Nebraska @ Northwestern preview
Ryan Field
Last Meeting ( Nov 2, 2013 ) Northwestern 24, Nebraska 27
Since Nebraska joined the Big Ten in 2011, perhaps no conference game has consistently delivered more dramatic finishes than its annual meeting with Northwestern. The 19th-ranked Cornhuskers, who hit the road to face the Wildcats on Saturday, pulled out a 27-24 victory last season on a successful Hail Mary as time expired. In 2012, Nebraska matched its biggest fourth-quarter rally in school history to win 29-28 and Northwestern upset the highly-ranked Cornhuskers a year earlier 28-25.
“(They) were kind of some strange games to say the least. We’ve turned the football over a number of times in a couple of those games,” Nebraska coach Bo Pelini told reporters this week about the recent rivalry with the Wildcats. Nebraska had an open date last weekend to recover from its first loss of the season – a 27-22 setback against Michigan State – and will look to rediscover its ground game after rushing for only 47 yards against the Spartans. Northwestern saw its three-game winning streak snapped last week at Minnesota 24-17 when the Wildcats surrendered a go-ahead 100-yard kickoff return midway through the fourth quarter.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network. LINE: Nebraska -7
ABOUT NEBRASKA (5-1, 1-1 Big Ten): Pelini noted to reporters that the bye week was timely for the Cornhuskers as they expect injured players such as linebackers David Santos and Marcus Newby, cornerback Daniel Davie and receivers Kenny Bell and Brandon Reilly to be ready for Northwestern. Ameer Abdullah, who averages 146.3 rushing yards per game, needs 122 Saturday to become the first player in school history with three 1,000-yard rushing campaigns. Adbullah has 6,089 career all-purpose yards and is 113 shy of moving into sole possession of fifth place on the Big Ten’s all-time list.
ABOUT NORTHWESTERN (3-3, 2-1): Trevor Siemian set career highs in completions (32) and attempts (50) while throwing for a season-high 269 yards versus Minnesota, becoming the ninth quarterback in school history to surpass 5,000 yards passing in his career. Freshman Justin Jackson ran for 106 yards – his second straight 100-yard effort – and added four catches for 50 yards with a score in the same contest to become the third Wildcat in as many weeks to win the Big Ten's Freshman of the Week award. Northwestern has lost only two fumbles, tied for the fewest in the conference this season.
EXTRA POINTS
1. This week will mark the third straight game in which Northwestern has faced a top-10 FBS rusher (Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon – second; Minnesota’s David Cobb – ninth; Abdullah – fourth).
2. After forcing only one takeaway through three contests, Nebraska has collected three turnovers in each of its last three games.
3. The Wildcats rank second in the Big Ten and 11th in FBS in scoring defense (17.5 points).
PREDICTION: Nebraska 28, Northwestern 24