty much everybody he goes against this fall. He’s got speed, he’s got power and NU offensive line coach Greg Austin said Young is playing with more of an edge this fall. He’s not the only one. The Buckeyes have 6 to 8 guys who can win matchups up front.
Prediction
Ohio State 41, Nebraska 24
Didn’t realize until logging this prediction that it’s the same score guessed last week, just with the opposition winning instead of Nebraska. Let that Big Ten opener be a reminder that wild stuff happens every week in college football. Let Iowa and Purdue remind you that a Big Ten team has welcomed Ohio State to its home and whooped up on the Buckeyes each of the past two seasons. And also let common sense dictate most of the conversation. Yes, wild stuff happens and no, OSU isn’t invincible. It is a very talented outfit, though, and one that is not only balanced on both sides of the ball but also holds an advantage on paper in the special teams department, as well. Maybe the Huskers have some magic. More likely, OSU’s depth of talent shows through in what will assuredly be a fantastic environment at Memorial Stadium.