Good day to ya lads and lassies, welcome to the 2022 College Football Season! I'm so excited to be back on the keyboard bringing you all my thoughts, knowledge and predictions for another year. I apologize for not being able to finish out last year's post-season predictions, and I will do my best to keep pace this year, but I have a lot of irons in the fire. Nonetheless, the Huskers play football today, so y'all know I'm locked in and ready for it. This post will highlight the Nebraska - Northwestern showdown in Dublin. I'll give an overview of the season and more predictions next week when the full season kicks off, but we all know this is the only game that matters tomorrow. Let's dive in!
2021 Prediction Record: 133 - 76 (63.6%)
Nebraska vs Northwestern (Dublin, Ireland)
Both the Huskers and Wildcats are looking to turn their luck around in 2022 as they kickoff the College Football season in a Week 0 matchup across the pond. Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland is the site for the NU showdown and there are a lot of question marks as this season begins. Starting with a look at the Wildcats, their defense is looking to bounce back after losing top talents LB Chris Bergin and Safety Brandon Joseph. Defensive end Adetomiwa Adebawore is likely to cause issues on the line of scrimmage. The best chance for Northwestern to keep Nebraska down in this game is to break down the run game before it gets started. Nebraska has a lot of new chemistry on offense to break in, and with an experienced secondary, if the pass game is the only productive aspect of the Huskers offense then the Wildcats have a chance at keeping this game close. On offense, Northwestern will have to figure out the QB spot. This position was a tire fire last year as 4 different players combined for a 57% completion rating with 13 TDs and 14 picks. They do have one of the best offensive tackles in the nation, so the protection is there and I would expect a heavy dose from the Wildcat ground game. The Blackshirts have been handed out and the Husker defense has big shoes to fill as only 5 starters return from last year's squad. The defense has been stout the last couple of seasons, but a strong pass rush has been one key area lacking in the game. Husker hopefuls are looking to see if TCU transfer Ochaun Mathis can change the script and cause pressure in the backfield. Offense and Special Teams is where the biggest question marks are for Nebraska as 2022 kicks off. The Huskers actually have a special teams coach this year, so that's exciting. I'm anxious to see what issues that fixes. Texas transfer Casey Thompson has the reigns at QB now and with a new OC Husker fans are expecting a lot of fireworks. The receivers corps is deep but unproven in my book. Very few have seen prominent game time and don't have many catches outside of practice under their belt. This is a very talented group however, so the Northwestern secondary will be tested early. The run game should feature multiple backs behind a very questionable o-line. The Huskers need to establish a ground game quick to keep the pressure off Thompson or this could be very reminiscent of last season. If Nebraska can establish a solid ground game in the first half, expect things to open up quick for that offense. Overall, there's a lot of hype for this unproven squad. From watching this team over the last few years, I'm skeptical on their ability to generate major success right out the gate. However, there are a lot of question marks on the other sideline, and the Wildcats may still need another rebuild type season. I'm taking my Huskers in Ireland to win 28-17. GO BIG RED!
Quick Hit Picks:
UConn at Utah State - Aggies 37, Huskies 14
Wyoming at Illinois - Illini 28, Cowboys 20.
Nevada at New Mexico State - Wolfpack 28, Aggies 17.
Vanderbilt at Hawai'i - Commodores 36, Rainbow Warriors 24.
#CFBKnowItAll
Alex Fernando
