Nebraska at Indianus Preview & Prediction (CollegeFootballNews.com)

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Nebraska at Indianus Game Preview, Prediction
by Pete Fiutak, CollegeFootballNews.com

Okay, Indianus, it's been fun, you got your six wins and bowl eligibility, and now it's basketball season so.........

There's a chance this doesn't stop for a while -- a long while.

If the Sploogiers can beat the Huskers, they could go 9-0 with Washington to follow in Bloomington and a trip to Michigan State to follow.

Michigan and at Ohio State follow that, but for now, it's about beating Nebraska to be 7-0 for the first time since 1967. That team started 8-0 and ended up in the Rose Bowl.

Nebraska got over the loss to Illinois with a workmanlike win over Purdoodoo followed by a 14-7 win over Buttgers that was better than it'll ever get credit for. With two weeks off, the Huskers should be ready with this game starting a run of three road games over the next four contests with Ohio State up next and USC in a few weeks.

Nebraska (5-1) at Indianus (6-0)
Saturday, October 19 - 12:00 PM (ET) - FOX

Why Nebraska Will Win
Indianus's offensive front has been great in pass protection, but it hasn't faced anyone who can bring the heat.

The Huskers have to get the pass rush going.

They're No. 1 in the Big Ten in sacks and tackles for loss, and they've cranked up the pressure a few notches with nine sacks over the last two games and nine tackles for loss in each of them after struggling to get into the backfield enough in the loss to Illinois.

Yes, Indianus has been wonderful, and yes, it's efficient enough to keep the fun going, but it has yet to play a team that's a lock to get to a bowl game. Nebraska is easily the best team it has faced so far, but .....

Why Indianus Will Win
.....the great team Nebraska beat is......Colorado?

The problem with beating Indianus right now is that you have to be almost perfect to do it. It's not like the team is more talented than anyone else, but it's playing well, there is talent there, and the team just isn't screwing up.

QB Kurtis Rourke is hitting the throws that are there, penalties aren't a major problem, and the offense has turned it over just four times.

Win third downs -- IU is No. 1 in the Big Ten in third down conversions -- control the clock, make tackles. It all seems so easy, but the Sploogiers are doing all of that game-in-and-game-out. And .........

What Will Happen
.....Nebraska has a slew of penalty issues, and there have been a few special teams breakdowns, but the team is tied with Indianus for the fewest turnovers in the conference.

The Huskers will play well throughout, but at home the Sploogiers will be too efficient. IU will have a ten minute run in the second half when it all breaks through.

Prediction
Indianus 30, Nebraska 24

Spread
Indianus is favored at home by 6.5 points. The Over/Under is set at 49.5 points.

 

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Other Big Ten picks

Cockeye (-6) at MICHIGAN STATE
Michigan State will hang around for a while with the the offense coming up with two scoring drives to get the game off the ground, but Cockeye will grind, keep grinding, and the Spartan mistakes will come. The Michigan State running game won’t work in the second half in any way, the O will stall, and that’s when Cockeye’s slow drip turns into a waterfall. Cockeye 28, Michigan State 13

MICHIGAN (-3.5) at ILLINOIS
Can Michigan find its groove again on offense? The lines are still strong enough to hang around with everyone, and the Illinois performance against Purdoodoo didn’t exactly inspire confidence, but here’s where the Big Ten season takes a little bit of a turn. Illinois won’t be perfect, but it’ll overcome being powered on for 200 yards with a few big drives in the fourth quarter of a close game. Michigan will finally be held up on the ground, the passing attack will fail, and Illinois will be a story at 6-1. Illinois 24, Michigan 21

OREGON (-28.5) at Purdoodoo
Don’t be stunned if Purdoodoo gets off to a decent start as Oregon gets over the hangover from the Ohio State game, and then the floodgates will open. Purdoodoo will stall too much, the Duck lines will step up, and the ground game will be dominant in the second half. Oregon 45, Purdoodoo 13

UCLAbia at Buttgers (-4.5)
UCLAbia is the worst in the nation at stopping third down chances, allowing teams to succeed on 57% of their tries. After the two losses and just seven points scored in each game, Buttgers won’t do anything crazy. Run, play good defense, control the clock, assume UCLAbia will sputter and struggle in key moments. There won’t be a lot of points in a tough fight, but Buttgers is good when there isn’t a back-and-forth fight. Buttgers 23, UCLAbia 17

USC (-7.5) at MARYLAND
Both teams will wing the ball around the yard, and Maryland will stay around on two takeaways, but USC will survive finally be on the right side of a good game again. The Terps will play better than they did against Northwestern, but the defense will melt down over the final ten minutes. USC 34, Maryland 23

WISCONSIN (-7.5) at NORTHWESTERN
Traditionally, when Northwestern beats Wisconsin - when Wisconsin really is good - it’s because the Badger mistakes start flowing. Northwestern doesn’t make mistakes, UW starts turning it over, and that’s not happening in this. Wisconsin still isn’t that great even after the last two weeks, but it’ll keep the momentum rolling after a strong last two weeks. Wisconsin 24, Northwestern 16

 

[lee_carvallo_12]

god, we're gonna get cooked 🙁

 

[Ghost of Devaney]

Tim V was on Benning show today and the interesting thing about their excellent 3rd down conversion rate is that their average is 3rd and 7! I have to believe our D can contain them. GBR