Nebraska vs Northwestern prediction, game preview, how to watch. Week 0, Saturday, August 27
Nebraska vs Northwestern How To Watch
Date: Saturday, August 27
Game Time: 12:30 ET
Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland
How To Watch: FOX
Record: Nebraska (0-0), Northwestern (0-0)
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Nebraska vs Northwestern Game Preview
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 start 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.
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Why Nebraska Will Win
Nebraska just got more talented.
It’s still missing the 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.
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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 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-that-it-will look win.
Nebraska vs Northwestern Prediction, Line
Nebraska 26, Northwestern 17
Line: Nebraska -12.5, o/u: 50.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 3.5
Nebraska vs Northwestern Must See Rating: 3
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