26 | August 2024
HUSKERS PREVIEW
GAMES From 10
.... OR TOMATOES? GAME 7 Indiana
been replaced by inexperienced guys. Ad- vantage Blackshirts. THROWING TOMATOES: The Wisconsin de- fense made strides in the offseason to shore up its speed and size. Can Nebraska’s of- fense find ways around Wisconsin’s prowess? Or will they once again run into problems?
THROWING TOMATOES: Ohio State’s the favorite to win the league and make a deep playoff run for a reason. The Buckeyes have top-tier talent all over the field with multiple All-Americans running around.
THE BLURB: Indiana’s new skipper Curt Cignetti took James Madison to new heights last season and has never had a losing sea- son. Taking over Indiana, however, will be a tall order. And Nebraska isn’t going to make it easy for him in Game 7. AUDIENCE RATING 7 Indiana is once again picked to be near the bottom of the Big Ten. But, if things shape up as expected, this could put Nebraska at 7-0 to start the year. Expect pandemonium if Nebraska enters this one undefeated. STANDING OVATION: Indiana’s defense appears to be short-staffed as the Hoosiers only return one starter: defensive end Lanell Carr Jr. Surely the group will find its chemistry by Game 7, but will they be able to withstand Nebraska’s offense? Unlikely. THROWING TOMATOES: Just because the Hoosiers don’t have a lot of returning talent doesn’t mean there aren’t stars. Receiver Elijah Sarratt had more than 1,100 yards at James Madison a year ago and doesn’t look to stop now.
GAME 9 UCLA
GAME 12 Iowa
THE BLURB: The first game against a new Big Ten foe comes against a rebuilding UCLA. Even though the Bruins went 8-5 in the final year of the Pac-12, Chip Kelly bolt- ing for a lesser job makes you wonder what’s going on there. AUDIENCE RATING: 10 It’s rare to have new experiences, but the first conference game against UCLA should be a fun atmosphere. Game time is still TBD. STANDING OVATION: UCLA’s offensive and defensive lines have plenty of work to do. For example, UCLA gave up 42 sacks last season on offense. If the Blackshirts can ex- ploit that weakness, Husker fans might get tired from throwing the bones. THROWING TOMATOES: Expect a solid ground game from UCLA. It’s unclear yet who exactly will be the main man for the Bruins, but T.J. Harden and Keegan Jones as well as fullback Anthony Adkins expect to have a big year. Nebraska’s rush defense needs to key in there.
STANDING OVATION: Luckily for Nebraska, the second half of USC’s 2023 campaign was a mess. And there’s no generational talent at quarterback (that we know of). And the offensive line has work to do. USC will likely have these problems remedied before Ne- braska comes to town, but the Blackshirts have to be licking their chops at the poten- tial here. THROWING TOMATOES: While USC’s de- fense was a liability last year, it doesn’t ap- pear to be shaping up that way right now. USC went out and snagged several top-tier transfers. All of them combine for 111 total starts. That could spell disaster against a true freshman quarterback.
THE BLURB: The jokes pertaining to Iowa’s (lack of) offense may or may not be gone by the time this one rolls around in late No- vember, but the Hawkeyes still have to prove they can move the ball in ways that aren’t through punting. AUDIENCE RATING: 10 Black Friday. At night. Featuring two teams that loathe each other. Should be a wild ride in the freezing November cold. STANDING OVATION: At this point in the season, the depth is what matters. Can Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara stay healthy this year? The backups behind him leave plenty to be desired. If Nebraska can shut him, or whoever is healthy, down, the Husk- ers have a shot. THROWING TOMATOES: All-American punter Tory Taylor isn’t around anymore, but expect this game to come down to special teams once again. If Nebraska’s woes in this area continue, expect the Heroes Trophy to stay in Iowa City.
GAME 11 Wisconsin
GAME 8 Ohio State
THE BLURB: A busy, busy day on Nebraska’s campus between this football matchup and the same matchup on the volleyball court. The football team likely still has a sour taste in its mouth from how things ended in Madi- son last year. Can Nebraska get revenge... and its first win over UW since 2012. AUDIENCE RATING: 9 Even though Nebraska has lost the last 10 games against Wisconsin, there’s always that feeling that the Huskers could inevitably break through. They came close last year. And the year before. Is this the year? STANDING OVATION: The questions Wiscon- sin has at backfield will be resolved by No- vember, but will the Badgers be able to take offensive strides from a year ago? They’ve lost household names in Tanner Mordecai, Braelon Allen and Chimere Dike, and they’ve
THE BLURB: Nebraska hasn’t been to a fan- filled Horseshoe since 2018, and this could be the biggest game the two schools have played against one another in program his- tory. AUDIENCE RATING: 10 The schedule shakes out for a possibility that both teams could be undefeated at 7-0. In the event that happens? Phew. Hello, Col- lege Gameday. Hello, insanity and absurdity. STANDING OVATION: Nebraska has beaten Ohio State just once in program history: that 2011 contest in Lincoln. For Nebraska to get over the hump once again, the Husk- ers will need to channel what worked that day: dominating an offensive aspect, limiting explosive plays and keeping turnovers to a minimum.
GAME 10 USC
THE BLURB: Hello, Hollywood. Nebraska gets to suit up in the Coliseum for the first time since 2006 and just the third time ever in what will be USC’s first time playing against Nebraska as conference opponents. AUDIENCE RATING: 10 There are plenty of Nebraska fans who re- side in Southern California. Expect there to be quite a lot of folks in Scarlet and Cream running around the recently renovated stadium to watch what could be Nebraska’s first-ever win against USC. Game time is still TBD.
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