The Nebraska football team – owners of a 3-0 record after a strong trio of non-conference games – will play arguably its biggest game in years against Michigan on Saturday. It’s a chance to beat a top 25 opponent. A chance to beat a big name Big Ten brand. And it’s a chance to build some serious momentum heading into conference play in year three under Matt Rhule. Let’s face it: this game is huge for the Big Red.
With that in mind, we look at four questions for the Nebraska football team headed into Saturday’s game against Michigan.
What to Make of the Running Back Situation?
Common Fan Podcast favorite Emmett Johnson is off to a great start to the season, rushing for 326 yards and four touchdowns at a brisk 6.2 yards-per-carry pace through three games. He also has 11 receptions for 41 yards and a touchdown. The picture behind Johnson, though, has been a big question mark so far.
It seemed like we might have gotten some clarity on the situation on Saturday. Kwinten Ives looked very good coming off the bench, rushing for 85 yards and a touchdown on just 12 carries. He busted several long runs, including one for 20 yards. True freshman Isaiah Mozee continues to get work as well, mostly as a receiving target out of the backfield, as he is closing in on 100 receiving yards on the season. Then we got this week’s depth chart. Mekhi Nelson–who did not play a single snap on Saturday–is listed as the #2 running back, with Ives all the way down at #4 on the list. Coach Rhule was somewhat cryptic in his comments about why Nelson didn’t play.
The Huskers will absolutely need to have reliable options behind Johnson, but it’s safe to say that picture is still not totally clear.
Is It Time to Start Worrying About Keeping TJ Lateef?
Backup quarterback TJ Lateef has looked absolutely fantastic coming off the bench in the last two games. Yes, the opponents were Akron and Houston Christian, but to some extent that doesn’t matter. The skill set is obvious. He can run. He can throw the deep ball. He’s only thrown one incompletion in 12 pass attempts on the season. He’s thrown for a touchdown and rushed for two more. It’s enough to make Big Red faithful froth at the mouth thinking about the future of Nebraska football.
In the age of NIL and the transfer portal, does Nebraska need to worry about keeping Lateef on the roster? Dylan Raiola is unequivocally the starter at least through 2026. Depending on how the rest of this season and next season go for Raiola, he could opt for the NFL after 2026, but he could just as easily decide to play four years in Lincoln. In the wild west environment that is college football right now, you have to assume other schools will look to poach Lateef. I have some confidence that the young QB knew what he was getting into coming to Lincoln, and that Rhule and Company can make a compelling case to keep him on the roster (a case which might include more sweet moolah than he’s currently bringing in). But in this brave new world of college football, this one is at least worth monitoring.
How Well Will Nebraska Move the Ball on Saturday?
The Nebraska offense was able to move the ball at will against Akron and HCU, but it didn’t come as easy in the season opener against Cincinnati. We’ll call it a good-but-not-great showing against the Bearcats, as the Husker O put together 353 yards of total offense, with just 110 of those coming on the ground.
Michigan will be the most talented and most physical team Nebraska has faced to date. Will Nebraska be able to establish the run? Will Dylan Raiola be able to find open receivers and keep the chains moving? The Nebraska defense owns some sparkling statistics through three games, but it’s still a young unit that may need some help from the offense from time to time. Will Dana Holgorsen’s bunch be up to the challenge?
What Questions Will be Answered Against Michigan Next Week?
What will we be asking ourselves a week from today? I’m particularly curious to see how Nebraska’s front seven on defense fares against Michigan’s offense, especially against the running threat posed by 5-star true freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood. Will the game against Michigan bring more clarity about Nebraska’s young roster, and how the Big Red might fare in the remainder of conference games? Or will it leave us with more questions than answers?
I’m excited to find out.
As always, GBR for LIFE.
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