by T.J. Birkel
Nebraska visits Ohio State in Columbus on Saturday. For the second consecutive week, the Big Red will be on Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff, with a lot of eyes from around the country on this game. The Buckeyes are currently #4 in both major polls, and they are coming off a one-point loss to Oregon (currently #1 in both polls). This will be Nebraska’s stiffest test to date.
On behalf of the Common Fan podcast, here are three keys to victory for the Huskers, and two keys to victory for all the fellow Common Fans.
NEBRASKA’S KEYS TO VICTORY
Play Free. Among other things, Nebraska appeared to be extremely uptight in their lopsided loss to Indiana. They were playing not to lose instead of playing to win. And let’s face it: no one expects the Huskers to go into Columbus and take down Ohio State. Most betting lines currently have the Buckeyes favored by around 25 points. OSU is coming off a one-point loss to Oregon, and they’ve had a bye week to prepare for Nebraska. Not the best scenario for the Big Red. If you’re the Huskers, though, there’s a freedom that comes with low expectations. Hopefully they can come out and let it rip against Ohio State. Play loose, play free, give it hell and see what happens. It will be interesting to see how the boys in red come out in Columbus; Coach Rhule has a challenge on his hands to get them to flush the Indiana game and to look at going to Ohio State as an opportunity. Nebraska really does have nothing to lose, and they should play like it.
Show Some Fight. One of the most disappointing things about the Indiana loss was how it appeared Nebraska didn’t have much fight in them. That’s not to question the effort of the players. But they came out flat, and after Indiana got off to a hot start, they didn’t put up much of a fight to get back in the game. I don’t care what the odds are against Ohio State, we need to see more fight this weekend. I loved how Coach Rhule talked this week about how a number of his players want to play in the NFL, and Ohio State has NFL caliber players all over the roster. This should be a game where it’s not hard to get up for the challenge, and to fight tooth and nail to give your team a chance. I would guess most Husker fans are not predicting a win this weekend, but they do want to see the team act like they belong out there with the Buckeyes, and more than anything, see the team fight.
Get Back on the Plus Side of the Turnover Margin. Nebraska has made major progress in eliminating turnovers this season…until the Indiana game. Going into the game, the Huskers were +6 in turnover margin on the year. After turning it over five times against the Hoosiers (three interceptions and two lost fumbles), and only taking it away once, the Big Red is now +2 in turnover margin. That’s still massive progress from where Nebraska was last season (and for most of the last 25 years), but it was extremely disheartening to see the turnover bug resurface in what was the Huskers’ biggest game up to that point in the season. One way to hang with a more talented team is for the defense to generate turnovers. I’d love to see that on Saturday. But most importantly, more than anything else, the offense has to protect the football. The running backs and receivers need to hold onto the ball, and the offensive staff needs to design a low-risk game plan for Dylan Raiola. He’s earned the staff’s trust to run any play in the playbook, but especially against Ohio State, it would be great to see the offense focus on high percentage throws and moving the chains.
COMMON FAN KEYS TO VICTORY
Change it Up. We’re not overly superstitious here at the Common Fan Podcast. But, this will be Nebraska’s second away game in a row, so chances are the vast majority of Husker fans will not be watching in person. Whatever you did to watch the game last week, do something different this week. Did you get together with the old buddies for the Indiana game? Might have to take a break from seeing the crew for one weekend. Did you make your favorite game day snacks? Maybe try something different this week. Did you wear the old favorite Husker jersey or ball cap? Let’s put it back in the drawer for now. Even if it means simply moving to a different spot on the couch, let’s change up the routine and see what happens. I know, it’s a little silly. Do we Common Fans really have the ability to impact the game by our game-watching quirks and customs? Who’s to say we don’t?
Enjoy the Ride. I know that seems odd to say at the current moment, but bear with me. We talked about this on the latest episode of the Common Fan Podcast. There’s been a lot of angst in Husker Nation since the loss to Indiana, and hopes are not high about Nebraska’s chances against Ohio State. All understandable. But Nebraska is still 5-2, with an excellent chance to return to a bowl game for the first time since 2016. One awful day in Bloomington does not have to define the season. A Nebraska team that finished 4-8 almost came out of Columbus with a win in 2018, which absolutely no one was expecting. Who knows what can happen on Saturday? Beyond that, the point spread for Nebraska’s final four games (home against UCLA, at USC, home against Wisconsin, at Iowa) will almost certainly be within seven points in one direction or the other. Nebraska can win any of those games. There is plenty left to play for, and plenty for us as fans to cheer for. We only get to watch our beloved boys in red for 12 Saturdays a year. Relax. Breathe. Enjoy it.
As always, GBR for LIFE.