3 must-win games for Nebraska Football in 2023 (Colorado, Minnesota, Iowa)

[BleedGopher]

per Chris:

Minnesota​

This is the first game of the Matt Rhule era and it sure would be nice to start with a win. Minnesota isn’t going to be easy. The Golden Gophers never are under P.J. Fleck. I expect them to contend for the Big Ten West title and believe whichever team wins this game will be in a solid position to do that.

The Huskers have to play at Wisconsin and at Illinois, but the schedule isn’t impossible. Nebraska is a big underdog right now to Minnesota but the Gophers have a new starting quarterback and don’t have running back Mohamed Ibrahim.

This will be one of the games people pay attention to the most on that first Thursday night of the season and it would be great for Nebraska to be put in a positive light.

Nebraska needs confidence too and beating a really solid Minnesota team, on the road, right out of the gate, would do wonders for the mental state of the holdovers.

3 must-win games for Nebraska Football in 2023

Looking ahead to the 2023 Nebraska football schedule, here are three games the Huskers really need to win. We are less than 100 days away from Nebraska football taking the field for its Thursday night opener against Minnesota. It’s hard to know exactly what to expect from the Huskers in 2023...

huskerbigred.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[60's Guy]

I can hear PJ talking about ghosts already. "It's so difficult to prepare for Nebraska. We had nothing on film to learn from. We were just so surprised by their game plan. It was a little like chasing ghosts out there."

 

[Gophergrandpa]

I can hear PJ talking about ghosts already. "It's so difficult to prepare for Nebraska. We had nothing on film to learn from. We were just so surprised by their game plan. It was a little like chasing ghosts out there."

Maybe we’ll surprise Nebraska with our offensive game plan. It won’t be Mo carrying the ball 40 times. No MBS or Dylan Wright. It won’t be Tanner under center. We will have a new OC pair and perhaps an evolved strategy (less predictable?). Maybe Nebraska will be chasing ghosts, too!

 

[Unregistered User]

...and believe whichever team wins this game will be in a solid position to do that.

Yeah...sure. Nebraska will be in a solid position to win the west with this victory.

Please...

 

[upnorthkid]

I can hear PJ talking about ghosts already. "It's so difficult to prepare for Nebraska. We had nothing on film to learn from. We were just so surprised by their game plan. It was a little like chasing ghosts out there."

There is plenty of film from Rhule at multiple levels and from Satterfield. If he says anything remotely similar, that is embarrassing for a head coach at this level

 

[GopherTheJugular]

For a team coming off the disaster of the Scott Frost era, that hasn't been bowling in like 7 years, and finished 4-8 last year, I'd hardly call the first game of the season, against a solid conference opponent, a "must win".

I'd say the week 3 and 4 games against Northern Illinois and Louisiana Tech are the must wins. Minnesota, Colorado, and Iowa just happen to be 3 teams that Nebraska doesn't like losing too.

 

[MonikerSchmoniker45]

We're going to destroy Nebraska, unless their new qb goes off for like 100yds rushing with a td or two.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

Every game is a must win (for some reason or another).... until the next one, that probably is also a must win.

 

[matt]

They will go 0-3 or 1-2 in their “must wins”.

 

[Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0]

They will go 0-3 or 1-2 in their “must wins”.

I'd be happy if they went 2-1 personally!

 

[Cayman]

Nebraska can get to a bowl game by winning their non-conference games, beating Northwestern and Purdue at home, and then beating one Maryland, @Michigan State, and @Illinois.

@Colorado being a must win makes some sense. Rivalry game, both teams have new coaches, Colorado likely digging themselves out of a deeper hole than Nebraska, getting to a bowl game gets harder for Nebraska if they lose. I think Nebraska has also lost at least the last two against Colorado.

Playing devil’s advocate, Iowa is a “must win” because you beat them in Iowa City last year, try to keep tipping the scales of the rivalry back in your favor by winning at home this year.

Minnesota just because it’s the first game under the new coach and fan excitement would be reignited in a big way with a win (if Nebraska fans ever lost interest in the first place), and just because you’re sick of losing to PJ Fleck? But calling Minnesota a must win for Nebraska feels like calling Michigan a must win for Minnesota.

 

[mngg11]

Gotta give the writer credit, the program has earned respect under PJ and its recognized. I'm so pumped to see who we'll be talking about having come out from under the radar and becoming impact players through the year. There have to be a few who are gonna pop.

 

[Gophergrandpa]

There is plenty of film from Rhule at multiple levels and from Satterfield. If he says anything remotely similar, that is embarrassing for a head coach at this level

Plenty of film on Nebraska’s transfer QB Sims, too. Strengths already known; weaknesses already exposed.

 

[salzie]

Plenty of film on Nebraska’s transfer QB Sims, too. Strengths already known; weaknesses already exposed.

Can run. Mediocre passer

 

[Yah-E]

Daryius Taylor for 175 yards, 3 TDs

 

[Word]

Daryius Taylor for 175 yards, 3 TDs

No Zach Evans?

 

[Yah-E]

No Zach Evans?

OK, ZE - DT combo for over 300 yards & 5 TDs

We got this one

 

[stocker08]

Gotta give the writer credit, the program has earned respect under PJ and its recognized. I'm so pumped to see who we'll be talking about having come out from under the radar and becoming impact players through the year. There have to be a few who are gonna pop.

Nebraska has lost their last four to Minnesota and five of their last six. Would be pretty bold for a Husker columnist to bash the Gophers as weak right now.

 

[mngg11]

Nebraska has lost their last four to Minnesota and five of their last six. Would be pretty bold for a Husker columnist to bash the Gophers as weak right now.

No disagreement here, just used to the delusional outlook of the fanbase and their occasional belief that they can't have stooped as low as the gophs or lower in the pecking order of things.

 

[mngolf]

Recent history and giving Fleck all year to prepare, Gophs win easily. I think we see 2019 offensive success this year. And at this point I expect the defense to be good.

 

[restovich]

I would really be disappointed if Nebraska gets within 14 point of the gophers. Hoping for like a 35-14 victory......

 

[Word]

OK, ZE - DT combo for over 300 yards & 5 TDs

We got this one

Add in Sean Tyler and make it 400 yards.

 

[Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0]

Add in Sean Tyler and make it 400 yards.

If any of these guys can play out wide, imagine the formations and motion with them on the field at the same time.

 

[USAF]

No Zach Evans?

Those numbers were for Taylor in the 4th quarter with the 2nd string offense.

 

[Gophergrandpa]

Recent history and giving Fleck all year to prepare, Gophs win easily. I think we see 2019 offensive success this year. And at this point I expect the defense to be good.

Love to see a 2019 level of success, including play mix, in 2023. But first game of 2019 was against an FCS opponent that came extremely close to beating us. Our new, fairly inexperienced OL guys were unprepared for the constant stunts and blitzes from conventional defensive sets. Communication wasn’t there; some confusion as to assignments. I think this could be an issue in Nebraska opener, which will be mixing up sets and stunting and blitzing from its new 3-3-5 defense.

Good news is that we got to see a 3-3-5 defense when we played Syracuse in the Pinstripe. Other good news in that most teams don’t run a 3-3-5 because, I hope, it has some vulnerabilities to an offense that is unpredictable and/or disguises (rather than pre-announces) play calls. Also, not clear Nebraska has yet been able to assemble the right personnel for a 3-3-5 defense with sufficient player depth at key positions. Anyway, I’m sure our co-OCs will be game planning to exploit every vulnerability of Nebbie’s 3-3-5 (inc. possible talent gaps). We’ll just need to execute.

How will Nebraska's new 3-3-5 defense adjust to the Big Ten

The Huskers will be playing their third new defense in as many years!

cornhuskerswire.usatoday.com

 

[MonikerSchmoniker45]

If any of these guys can play out wide, imagine the formations and motion with them on the field at the same time.

I believe Taylor was a WR his junior year.

 

[mngolf]

Love to see a 2019 level of success, including play mix, in 2023. But first game of 2019 was against an FCS opponent that came extremely close to beating us. Our new, fairly inexperienced OL guys were unprepared for the constant stunts and blitzes from conventional defensive sets. Communication wasn’t there; some confusion as to assignments. I think this could be an issue in Nebraska opener, which will be mixing up sets and stunting and blitzing from its new 3-3-5 defense.

Good news is that we got to see a 3-3-5 defense when we played Syracuse in the Pinstripe. Other good news in that most teams don’t run a 3-3-5 because, I hope, it has some vulnerabilities to an offense that is unpredictable and/or disguises (rather than pre-announces) play calls. Also, not clear Nebraska has yet been able to assemble the right personnel for a 3-3-5 defense with sufficient player depth at key positions. Anyway, I’m sure our co-OCs will be game planning to exploit every vulnerability of Nebbie’s 3-3-5 (inc. possible talent gaps). We’ll just need to execute.

How will Nebraska's new 3-3-5 defense adjust to the Big Ten

The Huskers will be playing their third new defense in as many years!

cornhuskerswire.usatoday.com

I think the added time to game plan is why Fleck wins bowl games. So that's why I'm applying it here as well. We did well again Ohio State when we opened against them.

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

Year zero for a coach for a team coming off a bad year that hasn't been good in a while. Beating Iowa or minnesota would be a major accomplishment and pure gravy for Nebraska (and a major let down for Minnesota or Iowa). If we are where we think we are, this is the kind of game fans don't need to sweat (though obviously I expect the coaches and players to take it seriously).