Minnesota (7-2 overall, 4-2 Big Ten) at No. 21 Nebraska (7-2 overall, 4-2 Big Ten)
When: Saturday, 6:30 p.m. CT – Lincoln, Neb.
Stadium: Memorial Stadium (90,000)
TV/Radio: BTN, KFAN 100.3 FM
Coach: Mike Riley (2nd season)
Spread: Nebraska -7, o/u: 48
INSIDE THE GAME
Huskers at a Glance
Minnesota holds a 31-23-2 advantage against Nebraska, a program that ranks fourth all-time with 887 victories.
Nebraska leads the Big Ten protecting the quarterback, allowing only six sacks in nine games. The Gophers are second with eight sacks allowed.
The Huskers have been dominate in the fourth quarter this season. They are tops in the nation with a plus-88 advantage in the final quarter.
Kieron Williams and Nathan Gerry are tied for second in the B1G with four interceptions. As a team, Nebraska ranks third in the country with 15 picks.
Quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. has had a prolific career for the Cornhuskers. He’s the only active FBS player with 8,000 career passing yards and 1,500 yards rushing.
Coach Speak
“They’re still in it. They still have a chance. I don’t see it having a big effect. I’ve been a part of that where we lost big the week before, because you get an injury, and the flood gates open up, and it truly just comes down to who prepares the best and plays the best on Saturday, so, I am sure they’ll be ready to play and playing at home, and they still have a chance to win the west also, so, I expect we’ll get their best.”– Tracy Claeys on if losing big to OSU will impact Nebraska
“I think Minnesota has confidence. I think that that quarterback is kind of leading that with the way he’s playing. He looks like a tough guy. He looks like a guy that’s going to fight to make plays, has been a resilient player. I think that that team plays hard. Like I said, it’s going to be tough. We’re going to have to play a good football game to beat them.” – Mike Riley on Minnesota’s win streak
STORYLINE CENTRAL
It’s one of the best rivalry trophy stories out there, and deserves to be told every single time the Gophers play Nebraska. GopherHole readers all know the story of the $5 Bits of Broken Chair Trophy, but it’s worth re-reading once a year leading up to the game.
Here’s an interesting tidbit: Saturday’s game will be the first college football game to be produced in virtual reality. Brian Christopherson of the Lincoln Journal Star has the latest on what sounds like a very technical, yet intriguing way to watch a game.
Nebraska’s all-time leader in total yards, Tommy Armstrong Jr., is battling a concussion after a recent play that saw him carted off the field. Christopherson has up-to-date information on Armstrong, who is actually expected to play against Minnesota.
Paris Gunderson of Husker Corner has a short article on the planned student section blackout on Saturday. A night game blackout at Nebraska should be a pretty fun atmosphere for college football.
WHO WINS?
The Gophers win if…
They can extend drives on third down. Minnesota hasn’t been great on third down in conference play, including a disappointing 4-15 performance against Purdue. In their six Big Ten games, the Gophers rank near the bottom of the conference, converting just 33.7 of the time on third down. Minnesota needs to be able to move the ball early in the drive and force fewer lengthy third down calls.
“Third and long is hard for anybody and try to get more in the third and shorts,” said Claeys. “We did the short yardage thing better on Saturday, the third and shorts. So those are the ones we need to get into and when we get into them, take advantage of them.”
The Huskers win if…
They can keep the crowd engaged early. A primetime slot, with the crowd blacked out, it’ll be some serious home field advantage. On paper, the Huskers have a better chance to win on Saturday. When you factor in a rowdy crowd, things look even more difficult for the Maroon and Gold. The Huskers need to keep their fans into the game to make things more difficult on an offense that is already prone to ending drives with frustrating penalties