Link: http://collegefootballnews.com/2017/09/nebraska-rutgers-prediction-game-preview
Nebraska vs. Rutgers Preview & Prediction
by Pete Fiutak, CollegeFootballNews.com
Rutgers (1-2, 0-0) at Nebraska (1-2, 0-0)
Saturday, September 23 - 3:30 pm ET
Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, NE - BTN
There are teams that need to win, there are teams that need to win in an ugly blowout fashion, and there are teams that need to show up and perform some sort of human sacrifice in an attempt to exorcise the demons of past weeks.
Nebraska needs all of the above.
After the horrible loss to Northern Illinois -- who's pretty good, by the way -- the Huskers get Rutgers, and Illinois, and then comes the issue with Wisconsin and Ohio State at home.
The Big Ten season starts now. Everything that happened before it doesn't matter.
Rutgers finally got to have a little fun with a 65-0 win over Morgan State, but it has to take advantage of a wounded Husker team. With Ohio State up next, the Scarlet Knights have to rise up and pull off something special.
One Reason Rutgers Will Win
What's Nebraska's biggest problem? Turnovers is one of them, with Tanner Lee throwing two pick sixes to Northern Illinois as part of the eight giveaways the Huskers have coughed up so far.
The other issue? Time of possession.
Nebraska is holding the ball for a pathetic 20:08 per game -- second-worst in the country.
Rutgers might not be any good, but it's deliberate about it.
The Scarlet Knights under offensive coordinator Jerry Kill hold the ball over 34 minutes.
One Reason Nebraska Will Win
Totally lost in the loss to NIU was how the defense wasn't all that bad.
Nebraska's issues are mostly around the offense that can't seem to figure out what to do. The defense has been good enough, stuffing the Huskies for 85 yards on the ground and not giving up anything big through the air.
Forget what happened against Morgan State -- Rutgers can't move the ball.
It'll try to pound away, but the downfield passing game isn't there. Nebraska -- DON'T TURN THE BALL OVER and you'll be fine.
What's Going to Happen
Nebraska won't do anything to make Big Red fans feel any better, but it'll slug its way through a rocky win.
Rutgers will be the better running team, but it won't be able to come through with enough scores off the long drives. Lee won't make up for the NIU game, but he'll be just good enough to get by.
Prediction
Nebraska 34, Rutgers 16
Spread
Nebraska is currently favored at home by 12.5 points.
Nebraska vs. Rutgers Preview & Prediction
by Pete Fiutak, CollegeFootballNews.com
Rutgers (1-2, 0-0) at Nebraska (1-2, 0-0)
Saturday, September 23 - 3:30 pm ET
Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, NE - BTN
There are teams that need to win, there are teams that need to win in an ugly blowout fashion, and there are teams that need to show up and perform some sort of human sacrifice in an attempt to exorcise the demons of past weeks.
Nebraska needs all of the above.
After the horrible loss to Northern Illinois -- who's pretty good, by the way -- the Huskers get Rutgers, and Illinois, and then comes the issue with Wisconsin and Ohio State at home.
The Big Ten season starts now. Everything that happened before it doesn't matter.
Rutgers finally got to have a little fun with a 65-0 win over Morgan State, but it has to take advantage of a wounded Husker team. With Ohio State up next, the Scarlet Knights have to rise up and pull off something special.
One Reason Rutgers Will Win
What's Nebraska's biggest problem? Turnovers is one of them, with Tanner Lee throwing two pick sixes to Northern Illinois as part of the eight giveaways the Huskers have coughed up so far.
The other issue? Time of possession.
Nebraska is holding the ball for a pathetic 20:08 per game -- second-worst in the country.
Rutgers might not be any good, but it's deliberate about it.
The Scarlet Knights under offensive coordinator Jerry Kill hold the ball over 34 minutes.
One Reason Nebraska Will Win
Totally lost in the loss to NIU was how the defense wasn't all that bad.
Nebraska's issues are mostly around the offense that can't seem to figure out what to do. The defense has been good enough, stuffing the Huskies for 85 yards on the ground and not giving up anything big through the air.
Forget what happened against Morgan State -- Rutgers can't move the ball.
It'll try to pound away, but the downfield passing game isn't there. Nebraska -- DON'T TURN THE BALL OVER and you'll be fine.
What's Going to Happen
Nebraska won't do anything to make Big Red fans feel any better, but it'll slug its way through a rocky win.
Rutgers will be the better running team, but it won't be able to come through with enough scores off the long drives. Lee won't make up for the NIU game, but he'll be just good enough to get by.
Prediction
Nebraska 34, Rutgers 16
Spread
Nebraska is currently favored at home by 12.5 points.
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