There was a lot to be proud of for the Huskers in their narrow 20-17 loss to Indiana last weekend, there was also a lot that was left on the table for the taking. The good thing for the Huskers is that they have a golden opportunity this weekend as they hit the road to take on the Oregon Ducks.
Led by head coach Dan Lanning, the Ducks entered the season ranked 2nd in the AP Top 25 after a massive offseason, but have struggled mightily out of the gates to a 3-2 record and I think most of that can be contributed to the head injury suffered by Ducks starting quarterback Dante Moore, a projected first round draft pick in this year's NFL Draft.
Moore has been ruled out for this weekend, so it will be between Husker transfer Dylan Raiola, or backups Brock Thomas and Akili Smith Jr. for the starting job this weekend and that should make Husker fans feel confident.
Raiola got the start for the Ducks last week against the now 12th ranked UCLA Bruins and it was a disaster.
Raiola completed just 6 of his 19 pass attempts for 43 yards and 2 interceptions before being benched for Brock Thomas, who completed 11 of his 15 attempts for 156 yards and a touchdown in relief, but it wasn’t enough as the Ducks would lose 17-15.
The Huskers will need to be prepared for the Ducks to come out with something to prove and will need to handle it with a lot more composure than they did a week ago.
Key #1: Stop the Run
The Huskers excelled in shutting down one of the best rushing offenses in the country last week, allowing just 65 yards against an offense that averages over 200 yards per game on the ground, the numbers are much more favorable for the Huskers this week.
Oregon averages 141.8 yards per game on the ground, which ranks 89th in the FBS and is a far cry from the top 20 rushing offense they were in 2025.
Sophomore Jordan Davison leads the team in rushing with 301 yards and 6 touchdowns, but this offense doesn’t have a mobile enough quarterback that can take the load off of the run game, an area in which I think helped the Huskers early on last week.
The blackshirt defensive line has looked better than we all expected them to this season, especially against the run, allowing just 94.7 rush yards per game.
Key #2: Pass Protection
Husker quarterback Anthony Colandrea was pressured heavily by the Hoosiers last Saturday, resulting in errant passes and multiple sacks taken.
The Hoosiers got to Colandrea 5 times and while the Ducks only rank 86th in the FBS with 9 sacks, they still have plenty of talent on that defensive front that can make life difficult for Colandrea.
Matayo Uiagalelei leads the Ducks with 5 sacks, which is tied for 6th nationally and senior Bear Alexander, who doesn’t always show up on the stat sheet, is a dominant force that could cause this Husker offensive line some issues.
Key #3: Special Teams
Huskers special teams coach Brett Maher answered a lot of questions this week about his unit's performance and for good reason, this unit should not be struggling as much as it is.
We saw Kyle Cunanan miss another field goal last weekend, putting him at 50% on the season after making 16 of his 19 attempts in 2025.
John Hohl, who was 10 of 15 on field goal attempts in 2024 for the Huskers is still on the roster, but is only used for kickoffs.
The one bright side we saw from last week was sophomore punter Archie Wilson, it finally looks like the training wheels have been taken off.
Wilson averaged nearly 58 yards on his 3 punts against the Hoosiers, including a 68 yard punt that landed inside the 20.
Prediction:
Nebraska has got to put last week behind them and come into Eugene with a whole new perspective. This team is a college football playoff contending team.
The Huskers proved they can dominate the line of scrimmage and find success against whoever they play, this is certainly head coach Matt Rhule's best team yet and I think they prove it this weekend.
I think the quarterback uncertainty is going to affect the Ducks more than people think, especially if Dylan Raiola gets the start. We have seen him struggle in big moments before.
The key for the Huskers will be the offensive line, if the Huskers can establish a consistent run game against the Ducks, it will allow Colandrea an opportunity to use his legs and extend plays to put the Ducks away late in the fourth quarter.
Nebraska: 21 Oregon: 17
