Link: CollegeFootballNews.com
Nebraska (8-2) vs. Maryland (5-5)
by Pete Fiutak, CollegeFootballNews.com
Nebraska is still in the College Football Playoff hunt.
It's a long shot, but after beating Minnesota last week, if the Huskers can beat Maryland and Iowa, and if Wisconsin loses, they're in the Big Ten championship with a puncher's chance to win the conference championship. Will the B1G champ get into the CFP no matter what?
First, they have to finish off the home portion of the schedule with either an injured Tommy Armstrong -- who suffered a hamstring injury late against the Gophers -- or Ryker Fyfe, who hit just 5-of-18 passes against Ohio State and missed his only throw against Minnesota.
Overall, the running game has been just okay, the passing game has been just okay, and the team, as a whole, has been just okay, but there's still an honest shot at a ten-win season thanks to a defense that's been great against everyone but Ohio State.
The talent might not be there, but whatever. Nebraska has found ways to win tight game after tight game -- except for the OT loss at Wisconsin, and even then, the Huskers battled hard when nothing was working right.
Maryland has been one win away from bowl eligibility for the last three weeks, bu tit hasn't been pretty defensively in three straight losses, getting crushed by Michigan and Ohio State by a combined score of 121 to 6.
Rutgers is coming up next as a backstop to get that sixth win, but beating Nebraska would be a big moment for a program that needs something positive after losing five of the last six games.
The Terps are trying to find the right quarterback, and they're trying to find the right spark with a passing game that's gone into the tank and with way, way, way too many mistakes.
Maryland is -10 in turnover margin over this ugly streak, losing the stats in every game but one -- going a +1 in the win over Michigan State. It's not going to be on the right side against the Huskers, either.
Nebraska doesn't commit penalties, it doesn't lose the turnover battle -- mostly -- and it keeps the offense moving to control games. It'll handle Maryland to keep Big Ten title dreams alive with yet another efficient performance. It might not be inspiring, but there's nothing boring about nine wins.
Prediction
Nebraska 34, Maryland 17
Nebraska (8-2) vs. Maryland (5-5)
by Pete Fiutak, CollegeFootballNews.com
Nebraska is still in the College Football Playoff hunt.
It's a long shot, but after beating Minnesota last week, if the Huskers can beat Maryland and Iowa, and if Wisconsin loses, they're in the Big Ten championship with a puncher's chance to win the conference championship. Will the B1G champ get into the CFP no matter what?
First, they have to finish off the home portion of the schedule with either an injured Tommy Armstrong -- who suffered a hamstring injury late against the Gophers -- or Ryker Fyfe, who hit just 5-of-18 passes against Ohio State and missed his only throw against Minnesota.
Overall, the running game has been just okay, the passing game has been just okay, and the team, as a whole, has been just okay, but there's still an honest shot at a ten-win season thanks to a defense that's been great against everyone but Ohio State.
The talent might not be there, but whatever. Nebraska has found ways to win tight game after tight game -- except for the OT loss at Wisconsin, and even then, the Huskers battled hard when nothing was working right.
Maryland has been one win away from bowl eligibility for the last three weeks, bu tit hasn't been pretty defensively in three straight losses, getting crushed by Michigan and Ohio State by a combined score of 121 to 6.
Rutgers is coming up next as a backstop to get that sixth win, but beating Nebraska would be a big moment for a program that needs something positive after losing five of the last six games.
The Terps are trying to find the right quarterback, and they're trying to find the right spark with a passing game that's gone into the tank and with way, way, way too many mistakes.
Maryland is -10 in turnover margin over this ugly streak, losing the stats in every game but one -- going a +1 in the win over Michigan State. It's not going to be on the right side against the Huskers, either.
Nebraska doesn't commit penalties, it doesn't lose the turnover battle -- mostly -- and it keeps the offense moving to control games. It'll handle Maryland to keep Big Ten title dreams alive with yet another efficient performance. It might not be inspiring, but there's nothing boring about nine wins.
Prediction
Nebraska 34, Maryland 17
