Following the 30-27 loss to Michigan last Saturday, Nebraska’s record fell to 3-1 on the season. Many were hoping that this game would be a turning point for the program and get them on the right track. Unfortunately for the Huskers, they find themselves in the same position as they did during the 2024 season: 3-1 with a loss to a ranked Big Ten team.
Rhule believed that this matchup was a step in the right direction, even if it was a heartbreaking loss. Last year, he would have done anything to score 27 points on a great defense. The 30-27 Michigan win was the smallest margin of victory for Michigan in head-to-head matchups against Nebraska.
“Their mindset is where I want it to be,” Rhule said. “We’re significantly better on the special teams, throwing the football, on defense, and covering. There’s some areas we have to improve upon, and it has to happen now.”
One of the biggest glaring issues is the lack of production in the run game and defending the line of scrimmage. On offense, starting junior running back Emmett Johnson averaged 3.4 yards per carry in the game against Michigan, with 65 yards total on the ground. Besides him, the rest of the run game had a total of -22 yards, counting sack yards. The Wolverines had a total of seven sacks on Raiola for -49 yards.
“There were times we turned a guy loose that did not need to be turned loose because we were overthinking it,” Rhule said. “For the most part, the depth was okay, but we had the edge guys beat our tackles too much. That takes all 11 guys, and guys have to get open fast, and the quarterbacks have to get the ball out. We did not get that done well enough.”
Looking back to 2024, Nebraska was in a similar situation against Illinois. Former Husker running back Dante Dowdell led the run game with an average of 3.6 yards per carry with 72 total yards. Raiola had a total of -52 yards due to an offensive line that allowed six sacks.
When it comes to stopping the run game, Nebraska doesn’t seem to fare any better. The defense has already allowed more than 200 rushing yards in a game twice, and it’s only week four. In week one against Cincinnati, Nebraska allowed 202 rushing yards. Last week, the Husker run defense allowed 286 rushing yards as freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood and junior running back Justice Haynes led the charge. Compared to 2024, only Indiana put up more than 200 rushing yards against the Blackshirts.
Arguably, both of these games should have been wins. However, there is one key difference: Michigan is a football program known for its great run defense and historically is one of the top teams in the Big Ten.
The Wolverines have allowed 310 rushing yards with a 2.35 yards per rush allowed so far this year, ranking them 10th in the nation. In the past, Michigan has always had a strong defensive line. In 2024, they were fourth in rushing yards allowed at 1,179, while Illinois was 68th with 1,929 rushing yards allowed.
What all of this means is that Nebraska played a strong Michigan football team and even kept it close. The Huskers have recently been playing games down to the wire against the top teams in the Big Ten, most notably the 2024 game against Ohio State, where Nebraska lost 21-17. For the first time since 2021, the Huskers have had two back-to-back ranked matchups decided by seven or fewer points.
Even though Nebraska is on its sixth straight Big Ten opener loss and its 28th consecutive loss against Top 25 opponents, things should be on the upside.
In the next six games, only USC has a top-15 rushing offense in the country. This should allow the Huskers to have a greater chance of winning the line of scrimmage. On the flipside, only Minnesota and Maryland have a top-25 rushing defense, where the Golden Gophers sit at No. 1 and the Terrapins at No. 24.
Rhule wants to run the ball more moving forward, and he believes Nebraska needs between 100-150 rushing yards to win a game in the Big Ten. He shared that the team has been rotating players at the left tackle position and is hoping to solidify the position before they get into the rest of the conference matches.
Looking ahead, Michigan State is ranked 51st in rushing defense and 78th in rushing offense. With home-field advantage, Nebraska can look to have a better run game performance. Michigan State sophomore running back Makhi Frazier leads the team in rushing yards with 206 and averages 4.8 yards per carry. The Huskers look to have a turnaround in performance starting next week at home on Oct. 4.