- One of the weekend’s biggest games in week six will be when the 4-0 Rutgers Scarlet Knights roll into Lincoln.
What Rutgers entails
The Scarlet Knights will be bringing in one of the best rushing attacks in the country, led by senior running back Kyle Monangai. He is sitting fifth in the FBS, averaging 6.1 yards per carry for 589 yards on the ground.
Under center will be Minnesota transfer quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis. Kaliakmanis is off to a solid start to his senior campaign in Piscataway, with 761 yards through the air, seven touchdowns and only one interception. His 71.9 quarterback rating (QBR) is 34th in the country.
Rutgers has three legitimate receiving threats that have combined for 73 percent of Kaliakmanis’s completions. Those three receivers consist of senior Dymere Miller, sophomore Ian Strong and junior tight end Kenny Fletcher.
The Scarlet Knights’ defense is not as much of a threat as its offense brings. Their rushing defense is giving up 5.9 yards per carry, which is 98th in the country, similar to what Purdue looked like.
Even though they allow a lot on the ground, its red zone defense is ranked second in the FBS. Of their opponents’ 11 attempts, they have only allowed four touchdowns and two field goals. The bend but don’t break motto is held for the Scarlet Knights.
Their passing defense is significantly better than their rushing. Rutgers is 36th in the nation in passing yards allowed, but did give up 306 yards against Washinton this past Friday.
What Nebraska will need to do
The clear strength of this explosive Rutgers team comes from their offensive firepower. The Blackshirts will have its hands full trying to contain Monangai on the ground. They did well last week against the solid rushing attack Purdue brought, but Rutgers is on another level.
The emergence of USC transfer defensive back Ceyair Wright is huge, due to the uncertainty of senior star Tommi Hill’s status with his injury. If the Blackshirts can minimize Rutgers’ rushing, the defensive backs better be able to contain a respectable aerial attack.
Looking at what Rutgers has been allowing on the ground, Nebraska has some spots to exploit their weaknesses when they’re on offense. The Huskers have to be able to run the football, no excuses. Emmett Johnson will need to get a fair share of touches; he’s averaging 8.3 yards per carry this season. Dante Dowdell and Rahmir Johnson will be in the mix, but Emmett Johnson has a spark that ignites the Huskers’ offense. The mix of Rahmir Johnson in the passing game, Dowdell as the hammer and Emmett Johnson as the all-purpose back should position Big Red for success.
The biggest concern relies on Nebraska scoring in the red zone. As mentioned above, Rutgers has the second-ranked defense in the red zone. On the other hand, the Huskers’ red zone efficiency is 104 in the nation. With the significant struggle of kicking field goals, Nebraska will have to find a way to put the ball in the end zone.
On a mid-90-degree Saturday, I foresee points being scored. Freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola will be making plays, if his fellow teammates can open up some gaps for the running backs, the Huskers should be okay in the red zone. Picking a score for this game isn’t easy; I suspect that Nebraska squeaks by with a score of 28-27, where NU misses a field goal or two. Can Nebraska finally get a win in the final minute? This is the type of game where if the Huskers win, momentum could lead them farther than people thought.
