Ohio State will hit the road this week for another Big Ten West matchup.
The Buckeyes will take on Nebraska at 12 p.m. on FOX. Ohio State holds an 8-1 record against the Cornhuskers dating back to their first matchup in 1955.
The Buckeyes last lost to Nebraska in 2011 and hold a six-game win streak against the Cornhuskers.
We talked with Husker Online publisher Sean Callahan about the atmosphere surrounding the Cornhuskers around Lincoln, what it takes to stop a seemingly efficient Nebraska offense how this game will affect Nebraska's overall season.
With three straight losses by less than a touchdown, what's the overall vibe in Lincoln regarding Nebraska football heading into this game?Â
"Actually, Nebraska has lost all six of their games by eight points or less, so the pain goes even deeper for Husker fans. Scott Frost is 5-18 in four season in one score games. The Huskers have seemingly found different ways to lose every game this season.
Last week against Purdue NU averaged 9.3 yards per play on 30 first-down snaps but still managed to lose the game due to four interceptions. Before that, the Huskers had just three picks on the season. The fan base has grown restless, mainly because nothing is predictable. When you expect Nebraska to win in Big Ten play they lose. When you look at them as the underdog they play up to the competition and make things interesting. The Huskers have been favored in six of their nine games but currently sit with a 3-6 record."
What's the key to keeping Adrian Martinez and the rest of the Nebraska offense at bay Saturday? Is it similar to what the Ohio State defense did against the Cornhuskers last season?Â
"They key is taking away their running game. When Nebraska runs for under 200 yards on the ground they rarely win. They need that element of balance in order to make the offense work.
When NU is predictable, teams typically drop seven in coverage and rush just four. Nebraska’s offensive line has struggled in pass protection all season. I fully expect Ohio State to rush four most of the game on Saturday, as on average teams have only brought more than four on passing downs about four or five times per game on the Huskers."
Opposing quarterbacks have been incredibly efficient against the Nebraska pass defense this season like Justin Fields was against the Cornhuskers a year ago. What in the defense allows this to happen and what could Ohio State do to exploit this?Â
"From what we are seeing, teams are doing a great job of pre-snapping reading Nebraska’s defensive line. They check to the quick easy throws and that has been the recipe to hurt Nebraska.
Last week Purdue had a long throw of just 21 yards on the game. David Bell had just 78 yards. It was a steady diet of 6-to-7-yard type throws. Death by papercut. The Huskers pass rush has also struggled to get home as of late."
If Nebraska were to win this game, who's the Cornhuskers player that we will be writing about as to why? Â
"I think it has to be Adrian Martinez. You go back to 2018, Martinez’s freshman year, he came into Columbus and took that game into the fourth quarter. He was a JD Spielman dropped pass away from being up two possessions in the Horse Shoe.
When Martinez is on, he’s as good as anyone. The problem is his protection has struggled at times and he’s also missed a lot of downfield reads and throws that could have gone for big plays."
How do you think it will go? How do you think it will affect Nebraska's overall season?Â
"Ohio State is the best team Nebraska has arguably faced all season, and that’s saying a lot considering the Huskers have played Oklahoma, Michigan and Michigan State already. In general, this team has played really well at home, other than last week. They also have played up for big games.
I think Ohio State will win on Saturday, but NU will still have a few moments. I’ll take the Buckeyes 41-24."
