Nebraska vs. Northwestern Prediction & Preview (CFN)

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Nebraska vs Northwestern Prediction, Game Preview, Lines, How To Watch

Nebraska vs Northwestern game preview, prediction, and breakdown for the Week 0 game on Saturday, August, 27

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Nebraska vs. Northwestern Prediction, Game Preview
by Pete Fiutak, CollegeFootballNews.com

Nebraska (0-0, 0-0) vs. Northwestern (0-0, 0-0)
at Dublin, Ireland
Saturday, August 27 | 12:30 PM (ET) | FOX

Why Northwestern Will Win
So what changed over the last several months?

When we last saw Nebraska win a football game, it had no problem with Northwestern in a 56-7 blowout -- that was the only Husker win since September 11th.

How is Northwestern better than last season when nothing seemed to work right in a disastrous 3-9 run?

To start, the offensive line will be a major plus around All-America tackle Peter Skoronski, there should be more of a running game, and the defense got a little help from the transfer portal for the line.

On the other side, there's a big-time PROVE IT factor for Nebraska.

It went 3-9, too. Head coach Scott Frost wasn't replaced after another awful year, the defense has to prove it can tart taking the ball away, and QB Adrian Martinez is off doing his thing at Kansas State.

If Northwestern can slow this down, keep it low scoring, and make it about who'll screw up first, it'll be in good shape against the team that has all the pressure on its side.

Why Nebraska Will Win
Nebraska just got more talented.

It's still missing playmakers across the board to make a ton of noise nationally, but QB Casey Thompson was a good get from Texas, and the receiving corps got a ton of help with Trey Palmer from LSU, Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda from New Mexico State, and Marcus Washington from Texas. The defense filled in a few spots and helped boost up the depth.

The biggest change is with the style, getting offensive coordinator Mark Whipple over from Pitt -- he helped make Kenny Pickett a ton of money.

Get ready for a far more dangerous passing game, and it starts with hitting a Northwestern secondary that doesn't return anyone who came up with a pick in 2021.

What's Going to Happen
Really? You're going to pick against a guy named Fitzgerald in Ireland?

Northwestern and Nebraska were supposed to go to Dublin in 2020, but a global pandemic had something to do with that getting moved. Now the two kick off the Big Ten season in Week 0, and it's massive for both teams.

Northwestern has to show that the problems of 2021 are well in the past and the style, toughness and line play can be enough to get back to a high level.

Nebraska has to show that all the changes made under Frost were enough to start winning.

Don't expect anything pretty.

The Northwestern lines will be strong from the start as Fitzgerald's squad slows things down to a dead stop at times. Nebraska won't have the running game to control the clock, and the third down conversions won't be there on a consistent basis.

However, Nebraska will hit two deep plays in the second half to finally start to pull away a little bit. Northwestern will have its chances late, but its fourth quarter drives will stall as the Huskers get out with a stronger-than-it-will-look win.

Prediction
Nebraska 26, Northwestern 17

 

[doublewing]

That is reasonable and aligned with my own thoughts. I've already taken NW +13 and the Unders. Close, ugly game.

 

[Poor_and_Stupid]

Not sure how it will happen, but I predict we will be referring to this game as The Debacle in Dublin.

Purple NU: 21, Real NU: 20 (we will score a TD late and the extra point will get blocked)

 

[BorWhiskey]

Wasn’t it Illinois we were supposed to play last year? I didn’t know we were supposed to play NW the year before.

I do expect a “spread’em out, run up the gut” attack by NW. They will attack our aggressiveness at the edge, and both gash and sustain drives. And defensively, they’ll want to test our OL. Run and delay blitz. It’ll be bad enough for our OL we’ll want to shift to more passes, and enough pressure on the QB that it’ll take awhile for us to find a groove.

I expect we’ll all be very nervous seeing us trail early, and seeing them move the ball fairly well on us, while our own offense appears dysfunctional. We’ll be losing at half 13-3. They score on 3/5 of their drives when we have a few 3&O’s, a turn over, and one good drive that we can’t punch in.

I’m going to say that Whip will be able to adjust at the half and we’ll see some fairly good second half success. Open our first drive with a TD, the defense gets pumped, and we take the game over.

Basically, I expect NW to punch us in the mouth but I think we’ve got the resolve this year via Thompson and the new offensive staff to absorb it and counter. 27-20, Nebraska.

 

[Huskerzz9457]

Wasn’t it Illinois we were supposed to play last year? I didn’t know we were supposed to play NW the year before.

I do expect a “spread’em out, run up the gut” attack by NW. They will attack our aggressiveness at the edge, and both gash and sustain drives. And defensively, they’ll want to test our OL. Run and delay blitz. It’ll be bad enough for our OL we’ll want to shift to more passes, and enough pressure on the QB that it’ll take awhile for us to find a groove.

I expect we’ll all be very nervous seeing us trail early, and seeing them move the ball fairly well on us, while our own offense appears dysfunctional. We’ll be losing at half 13-3. They score on 3/5 of their drives when we have a few 3&O’s, a turn over, and one good drive that we can’t punch in.

I’m going to say that Whip will be able to adjust at the half and we’ll see some fairly good second half success. Open our first drive with a TD, the defense gets pumped, and we take the game over.

Basically, I expect NW to punch us in the mouth but I think we’ve got the resolve this year via Thompson and the new offensive staff to absorb it and counter. 27-20, Nebraska.

Why would we be losing 13-3 at half to a team that's no better than who we beat 56-7 🤣

 

[Poor_and_Stupid]

Why would we be losing 13-3 at half to a team that's no better than who we beat 56-7 🤣

You underestimate the powers of Corch Scrote I see.

Apparently you haven’t been reading @Baron Winnebago ‘s thread on the matter.

 

[BorWhiskey]

Why would we be losing 13-3 at half to a team that's no better than who we beat 56-7 🤣

I assume you’re this aggressive now because you later want to lose your mind if it happens and demand heads. This is the real world and the most athletic team doesn’t always win from start to finish.

 

[Faux Sean Callahan]

Northwestern and Nebraska were supposed to go to Dublin in 2020, but a global pandemic had something to do with that getting moved. Now the two kick off the Big Ten season in Week 0, and it's massive for both teams.

Illinois and Nebraska were supposed to go to Ireland IIRC

Nebraska 26, Northwestern 17

I will take it.

 

[Huskerzz9457]

I assume you’re this aggressive now because you later want to lose your mind if it happens and demand heads. This is the real world and the most athletic team doesn’t always win from start to finish.

Aggressive? 🤣

 

[Baron Winnebago]

This is basically the Illinois game last year. If they don't win it, they're going to be shitty so what's the point in worrying?