Nebraska needs to...
*Stop the Quarterback.
The Quarterback will most likely be Steven Sheffield, the "backup" for Taylor Potts. Ndamukong Suh and Co. will need to keep him uncomfortable. Sheffield will have his good throws, but its about keeping him uncomfortable and taking the least damage as possible.
*Help out Ndamukong Suh.
The Huskers have done a GREAT job this year at doing this. Sure, Suh is the dominant player on the defense, but Crick, Allen, and Thomas have made him the player he is right now. Texas Tech claims they will guard Suh one-on-one with guard Brandon Carter. Is this true? Probably not. Looked for him to get help, opening up opportunities for the other 3 down lineman to help out.
*Be effective on Special Teams.
Or just not be inefficient on special teams. Last week vs. Missouri was horrendous, and a few missteps again could affect the final outcome.
Nebraska needs to control...
*The clock.
I think this will always be a thing the Huskers need to control. Their ability to play offense this week and control the clock and game, could keep Tech's offense and Sheffield off the field. If the Huskers can sustain long drives and get points, Tech won't be able to answer every time.
*The running game.
Zac Lee was forced to throw the ball last week with a lack of a running game early on. Until the last drive when the Helu, Jr. broke out, there was no running game. When he was forced to make plays, he didn't respond well (initially). Take the pressure off of Lee by making Tech put more men in the box.
*Detron Lewis
Lewis has 3 TD catches in the last 2 weeks, including 100 yards last week. Kansas State had the greatest pass defense in the Big 12 heading into the game and got embarrassed. The Husker secondary will truly be tested this week, unlike last week where Blaine Gabbert was hobbling around in the pouring rain.
Predictions
*A Nebraska receiver will have 100+ yards receiving.
May sound like a soft prediction, but only Niles Paul last week has eclipsed 100 yards receiving in a game. Look for either Paul or Gilleylen to have huge plays and big yardage.
*A Nebraska back, other than Helu, Jr., will have 50+ yards and a touchdown
This is tough. I am going to count Zac Lee in this category. Look for Lee or a backup back (such as Ward, Okafor, Mendoza) to get some running plays and some yards to take the emphasis and load off of Helu, Jr. Or maybe, we'll see more designed runs with wide receivers, such as the playmaking Niles Paul.
*Nebraska will win.
And by double digits. Nebraska has yet to not cover the spread (even when they lost), look for the trend to continue tomorrow afternoon. The Huskers are a better team on paper and are playing in the comfort of Memorial Stadium. Plus, they played much better than Tech last year and may be playing for a little redemption.
Final Score: 32-17.
*Nebraska will get their blackshirts next week.
Pelini held off so that the Huskers would continue with intensity. After this week, look for them to get rewarded and creep closer and closer to the top 10 nationally. The defense will give up more points than averaged, but still will do just fine.
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