Nebraska vs Northwestern Prediction, Game Preview, Lines, How To Watch

Nebraska vs Northwestern game preview, prediction, and breakdown for the Week 0 game on Saturday, August, 27

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.

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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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Nebraska vs Northwestern Prediction, Game Preview

Nebraska vs Northwestern prediction, game preview, how to watch: Saturday, October 2

Nebraska vs Northwestern prediction, game preview, how to watch: Saturday, October 2


Nebraska vs Northwestern How To Watch

Date: Saturday, October 2
Game Time: 7:30 ET
Venue: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, NE
How To Watch: BTN
Record: Northwestern (2-2), Nebraska (2-3)
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Northwestern vs Nebraska Game Preview


Why Northwestern Will Win

Are the Wildcats figuring it out?

Is this one of Pat Fitzgerald’s slow-starting teams that kicks it all in after the first few games are out of the way?

Getting the running game going against Ohio isn’t all that big a deal – the Bobcats are having a rough time – but at least there’s some production.

The defense isn’t its normal dominant self – Duke went off two weeks ago and Michigan State ran wild in the opener, but it’s been okay at getting into the backfield and Nebraska isn’t doing a whole lot to keep defenses from living behind the line.

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Why Nebraska Will Win

The passing game is rolling with five straight 200-yard games to start the season. It might not always be consistent, but it’s putting up yards. Adrian Martinez has been great, and …

It’s the other side of the ball that’s stepping it up.

The Huskers haven’t been great at getting off the field – even though they give up too many third down tries – but controlling the clock isn’t a problem with an O that’s cranking out first downs by the bucket.

Oklahoma and Michigan State both stalled a bit too often – the Spartans only came up with 254 yards last week – and now Nebraska gets a Northwestern offense that can’t get anything going with the downfield passing game.

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What’s Going To Happen

Enough is enough.

Scott Frost and Nebraska went from being a major disappointment, to winning two games they should’ve against Fordham and Buffalo, to coming up with two totally acceptable and gut-wrenching road losses to Oklahoma and Michigan State.

This is one win the coach and program must win.

The Huskers are playing well, but it has to translate into a relatively easy victory against a Northwestern team that’s a mere shadow of its 2020 self. A few early Big Red scores will force the Wildcats to press, and it won’t go well.

It’s Northwestern – and it’s Nebraska – so there will be a bit of second-half comeback thanks to a few Husker mistakes. It won’t be as easy as it should be, but Nebraska will get the win with Martinez being the difference-maker to control the clock and the game in the fourth quarter.

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Northwestern vs Nebraska Prediction, Line

Nebraska 30, Northwestern 20
Line: Northwestern -11, o/u: 51
ATS Confidence out of 5: 1.5

Must See Rating: 2.5

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