Predictions, things to watch in Nebraska vs. Northern Iowa

The Nebraska Cornhuskers are 2-0 and ranked 23rd in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll for the first time in five years. Now, they get a different test against a run-heavy Northern Iowa team, whom Nebraska has never played.

Northern Iowa is also ranked No. 21 in the FCS coaches poll heading into the matchup.

Saturday’s game will also be the second of three consecutive night games for the Big Red at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT on BTN.

Ahead of the Week 3 contest, let’s highlight some things to watch in Saturday’s game and make some predictions.

Related: Huskers excited for challenge of stopping Northern Iowa's rushing attack

Why I’m confident

Josh: Nebraska’s passing attack

Look at the difference a year can make. The Huskers’ passing game inspired maybe the least amount of confidence of anything last season but has looked completely different so far this season with the true freshman Dylan Raiola at quarterback and more established weapons alongside him.

The Huskers didn’t have a 200-yard passer in any game last season. This year, Raiola has done it in both games while completing nearly 74% of his passes and refusing to turn the ball over.

Northern Iowa and Nebraska both want to run the ball a lot on Saturday but Nebraska’s passing game gives them an element the Panthers don’t really have and provides a big edge for the Huskers.

Tommy: Nebraska has never lost to an FCS opponent

Entering this matchup, the Huskers are 14-0 all-time against FCS teams.

The most recent victory came against North Dakota in 2022, as the Huskers won 38-17.

Of course, it's not a given win as anything can happen. But Nebraska's 2024 roster is loaded with talent not just among its starters but also throughout its depth chart.

Look for Nebraska to flex its muscles against a team that has yet to face a team of Big Red's caliber on Saturday.

Why I’m concerned

Josh: Pregame hype surrounding Nebraska

Last week against Colorado, the non-X’s and O’s test for the Huskers was keeping emotions in check for a big rivalry game under the lights on national TV. This week, it’s handling the hype that comes with the team’s 2-0 start and first top-25 ranking in five years.

The Huskers have said all the right things, promising that it won’t affect them, but it’s also a bit of a trap game with an FCS opponent coming to town, and the ranking just feeds more into that.

Can the Huskers stay locked in and not get ahead of themselves on Saturday? I’m betting yes but it’s still the biggest cause for concern to me.

Tommy: Possible overlook with Big Ten opponent next week

My previous point may make it seem like the Huskers could be looking ahead to Big Ten play and writing the Panthers off in Week 3 as a win.

Head coach Matt Rhule has said each week the team is looking to go 1-0, one week at a time. If the Huskers get ahead of themselves and don't continue to follow this philosophy, this game could very well be a trap game like Josh mentioned.

Anything can happen, and if the Panthers can ruffle Nebraska's feathers a bit on the road, it could open the door for an upset.

Related: Huskers ranked 23rd in latest AP poll after big win over Colorado

Key matchup

Josh: Nebraska defensive front vs. UNI offense

The Panthers are every “run the ball” guy’s favorite team. Yes, they do mix in a fair amount of passes, but they lean heavily on their two tailbacks and come into Lincoln having racked up 598 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns while averaging a whopping 7.4 yards per carry so far this season.

Nebraska, on the other hand, has a defense that has allowed just 72 total rushing yards and zero touchdowns on 46 carries this season, good for 1.5 yards per carry. That’s obviously very good, but UTEP and Colorado had completely different offensive styles and far less commitment to running the ball than UNI.

The Huskers have to be disciplined and strong all day against the Panthers, and it’ll take the entire defensive line and all of the linebackers to slow down Northern Iowa’s ground game.

Tommy: Huskers running game vs. UNI defensive front

While Josh covers the most critical matchup of the game, the flipside of it is just as important to keep an eye on.

The Huskers have dominated the ground attack so far in two games, averaging 186 rushing yards per game. It'll be key to feature a balanced attack in the passing game as well but the running game should be an emphasis, especially if the lead begins to widen.

The Panthers have allowed just 79 rushing yards per game so far this season against Valparaiso and St. Thomas University in Minnesota.

The Huskers rushing attack will be the highest level of competition this Northern Iowa defensive front could see all season and it'll be interesting to see who gets the edge.

Related: Huskers excited for challenge of stopping Northern Iowa's rushing attack

All eyes on

Josh: Tackling

I highlighted the challenge Northern Iowa’s running game presents above, so it should be pretty clear why tackling will be important on Saturday for the Blackshirts. That’ll be especially true when Panthers running back Tye Edwards is on the field, as he’s averaged over 5 yards per carry after contact this season but the UNI’s other backs also have gotten three extra yards after contact on average this season, according to Pro Football Focus.

Really, though, it’ll be just as important for Northern Iowa to tackle well against Nebraska’s four lead backs. The Huskers have averaged less than 3 yards after contact per carry so far this season but will be able to test a Panthers defense that missed 13 tackles last week alone. For reference, Nebraska’s defense only has 11 missed tackles so far this season.

If the Huskers tackle well and force the Panthers to do the same, the game could get lopsided early.

Tommy: Nebraska's pass blocking

Nebraska has allowed Raiola to be sacked only once through two games and the team will need to see more of that on Saturday.

It'll be critical to continue that trend as the Huskers begin Big Ten play against Illinois next week.

The Panthers enter the matchup with four sacks on the season, led by redshirt freshman defensive lineman Zach Mehmert who has a team-leading 1.5 sacks.

The pass blocking success will need to be established for the offense to roll in the run game as well to maintain its balance.

Prediction

Josh: 41-10 Huskers

The Huskers have talked all week about being excited for the challenge that Northern Iowa’s style presents, calling it good preparation for the Big Ten schedule that starts next week. It should be a tough, physical game, but those are parts of the brand Nebraska has worked to create all offseason. I think it’ll show up on Saturday and Nebraska will pull away early in the second half.

Tommy: 48-7 Huskers

Northern Iowa is a good football team and could provide more challenges than Colorado came to Memorial Stadium with. However, the Huskers are simply a team that overmatches this FCS opponent and Big Red should have a big day.