Nebraska at Iowa. Rivalry week. Huskers are playing to increase its bowl resume. And to add, it will be brutally cold on a Black Friday night. What else can someone ask for?
Here are three keys to a Nebraska victory over Iowa:
Make Kaleb Johnson earn every single yard
The Hawkeyes have one of the best running backs in the country, junior Kaleb Johnson. K. Johnson has 1,492 rushing yards and is only behind Boise State Heisman contender Ashton Jeanty who has 2,062 yards on the ground.
Iowa has been hit with the injury bug at quarterback. Michigan senior transfer Cade McNamara is ‘practicing,’ according to reports. Walk-on sophomore Jackson Stratton is expected to start his second consecutive game. Stratton is below average, a norm for Hawkeye quarterbacks. He hasn’t faced a defensive line like Nebraska. This will match up well for a Husker secondary that has been giving up numerous deep balls.
Therefore, the Blackshirts will need to minimize K. Johnson’s production. This will be Nebraska’s strength versus Iowa’s. Senior defensive linemen Ty Robinson and Nash Hutmacher should be hungry to welcome K. Johnson to ‘death row.’
Keep feeding Emmett Johnson and Jacory Barney Jr.
New offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen has ignited the offense, to say the least. Sophomore running back Emmett Johnson and true freshman wideout Jacory Barney Jr. had the best performances of their careers in the 44-25 rout over Wisconsin.
Both Barney and E. Johnson had 85 yards receiving, along with E. Johnson’s 113 yards on the ground. Freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola also played his best game of his Husker tenure with his 293 yards through the air. If Raiola can quickly distribute the ball as he did against the Badgers, Big Red will put up points.
The Nebraska offense was fearless last week. They need to continue that attitude on Friday.
Win on special teams
It’s Iowa, they never beat themselves on special teams. They always have been good at fielding punts, unlike NU. The Hawkeyes average 11.44 yards per punt return, for 28th in the country. Nebraska is 104th, averaging 5.21.
The Huskers have improved some of its special teams over the past month. Redshirt freshman kicker John Hohl has been one of the most improved players on the Nebraska roster. Hohl has made his last eight field goal attempts, after starting the season 1-4. Not to mention, the Huskers have senior punter Brian Buschini, who has been booming it.
Kickoff and punt coverage will be key. Freshman receiver Carter Nelson made one of the better tackles of the game on a kickoff against Wisconsin – they will need more of this on Friday.
Prediction
Nebraska proved me wrong this past week. Nobody expected that offensive explosion. Now, the pressure of getting to a bowl is off. This is all about bad blood between two teams that hate each other.
I foresee a Husker team playing with great confidence. They got a taste of greatness and it should motivate them to get another win. Raiola has found a savvy groove distributing the ball with Holgorsen at the helm. The offensive line is playing well and playmakers have emerged. And finally, a role other than a decoy has been established for junior quarterback Heinrich Haarberg.
The Blackshirts have struggled in the secondary but still have an exceptional front seven. The seniors want to ensure they go south rather than north for their bowl destination. Nebraska gets the win, 26-24, bringing the Heroes Trophy back to Lincoln.
Check out a deeper analysis here: Dominant Nebraska win over Wisconsin – Bowl-bound – Rivalry week @ Iowa