Wisconsin at Nebraska Game Preview and Prediction
by Pete Fiutak, CollegeFootballNews.com
Will Nebraska ever be bowl eligible?
It seemed like a done deal after a 5-1 start, but the offense went bye-bye on a four-game losing streak, and now the stress is off the charts that it's happening AGAIN. It's Nebraska -- it's supposed to be in the College Football Playoff hunt, and instead, no Power Four program is on a longer bowl drought.
2016.
That's the last time the Huskers were in a bowl. Lose, and it comes down to next week's trip to Iowa.
Wisconsin also needs this go get bowl eligible. It started 5-2, and then the schedule kicked in hard, the O collapsed, OC Phil Longer was relieved of his duties, and the team needs a win or it'll need to beat Minnesota to get to six wins.
WISCONSIN (5-5) at NEBRASKA (5-5)
Saturday, November 23 - 2:30 PM (CT) - Big Ten Network
Why Wisconsin Will Win
Alabama, Oregon, Penn State, USC and Iowa. The offense fell flat against the five great defenses on the slate, and was good against everyone else.
The team came up with over 300 yards in the five wins, fewer than 300 in the five losses, and now the O should be a bit more effective with a tweak in styles from the Longo era.
Those five teams the Badgers dealt with in the losses were also able to run. When the defense holds up and the quick passing game clicks from the start, the team rolls with a little positive momentum.
Nebraska needs to run well to win. It was able to slip past Rutgers, but it's 1-5 when it doesn't run for at least 130 yards. The Badgers are 4-0 when holding teams to under 130 yards on the ground.
Why Nebraska Will Win
Yeah, Wisconsin wins when it gets to 300 yards of total offense, but that's not a given.
The Huskers have kept six of the ten teams it played to 301 yards or fewer, and with everyone in the stadium jacked and the team pumped up on Senior Day, the D should come up with something special.
It's not just on the offensive side. The Badgers struggle and lose against anyone who can throw. Iowa ran wild in its win, but everyone else who beat UW came up with more than 200 yards through the air.
New Husker offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen got his feet wet last week in the USC game, but the O struggled. Expect QB Dylan Raiola to get hot with time to work against a Badger defense that doesn't get behind the line, but ..........
What Will Happen
...........there's pressure, mostly on the Nebraska side, to win-now-or-else.
Wisconsin will try to mix it up a bit offensively, but it'll stall way too often.
Nebraska will sputter and cough, and it'll have a few problems with field goals -- there will be a big miss early in the fourth quarter.
But the Huskers will come up with one last big stop leading to one gigantic moment for the Husker faithful.
Prediction
Nebraska 23, Wisconsin 20
Spread
Nebraska is favored at home by 2.5 points. The over/under is set at 42.5
