Another great weekend of football is in the books, and the rankings have been shuffled up quite a bit. I'll be the first to admit that I have not been very accurate on some of my picks so far this season, especially last week. Hopefully I can improve during the second half of the season, but either way, that's the beauty of College Football!! I don't think anyone could have predicted how this season has gone thus far. Some teams have really surprised me, and others have puzzled me with their uncommon starts. I'm excited to see how conference play progresses over the next couple weeks. Today's post will focus on my reflection of the Husker game against Illinois this past weekend, enjoy!
I think everyone can agree that this BYE week is very much needed. After a tough fought, 31-16 victory over the Illini, Nebraska remains undefeated at 5-0, but very beaten up as a number of key players have gone down with injuries the past couple weeks. I'm thankful for the Huskers' deep receiving corps, because a number of Tommy's weapons have been sidelined recently. Leading receiver Alonzo Moore did not suit up for Saturday's game against Illinois, and both Cethan Carter and Jordan Westerkamp left Saturday's game with injuries and did not return. Starting Guard Tanner Farmer did not suit up as well, and RB Devine Ozigbo also left the game and did not return on Saturday. With all these injuries, and a tough BIG 10 road schedule coming up, I really hope this BYE week provides our guys the rest they need.
Moving into my analysis of the game, we'll start with the defense. I thought the Blackshirts played very well throughout the game, only allowing a couple of big plays. I expected Wes Lunt to make some good throws and scramble out of the pocket on occasion, but for the most part, he was very well contained, and my good buddy Freedom even brought him down for a sack in the first quarter. The Illini used a lot of quick routes and short passes, so applying pressure was tough, especially on a Senior QB. Overall, the defense only allowed 270 total yards of offense, and held the Illini offense to 2/9 on third down conversions. The Blackshirts failed to get any turnovers though, first time all year. If they can force enough punts, that's not a deal-breaking stat in my opinion, but turnovers always help. My biggest issue with the defense however, was tackling. Nebraska consistently missed tackles or failed to wrap up hard and bring guys to the ground, allowing for much bigger gains. Plus, on Illinois' lone Touchdown, their running back broke a couple of tackles on his way to the endzone. Wrapping up has seemed to have gotten worse for the Blackshirts over recent weeks, so look for that to be a point of emphasis during the BYE week. All things considered a very good performance by the defense, but they need to finish plays and make tackles in the open field if they want to compete in the BIG 10 moving forward.
On the offensive side of the ball, for the first 3/4 of the game, they seemed very flat. There was no creativity, no energy, and most importantly, not very many points! Nebraska only scored 10 points through the first three quarters, and seemed to be running up against a brick wall. Illinois' defensive line is easily the best and most athletic front four Nebraska has faced all season, but as I watched throughout the game, it seemed as though our offensive line was getting knocked two yards into the backfield on every play. The Huskers were not able to move the ball very well during the first half, apart from the opening drive, and they often stalled just after crossing the 50. Two dumb turnovers did not help their case as Mikale Wilbon fumbled on a drive that was working its way into the 20, and Tommy threw a very poor pass directly to an Illini defender later in the game. Tommy has played very well, and completed nearly 70% of his passes on Saturday, but he had a lot of help from his receivers. He was under pressure and had to scramble for most of the game, but there were a number of throws that were not the easiest to catch. The most memorable is Sam Cotton's reaching grab up and behind him as Tommy floated it away as he was taken down in the backfield. Moving forward Tommy will still need to work on his accuracy if he's going to get by some of the tougher defenses like Wisconsin and Ohio State. His line will need to give him some better protection to start though. Moving into the 4th Quarter, it was like watching an entirely different game! Nebraska had no problem pushing the Illini defense around, no problems moving the ball, and no problems scoring! After their 21-0 fourth quarter on Saturday, Nebraska has now out scored opponents 78-6 in the final 15 minutes of the game. As much as I would love to see more points throughout the game, if you're rocking a scoring margin like that in one quarter alone, I have no issues with the Huskers waiting until the 4th. It's frustrating to see teams hang around, but this also shows the work ethic of this team, and the trust in the coaching staff that everyone has. The run game struggled all day long, but they kept trying it, and were able to overpower the Illini in the fourth quarter and run wild. The system is working well, the players are playing at a much higher level, and when you close out a game with a 21-0 route, you're doing something right. Some people might be concerned that we're not blowing teams out right away with the offensive power we have, but sometimes it just takes some time to wear a team down. A little more effort in blocking up front and tackling on the defense, and I really think Nebraska has a shot at competing for a BIG 10 Championship! GO BIG RED!
#CollegeFootballKnowItAll
Alex Fernando
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Friday, September 30, 2016
Week 5 Predictions
I hope everyone is ready for some more football! We're lucky enough to have a big game to watch starting on Friday night, which makes for even more football over this weekend as we head into October. These are my big games to watch this weekend, and my keys to victory for each team. Enjoy!
#7 Stanford at #10 Washington
This is our Friday night match-up to watch, and we get to see two top 10 teams square off. I've been excited for this game since the season started because I think it has a big impact on the Playoff picture. Better yet, these two programs are in the same division, so this is a big game when looking for a PAC-12 champion. The Cardinal are coming off of a tough win against UCLA, and have lost a couple players this week due to injury. One of their best deep threats, Francis Owusu, will be out due to the concussion he suffered last week against the Bruins. In addition, Stanford's two starting corner backs, Quenton Meeks and Alijah Holder, will both be out as well. David Shaw's crew has always had good depth, but with Jake Browning already passing for over 900 yards and 14 TDs this season, the secondary took a big hit. Defense will be the name of the game up in Seattle tonight, and my big key to victory for either team is 3rd down. Stanford's offense hasn't been extremely explosive thus far in the season, but they are still completing just under 50% of their third down conversions. Washington's defense has been pretty stout throughout the year, only allowing teams to convert 33% of their third downs. This stat is going to be huge in this game, because if Stanford is able to control the clock, even if they don't score very much, they will keep the ball away from Jake Browning. Stanford's main offensive focus is still going to be getting the ball to Christian McCaffrey, and every team knows that. This means a loaded box and plenty of opportunities downfield for Senior QB Ryan Burns. Burns has made good throws when he needs to, but has yet to really open it up in a game. The Cardinal are only averaging 137 yards passing per game, which won't be enough to beat the Huskies. Look for them to spread the ball around, (I would recommend Michael Rector down the sidelines) in order to create space for McCaffrey.
For Washington, this is THE GAME! There are not too many chances to get the #7 ranked team on your home turf, and be able to gain a step on the division crown on them at the same time. They have the experience, returning 16 total starters from last season including 9 on offense and 2 All-Conference secondary players. Now is the time to make their statement if the Huskies want to compete for a PAC-12 Championship and maybe even a playoff run. They have yet to play much competition this year, and struggled against Arizona last week beating them 35-28 in an overtime game down in Tucson. I'm anxious to see if they can live up to hype for this game. Stanford's defense will pose a big threat to the Huskies dynamic offense. Jake Browning and Myles Gaskin will lead the way, and I expect a good game from this match-up. The Huskies are going to hang tough, but I still think McCaffrey makes the difference, and gashes Washington's defense late in the game, and the Cardinal come away with a 33-28 thriller.
#11 Tennessee at #25 Georgia
Another big stepping stone for the Vols if they want to win the SEC East Division. A road test between the hedges is never easy, but after last week, the Bulldogs have a lot of issues to fix. They gave up over 500 yards of offense to Ole Miss last week. Joshua Dobbs and company will look to match that as they look to go up 2-0 against their top competition in the East. The one bright spot for Georgia is that they only gave up 2/9 third down conversions last week. If they can keep that line again, Tennessee has trouble scoring early in the game, allowing Georgia to keep it close. Jacob Eason will have to play top notch if they want to come away with the upset, but I just can't see it. I'll allow Georgia to play the Vols a little tighter than they did with the Rebels, but Tennessee wins it 42-20.
#8 Wisconsin at #4 Michigan
A very big match-up in the BIG 10 takes place at the Big House. The Badgers continue their tough slate of games as they head to Ann Arbor to take on the Wolverines. Michigan has the dynamic offense, and Wisconsin has the stout defense. Michigan is only giving up an average of 13.8 points on defense, but they have yet to face a very solid offensive attack. Wisconsin's offensive attack isn't the most impressive, but it's consistent. The Badgers average 37 minutes per game for TOP, which means they have a good chance of keeping the ball away from the Wolverines offense. Alex Hornibrook will have a tough task walking into the Big House, so we'll see how he handles the noise. He played well against MSU last week, passing for 195 yards and 1 TD. I am excited to see how this match-up plays out, and would really enjoy to see a Wisconsin upset. Michigan will be tested in this game, and based on recent events I really don't want to pick against Wisconsin, but I'm going with the home team. I'm not counting out an upset, but I think Michigan gets a late turnover to finish out the game. Wolverines 44, Badgers 33.
Oklahoma at #21 TCU
After a crazy non-conference stint, the Big XII is up for grabs. My two favorites square off in Ft. Worth this weekend, with an interesting season in the balance. The Sonners have seemed to spiral out of control since their opening loss to the Cougars, and are coming off of a BYE week where they either pouted about their beat down at the hands of the Buckeyes, or re-ignited the fire that will get them the Big XII championship. Sadly, based off their play this season, I think the first scenario looms large, and with TCU coming off of a couple of big offensive performances, they could be on a roll that is tough to stop. I'm leaning towards the Horned Frogs in this game, not only because of their cool new helmets, but because of their offense. OU has had trouble against high-powered offenses so far this season, giving up an average of 401 yards per game. TCU is averaging 576 yards per game, so that does not bode well for Boomer Sooner. Oklahoma is also giving up over 31 points per game, with TCU averaging 42.8. I don't always buy into the numbers, and it's hard to imagine Oklahoma starting out 1-3, but I think the wheels have come off of this team. They'll make a bowl game, probably finish 8-4, but I'm sticking with the Horned Frogs in this one. Too much offense for the Sooners. 47-31 TCU wins it and gains a step in the Big XII.
Western Michigan at Central Michigan
You all may be wondering why I keep throwing Western Michigan games into my picks, but I do have a reason. They may not be extremely flashy, but they are a very solid team, and they do not make many mistakes. They have two wins over BIG 10 opponents so far this year, and Senior QB Zach Terrell has nearly 900 yards, ZERO interceptions and 9 TDs on the season (4 of which have gone to his favorite target: Corey Davis). The Broncos have a very balanced attack on offense, averaging 223 through the air and 245 on the ground. That kind of productivity has lead them to a lot of TOP, averaging over 34 minutes per game. I honestly think that they could go undefeated this season looking at the rest of their schedule (Yes, I know it's the MAC, but there are some sneaky teams) and they could sneak into a good looking bowl game. I'm sticking with the Broncos for a 38-21 win.
#3 Louisville at #5 Clemson
The big game of the week takes place in Death Valley up in South Carolina. The two dynamic offenses lead by Heisman caliber QBs square off under the lights in a fantastic top 5 match-up. Clemson has under-impressed so far this season, especially considering most of the competition they've played. Their last two games have been more on par for what we've expected to see from the Tigers, but this is the statement game. Dabo's crew will have to bring it on Saturday if they want to get into the playoff picture for the second year in a row. I have no doubt that points will be scored in this one, especially with Lamar Jackson and Deshaun Watson running wild. However, the big question is the defense of both teams. Louisville has really impressed me with their defensive power, especially last week when they held Florida State to 284 total yards. You can expect Deshaun Watson to bump that number up, but the Cardinals defense has played extremely fast and puts a lot of pressure on opposing QBs. Clemson struggled to score the first couple weeks in a tough game against Auburn, and then a puzzling scare against Troy, so I think Louisville has a pretty good shot at limiting them. On the Clemson side, their defense has been only a step off of last season. They're only giving up 11 points per game, and 218.5 total yards on average. They have good chance to slow down Lamar Jackson... for a drive, but I don't think anyone can keep this kid from moving the ball. I've bought into Lamar Jackson right now, and I think the Cardinals beat the Tigers at home 42-31.
Illinois at #15 Nebraska
Nebraska's first BIG 10 home game of the season comes against an Illini squad they would love to seek revenge on. Illinois came away with a 14-13 victory after the Husker offense failed to convert a first down to run out the clock. However, one year can make a very big difference, and that proves to be the case yet again. The Fighting Illini have a new Head Coach in Lovie Smith, who I think could cause some damage in the BIG 10 after a couple of years. The new system hasn't proven to work yet as Illinois comes to Lincoln with a 1-2 record, their lone victory coming over Murray State. I honestly don't think the Illini pose too much of a threat, but my one concern is Senior QB Wes Lunt. Lunt has played against the Blackshirts for a couple of years now, and is very calm in the pocket. He's a fairly consistent QB, completing 62% of his passes this season, with 6 TDs and only 1 INT. Wes's scrambling ability is what annoys me as well, because he's one of those tall, slow white QBs that Nebraska cannot tackle (I don't think the Huskers are racist, we just tend to have issues against the white guys). He doesn't scramble often, but when he gets out of the pocket, he still has very good vision and often gets the ball away. I think the Blackshirts need to come in with a similar game play to last week, focusing on containing the QB while letting the pocket break down from within. Illinois doesn't have a deep bench of play-makers apart from Junior wideout Malik Turner, so keeping Lunt in check should take away most of their game. The other big key for the defense is keeping up with Ke'Shawn Vaughn. He causes headaches for any defense because they use him in a number of different looks out of the backfield. Look for #5 to have a lot of check-down passes, which means tackling in space is a MUST for this game.
On the offensive side of the ball, Nebraska is down two starters in WR Alonzo Moore and OL Tanner Farmer. The depth at receiver shouldn't be an issue, and with Senior Corey Whitaker getting his first career start, the Pipeline shouldn't lose much either. I wouldn't be surprised to see some extra rotations up front to keep people fresh though. For the game plan, there isn't much to change. If the Huskers run the ball like they have been, take their deep shots when they're open, and stay away from penalties, there's no reason they cannot put up 40+. I expect Tommy to continue his upward trend, and having a solid run game to lean on as the game wears on. Huskers win homecoming easy 42-17.
I hope you all enjoyed my picks and have a great weekend of football! I'm going to go enjoy the homecoming festivities here at UNL, including getting to hang out with Celebrity Judge for our Jester Competition..... Miss Hannah Huston!! Very excited to interact with her and celebrate the passion that we have here at Nebraska. Also, BTN's Tailgate show is here in Lincoln this weekend, so before I go tour with the recruits, I'll be sure to hit up the set and see if I can get on live TV! Look for me on BTN and GO BIG RED!!
#CollegeFootballKnowItAll
Alex Fernando
#7 Stanford at #10 Washington
This is our Friday night match-up to watch, and we get to see two top 10 teams square off. I've been excited for this game since the season started because I think it has a big impact on the Playoff picture. Better yet, these two programs are in the same division, so this is a big game when looking for a PAC-12 champion. The Cardinal are coming off of a tough win against UCLA, and have lost a couple players this week due to injury. One of their best deep threats, Francis Owusu, will be out due to the concussion he suffered last week against the Bruins. In addition, Stanford's two starting corner backs, Quenton Meeks and Alijah Holder, will both be out as well. David Shaw's crew has always had good depth, but with Jake Browning already passing for over 900 yards and 14 TDs this season, the secondary took a big hit. Defense will be the name of the game up in Seattle tonight, and my big key to victory for either team is 3rd down. Stanford's offense hasn't been extremely explosive thus far in the season, but they are still completing just under 50% of their third down conversions. Washington's defense has been pretty stout throughout the year, only allowing teams to convert 33% of their third downs. This stat is going to be huge in this game, because if Stanford is able to control the clock, even if they don't score very much, they will keep the ball away from Jake Browning. Stanford's main offensive focus is still going to be getting the ball to Christian McCaffrey, and every team knows that. This means a loaded box and plenty of opportunities downfield for Senior QB Ryan Burns. Burns has made good throws when he needs to, but has yet to really open it up in a game. The Cardinal are only averaging 137 yards passing per game, which won't be enough to beat the Huskies. Look for them to spread the ball around, (I would recommend Michael Rector down the sidelines) in order to create space for McCaffrey.
For Washington, this is THE GAME! There are not too many chances to get the #7 ranked team on your home turf, and be able to gain a step on the division crown on them at the same time. They have the experience, returning 16 total starters from last season including 9 on offense and 2 All-Conference secondary players. Now is the time to make their statement if the Huskies want to compete for a PAC-12 Championship and maybe even a playoff run. They have yet to play much competition this year, and struggled against Arizona last week beating them 35-28 in an overtime game down in Tucson. I'm anxious to see if they can live up to hype for this game. Stanford's defense will pose a big threat to the Huskies dynamic offense. Jake Browning and Myles Gaskin will lead the way, and I expect a good game from this match-up. The Huskies are going to hang tough, but I still think McCaffrey makes the difference, and gashes Washington's defense late in the game, and the Cardinal come away with a 33-28 thriller.
#11 Tennessee at #25 Georgia
Another big stepping stone for the Vols if they want to win the SEC East Division. A road test between the hedges is never easy, but after last week, the Bulldogs have a lot of issues to fix. They gave up over 500 yards of offense to Ole Miss last week. Joshua Dobbs and company will look to match that as they look to go up 2-0 against their top competition in the East. The one bright spot for Georgia is that they only gave up 2/9 third down conversions last week. If they can keep that line again, Tennessee has trouble scoring early in the game, allowing Georgia to keep it close. Jacob Eason will have to play top notch if they want to come away with the upset, but I just can't see it. I'll allow Georgia to play the Vols a little tighter than they did with the Rebels, but Tennessee wins it 42-20.
#8 Wisconsin at #4 Michigan
A very big match-up in the BIG 10 takes place at the Big House. The Badgers continue their tough slate of games as they head to Ann Arbor to take on the Wolverines. Michigan has the dynamic offense, and Wisconsin has the stout defense. Michigan is only giving up an average of 13.8 points on defense, but they have yet to face a very solid offensive attack. Wisconsin's offensive attack isn't the most impressive, but it's consistent. The Badgers average 37 minutes per game for TOP, which means they have a good chance of keeping the ball away from the Wolverines offense. Alex Hornibrook will have a tough task walking into the Big House, so we'll see how he handles the noise. He played well against MSU last week, passing for 195 yards and 1 TD. I am excited to see how this match-up plays out, and would really enjoy to see a Wisconsin upset. Michigan will be tested in this game, and based on recent events I really don't want to pick against Wisconsin, but I'm going with the home team. I'm not counting out an upset, but I think Michigan gets a late turnover to finish out the game. Wolverines 44, Badgers 33.
Oklahoma at #21 TCU
After a crazy non-conference stint, the Big XII is up for grabs. My two favorites square off in Ft. Worth this weekend, with an interesting season in the balance. The Sonners have seemed to spiral out of control since their opening loss to the Cougars, and are coming off of a BYE week where they either pouted about their beat down at the hands of the Buckeyes, or re-ignited the fire that will get them the Big XII championship. Sadly, based off their play this season, I think the first scenario looms large, and with TCU coming off of a couple of big offensive performances, they could be on a roll that is tough to stop. I'm leaning towards the Horned Frogs in this game, not only because of their cool new helmets, but because of their offense. OU has had trouble against high-powered offenses so far this season, giving up an average of 401 yards per game. TCU is averaging 576 yards per game, so that does not bode well for Boomer Sooner. Oklahoma is also giving up over 31 points per game, with TCU averaging 42.8. I don't always buy into the numbers, and it's hard to imagine Oklahoma starting out 1-3, but I think the wheels have come off of this team. They'll make a bowl game, probably finish 8-4, but I'm sticking with the Horned Frogs in this one. Too much offense for the Sooners. 47-31 TCU wins it and gains a step in the Big XII.
Western Michigan at Central Michigan
You all may be wondering why I keep throwing Western Michigan games into my picks, but I do have a reason. They may not be extremely flashy, but they are a very solid team, and they do not make many mistakes. They have two wins over BIG 10 opponents so far this year, and Senior QB Zach Terrell has nearly 900 yards, ZERO interceptions and 9 TDs on the season (4 of which have gone to his favorite target: Corey Davis). The Broncos have a very balanced attack on offense, averaging 223 through the air and 245 on the ground. That kind of productivity has lead them to a lot of TOP, averaging over 34 minutes per game. I honestly think that they could go undefeated this season looking at the rest of their schedule (Yes, I know it's the MAC, but there are some sneaky teams) and they could sneak into a good looking bowl game. I'm sticking with the Broncos for a 38-21 win.
#3 Louisville at #5 Clemson
The big game of the week takes place in Death Valley up in South Carolina. The two dynamic offenses lead by Heisman caliber QBs square off under the lights in a fantastic top 5 match-up. Clemson has under-impressed so far this season, especially considering most of the competition they've played. Their last two games have been more on par for what we've expected to see from the Tigers, but this is the statement game. Dabo's crew will have to bring it on Saturday if they want to get into the playoff picture for the second year in a row. I have no doubt that points will be scored in this one, especially with Lamar Jackson and Deshaun Watson running wild. However, the big question is the defense of both teams. Louisville has really impressed me with their defensive power, especially last week when they held Florida State to 284 total yards. You can expect Deshaun Watson to bump that number up, but the Cardinals defense has played extremely fast and puts a lot of pressure on opposing QBs. Clemson struggled to score the first couple weeks in a tough game against Auburn, and then a puzzling scare against Troy, so I think Louisville has a pretty good shot at limiting them. On the Clemson side, their defense has been only a step off of last season. They're only giving up 11 points per game, and 218.5 total yards on average. They have good chance to slow down Lamar Jackson... for a drive, but I don't think anyone can keep this kid from moving the ball. I've bought into Lamar Jackson right now, and I think the Cardinals beat the Tigers at home 42-31.
Illinois at #15 Nebraska
Nebraska's first BIG 10 home game of the season comes against an Illini squad they would love to seek revenge on. Illinois came away with a 14-13 victory after the Husker offense failed to convert a first down to run out the clock. However, one year can make a very big difference, and that proves to be the case yet again. The Fighting Illini have a new Head Coach in Lovie Smith, who I think could cause some damage in the BIG 10 after a couple of years. The new system hasn't proven to work yet as Illinois comes to Lincoln with a 1-2 record, their lone victory coming over Murray State. I honestly don't think the Illini pose too much of a threat, but my one concern is Senior QB Wes Lunt. Lunt has played against the Blackshirts for a couple of years now, and is very calm in the pocket. He's a fairly consistent QB, completing 62% of his passes this season, with 6 TDs and only 1 INT. Wes's scrambling ability is what annoys me as well, because he's one of those tall, slow white QBs that Nebraska cannot tackle (I don't think the Huskers are racist, we just tend to have issues against the white guys). He doesn't scramble often, but when he gets out of the pocket, he still has very good vision and often gets the ball away. I think the Blackshirts need to come in with a similar game play to last week, focusing on containing the QB while letting the pocket break down from within. Illinois doesn't have a deep bench of play-makers apart from Junior wideout Malik Turner, so keeping Lunt in check should take away most of their game. The other big key for the defense is keeping up with Ke'Shawn Vaughn. He causes headaches for any defense because they use him in a number of different looks out of the backfield. Look for #5 to have a lot of check-down passes, which means tackling in space is a MUST for this game.
On the offensive side of the ball, Nebraska is down two starters in WR Alonzo Moore and OL Tanner Farmer. The depth at receiver shouldn't be an issue, and with Senior Corey Whitaker getting his first career start, the Pipeline shouldn't lose much either. I wouldn't be surprised to see some extra rotations up front to keep people fresh though. For the game plan, there isn't much to change. If the Huskers run the ball like they have been, take their deep shots when they're open, and stay away from penalties, there's no reason they cannot put up 40+. I expect Tommy to continue his upward trend, and having a solid run game to lean on as the game wears on. Huskers win homecoming easy 42-17.
I hope you all enjoyed my picks and have a great weekend of football! I'm going to go enjoy the homecoming festivities here at UNL, including getting to hang out with Celebrity Judge for our Jester Competition..... Miss Hannah Huston!! Very excited to interact with her and celebrate the passion that we have here at Nebraska. Also, BTN's Tailgate show is here in Lincoln this weekend, so before I go tour with the recruits, I'll be sure to hit up the set and see if I can get on live TV! Look for me on BTN and GO BIG RED!!
#CollegeFootballKnowItAll
Alex Fernando
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
Week 4 Reflection
I hope everyone had a great weekend and enjoyed all of the great games that were played! I had a wonderful Saturday relaxing and watching football all day long and then getting to watch the Husker game with a good friend of mine I haven't seen in a while. This post will focus on my reflections on the Huskers' win over the Wildcats, and also how scary Wisconsin is looking after they DEMOLISHED the Spartans 30-6. Enjoy!
My prediction for the Husker game was a 38-20 win for Nebraska. Had the Huskers not fumbled TWICE in the endzone, and left so many points on the field, they probably would've matched my 38 point prediction or even beaten it! Overall it was a very well played game by Nebraska, and I will get to all the positive aspects in a minute, but the big negative point we need to focus on is the dumb turnovers at one of the worst spots on the field. Yes, the whistle probably should've been blown on Ozigbo's goal-line fumble, but nonetheless, YOU CANNOT FUMBLE IT IN THE ENDZONE!!! Newby could've easily lowered his shoulder and rolled over the defender into the endzone, or just waited one more play and push it in from the one yard line. I understand that he's trying to make a play, but you need to be smarter with the ball, especially against a defense like Northwestern which has a number of play-makers waiting to strike. On Ozigbo's fumble, if he's going to be the big, bad back that everyone thinks he is, a goal-line run should never end in anything less than a TD. Granted, the offensive line did not provide much of a push on that play, but Devine's size should almost always guarantee him a couple yards, and he should never drop that ball. Sadly, fumble's weren't the only way the Huskers left points on the field. Tommy left a few throws too high for his open wideouts in the back of the endzone, the two easy ones to Westerkamp were the most painful to watch. I have been impressed with Tommy's development as a passer so far this season, and he's making much better decisions with the ball. He'll need to continue to work on his accuracy as we move farther into conference play, because even tougher defenses loom on the horizon.
Okay, now that we got rid of all the negative points, we'll focus on how well the Huskers played on Saturday. First off, they had the most prolific offense output of the season, totaling 556 yards, including 310 yards rushing. Tommy once again was the focal point of the offense, and I was very impressed with how Langsdorf and Riley used him in the running game. Armstrong came away with a career high 132 rushing yards on just 13 carries! The QB draws have really allowed the rest of the offense to flourish, because teams have to drop down an extra defender into the box just to focus on Tommy. In the passing game, Tommy was able spread the ball around to 9 different targets, causing all sorts of headaches for Northwestern's secondary. There were a couple instances where I got a little nervous when Tommy let it fly, (specifically when he nearly gave Anthony Walker Jr. an easy pick 6 while throwing it over the middle) but his accuracy is improving. With the number of weapons Nebraska has on offense, I expect a lot of defenses to be out of position when trying to figure out who to cover. If the Husker offense keeps up this kind of efficiency throughout the season, they will be tough to stop. The biggest issue again is finishing off each drive with a score and not turning the ball over or stalling around mid-field.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Blackshirts did a very good job of limiting Justin Jackson and keeping the ball out of Solomon Vault's hands. They were burned on a couple plays throughout the game, but held the struggling Wildcat offense in check for the most part. Clayton Thorson's big run was an easy score for them, and before the play started I could clearly see how out of position the linebackers were for that QB run. The other big play was Thorson's lone TD pass over the middle to Austin Carr. From the reaction I saw on TV, it looked like there was some miscommunication between the safeties on who was supposed to pick him up. Other than those two plays, the defense played very well, holding Northwestern to only 388 total yards of offense and only 137 on the ground. The defensive line got good pressure on Thorson and was able to take him down for a couple sacks throughout the game. Two late picks sealed the game and a 4-0 start for the Huskers!
Overall a good showing for the team, I just hope they're ready for the schedule ahead. The trip to Madison looks more intimidating by the week, and following that with a trip to Columbus will not be easy. The Badgers still have a pretty tough slate of games coming up with a trip to the Big House this week, followed by Ohio State at home, Iowa on the road, and then the showdown with the Huskers. However, after thier performance against Michigan State, I am considering them as a serious threat to compete for not only a BIG 10 Championship, but possibly even a playoff spot. I still see thier offense as a work in progress, but now that they've settled on Alex Hornibrook at QB, they will focus on improving each game. Their defense seems to be scoring plenty for thier team though, and when you only give up an average of 11 points per game, you're going to win a lot. The match-up this weekend against the Wolverines will show a lot because the Badgers have yet to face an offense as high-powered as Jim Harbaugh's. I'm so excited conference play has begun, and cannot wait for more great games this weekend! We have three games between top 10 teams this weekend, and since Stanford and Washington play on Friday night, I will have my game predictions up on Friday afternoon! Thanks for reading and GO BIG RED!
#CollegeFootballKnowItAll
Alex Fernando
My prediction for the Husker game was a 38-20 win for Nebraska. Had the Huskers not fumbled TWICE in the endzone, and left so many points on the field, they probably would've matched my 38 point prediction or even beaten it! Overall it was a very well played game by Nebraska, and I will get to all the positive aspects in a minute, but the big negative point we need to focus on is the dumb turnovers at one of the worst spots on the field. Yes, the whistle probably should've been blown on Ozigbo's goal-line fumble, but nonetheless, YOU CANNOT FUMBLE IT IN THE ENDZONE!!! Newby could've easily lowered his shoulder and rolled over the defender into the endzone, or just waited one more play and push it in from the one yard line. I understand that he's trying to make a play, but you need to be smarter with the ball, especially against a defense like Northwestern which has a number of play-makers waiting to strike. On Ozigbo's fumble, if he's going to be the big, bad back that everyone thinks he is, a goal-line run should never end in anything less than a TD. Granted, the offensive line did not provide much of a push on that play, but Devine's size should almost always guarantee him a couple yards, and he should never drop that ball. Sadly, fumble's weren't the only way the Huskers left points on the field. Tommy left a few throws too high for his open wideouts in the back of the endzone, the two easy ones to Westerkamp were the most painful to watch. I have been impressed with Tommy's development as a passer so far this season, and he's making much better decisions with the ball. He'll need to continue to work on his accuracy as we move farther into conference play, because even tougher defenses loom on the horizon.
Okay, now that we got rid of all the negative points, we'll focus on how well the Huskers played on Saturday. First off, they had the most prolific offense output of the season, totaling 556 yards, including 310 yards rushing. Tommy once again was the focal point of the offense, and I was very impressed with how Langsdorf and Riley used him in the running game. Armstrong came away with a career high 132 rushing yards on just 13 carries! The QB draws have really allowed the rest of the offense to flourish, because teams have to drop down an extra defender into the box just to focus on Tommy. In the passing game, Tommy was able spread the ball around to 9 different targets, causing all sorts of headaches for Northwestern's secondary. There were a couple instances where I got a little nervous when Tommy let it fly, (specifically when he nearly gave Anthony Walker Jr. an easy pick 6 while throwing it over the middle) but his accuracy is improving. With the number of weapons Nebraska has on offense, I expect a lot of defenses to be out of position when trying to figure out who to cover. If the Husker offense keeps up this kind of efficiency throughout the season, they will be tough to stop. The biggest issue again is finishing off each drive with a score and not turning the ball over or stalling around mid-field.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Blackshirts did a very good job of limiting Justin Jackson and keeping the ball out of Solomon Vault's hands. They were burned on a couple plays throughout the game, but held the struggling Wildcat offense in check for the most part. Clayton Thorson's big run was an easy score for them, and before the play started I could clearly see how out of position the linebackers were for that QB run. The other big play was Thorson's lone TD pass over the middle to Austin Carr. From the reaction I saw on TV, it looked like there was some miscommunication between the safeties on who was supposed to pick him up. Other than those two plays, the defense played very well, holding Northwestern to only 388 total yards of offense and only 137 on the ground. The defensive line got good pressure on Thorson and was able to take him down for a couple sacks throughout the game. Two late picks sealed the game and a 4-0 start for the Huskers!
Overall a good showing for the team, I just hope they're ready for the schedule ahead. The trip to Madison looks more intimidating by the week, and following that with a trip to Columbus will not be easy. The Badgers still have a pretty tough slate of games coming up with a trip to the Big House this week, followed by Ohio State at home, Iowa on the road, and then the showdown with the Huskers. However, after thier performance against Michigan State, I am considering them as a serious threat to compete for not only a BIG 10 Championship, but possibly even a playoff spot. I still see thier offense as a work in progress, but now that they've settled on Alex Hornibrook at QB, they will focus on improving each game. Their defense seems to be scoring plenty for thier team though, and when you only give up an average of 11 points per game, you're going to win a lot. The match-up this weekend against the Wolverines will show a lot because the Badgers have yet to face an offense as high-powered as Jim Harbaugh's. I'm so excited conference play has begun, and cannot wait for more great games this weekend! We have three games between top 10 teams this weekend, and since Stanford and Washington play on Friday night, I will have my game predictions up on Friday afternoon! Thanks for reading and GO BIG RED!
#CollegeFootballKnowItAll
Alex Fernando
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