It hasn’t been fun for Husker fans these past two games, watching our team dominate 75% of a game, just to revert back to old habits in the end, but just because the Huskers have suffered back to back losses doesn’t mean that there is nothing left to play for.
Whether you want to believe it or not, the Huskers are in the race to make the College Football Playoff sitting at 5-2, they obviously can't afford another loss, but they will have matchups with respectable opponents the rest of the way that will give them the opportunity to build their resume.
The Huskers have a golden opportunity at their hands right now and it starts with the 4-3 Washington Huskies, a team that entered the season ranked 17th in the AP Top 25.
Led by head coach Jed Fisch, the Huskies have really disappointed this season when you take preseason expectations into account. Quarterback Demond Williams Jr. had to basically be bought back by the Huskies as a result of a major offseason contract dispute.
Like the Huskers, the Huskies will enter Lincoln off a bye week, they won their last game on the road at Purdue 38-26, breaking a streak of 3 straight losses to Minnesota, #18 USC and #20 Iowa.
The Huskies have a pair of weapons on the outside that the Huskers need to keep tabs on all game in Dezmon Roebuck and Chris Lawson, both are deep threats that can make plays down the field.
Key #1: Shut Down the Pass
This is a very one sided offense that the Huskies bring, which bodes well for the Blackshirts run defense, but if the secondary isn’t careful, this offense will make you pay through the air.
The Huskies rank 20th in passing, averaging 283 yards per game through the air and it hasn’t only been the doing of Demond Williams Jr., backup quarterback Elijah Brown has been serviceable in the two games he appeared in when Williams went down.
The Huskies are a pass first team, with a rushing offense that only averages 104 yards per game (130th in FBS) this is a great opportunity for blackshirt cornerback Andrew Marshall to make his presence known.
Marshall was named a Midseason All-American by multiple outlets and could be a first round draft pick this April, Marshall is the real deal and the blackshirts feed off of his play.
The Huskers secondary ranks 17th in the FBS against the pass, allowing just 171.7 yards per game through the air.
Key #2: Anthony Colandrea
It was announced Friday morning that Husker quarterback Anthony Colandrea signed a deal to return to the program in 2027, a deal which should make him one of the highest paid QBs in college football.
This is a win for both sides, Colandrea has played really well this season and his ability to step up and maneuver out of the pocket has been a breath of fresh air for Husker fans.
With that being said, Colandrea and this offense have struggled mightily since their last win against Maryland. The passing game looks too complicated and the play calls look too basic.
Colandrea threw for a season low 164 yards against the Oregon Ducks on 33 attempts, but there is an opportunity against a Huskie defense that has allowed other Big Ten quarterbacks to play efficiently.
Since entering conference play, quarterbacks are averaging 231 yards per game through the air while completing close to 65% of their passes, on the downside, the Huskies defense has intercepted 4 passes in conference play.
Colandrea tends to force the football into tight spots and it’s not necessarily all his fault, offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen needs to make life easier on Colandrea and this offense in the passing game, they have the weapons to do so.
Key #3: Clock Management
This key solely falls on head coach Matt Rhule and his staff, it has been painful to watch us burn useful timeouts early in the third and fourth quarters of games and it’s been happening ever since Rhule's first season.
When you get the luxury of a two minute timeout, you don’t need to waste one earlier in the half to avoid a five yard delay of game penalty and you certainly don’t need to waste one after giving up a touchdown and seeing the offense out there for the conversion try, just for them to make you look foolish by kicking the extra point.
Prediction:
I like the Huskers to bounce back strongly this weekend, I think they will feed off of the energy of the Blackout in Memorial Stadium.
Games coming off of a bye week have been hard on the Huskers since joining the Big Ten, with a record of 9-11 since their arrival in 2011, I don’t think that will be an issue in this game.
This team wants redemption and they want to prove that this isn’t just the same old Huskers that we’ve seen for a decade now.
Nebraska: 28 Washington: 14
