(BAND MUSIC) >> HUSKERS ARE GOING BOWLING AGAIN.

BUT THIS TEAM WANTS MORE.

TONIGHT WE'LL CHAT ABOUT CFP POSSIBILITIES AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE HUGE BLACKOUT GAME AGAINST THE TROJANS OF USC.

AND GET JAY'S OPINION ON THE BLACK IN BIG RED WRAP-UP.

(BAND MUSIC) HI EVERYONE.

I'M MIKE'L SEVERE AND WELCOME TO BIG RED WRAP-UP ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

IT'S A BLACKOUT.

WE WON'T KEEP YOU IN THE DARK.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.

CONNECT WITH US ON FACEBOOK, ON X, ON BIG RED PAGE.

ALL YOUR QUESTIONS AND YOU CAN EMAIL US OR TEXTS US NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG.

OUR PHONES ARE ALSO STANDING BY READY TO TAKE YOUR CALLS.

AT THE END OF THE SHOW, WE'LL ANSWER AS MANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS AS TIME PERMITS.

TIME NOW FOR A SIDELINE SURVEY.

LAST WEEK WE ASKED YOU HOW THE HUSKER SEASON WAS GOING TO END UP FIVE GAMES TO PLAY.

HOW MANY WOULD NEBRASKA WIN?

AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE LIST, THREE AND TWO, THREE AND TWO.

IT'S TOUGH.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION.

OHIO STATE, INDIANA AND OREGON CLOSE THE LOCKS FOR THE CFP.

WHO'S LIKELY TO BE THE FOURTH TEAM TO MAKE IT FROM THE BIG TEN?

IOWA, MICHIGAN, NEBRASKA, USC OR WASHINGTON?

OBVIOUSLY, THIS WEEK IS A BIG THING FOR THAT.

BUT NEBRASKA IS WHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING.

37% SAY NEBRASKA.

YOUR FORMER HUSKER JAY MOORE AND SEAN CALLAHAN.

IF WASHINGTON PLAYED BETTER ON THE ROAD, I MIGHT PICK THEM BECAUSE THEIR QUARTERBACK'S DYNAMIC.

BUT USC AND WASHINGTON HAVE NOT BEEN REALLY GOOD.

ON ROAD THE ROAD.

>> WAS FAVOR'S FOR NEBRASKA.

>> YES, EXACTLY.

>> BUT BEFORE WE GET THERE.

>> YEAH.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT NORTHWESTERN GAME.

BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS IS THE THIRD TIME WHERE YOU'VE GOT DEFENSE CLOSING OUT GAMES.

YOU'VE GOT A LATE DRIVE TO TAKE THE LEAD.

I MEAN, IT REALLY IS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT IT WAS LAST YEAR.

>> 100%.

THESE ONE-SCORE GAMES THAT NEBRASKA HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS.

>> YEAH, >> THE DECADE THAT THEY'VE ALWAYS COME UP SHORT ON.

WHETHER IT'S A SPECIAL TEAMS ISSUE, TURNING THE BALL OVER LATE IN THE GAME, A DEFENSE GIVING UP A LAST SECOND FIELD GOAL, OR THEY DRIVE 60 OR 70 YARDS FOR A TOUCHDOWN TO WIN THE GAME.

THIS WAS I LOVE THE PHRASE.

IT WAS GRITTY OVER PRETTIE AND THAT'S WHAT THIS SEASON HAS BEEN LIKE SO FAR.

OTHER THAN AKRON AND, AND HOUSTON CHRISTIAN.

RIGHT.

THEY'VE ALL BEEN TOUGH GAMES AND ARMY BATTLES.

AND I THINK COACH RHULE ALLUDED TO THAT BEFORE THE SEASON.

WHEN YOU'RE IN THE BIG TEN, A LOT OF ONE SCORE GAMES, BIG TEN IS A TOUGH CONFERENCE.

BUT I LOVE THE ABILITY THAT THEY FIGHT.

I'VE ALWAYS SAID THIS NEXT PLAY MENTALITY.

THEY HAVE THAT BUT IT GETS FRUSTRATING BECAUSE THEY GET OFF THESE GOOD STARTS.

FIRST DRIVE OFF TO A GREAT START.

AND THEN THE OTHER TEAMS KIND OF HANGING AROUND.

YOU HAVE TO COME OUT THE SECOND HALF YOUR TURN, THE OPENING KICKOFF YOU GET AN INTERCEPTION ALSO BY TWO SCORE IS LIKE OKAY, FINALLY LET'S CLOSE THIS DEAL OUT.

THEY LET THIS TEAM'S BACK INTO SOME ISSUES OFFENSIVELY DEFENSIVELY.

BUT AGAIN WITH A CHANCE TO WIN IT THEY MAKE NECESSARY PLAYS.

AND YOU HAVE TO TIP YOUR CAP TO THAT.

I JUST THINK THIS TEAM WITH HOW YOUNG THEY ARE SO FAR AND JUST WITH A LOT OF THE DEPTH AT CERTAIN AREAS, I JUST WE GOT TO UNDERSTAND THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO BE THE REST OF THE YEAR.

THERE'S JUST IT'S GOING TO BE THESE UNCOMFORTABLE SITUATIONS.

I FIRMLY BELIEVE IT'S ALL GOING TO BE ONE SCORE GAMES COMING UP FOR THESE LAST FOUR.

>> SEAN THAT LAST DRIVE WHERE THEY GO 64 YARDS A CONVERT FOUR THIRD DOWNS.

BEST DRIVE YOU THINK OF DYLAN'S CAREER.

>> YEAH DYLAN GOES FOUR FOR FOUR ON THIRD DOWN THROWS FOR 46 YARDS.

AND THOSE WERE HIGH PRESSURE I MEAN SOME OF THOSE WERE LIKE THIRD AND EIGHT, THIRD AND NINE TYPE THROWS.

WHERE IF THEY DON'T MAKE IT, WE'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT POSSIBLE OVERTIME AT THAT POINT.

SO FOR DYLAN ESPECIALLY, IT WAS A WEIRD GAME.

YOU KNOW, USUALLY DYLAN IS CALLED UPON MORE.

THEY GOT THE BALL OUT OF HIS HANDS SO QUICK.

IT WAS A LOT OF SHORT, CONTROLLED THROWS.

AVERAGE TIME OF THROW IS 2.2 SECONDS FOR DYLAN IN TERMS OF HOW QUICKLY HE WAS GETTING THE BALL OUT.

THAT FINAL DRIVE WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY WENT EMPTY AND JUST KIND OF SAID, YOU TAKE US HOME.

AND I THOUGHT TWO THINGS WERE THE DIFFERENCE IN THE GAME, OBVIOUSLY THE KICKOFF RETURN.

AND THEN DYLAN ON THAT FINAL DRIVE, NORTHWESTERN'S QUARTERBACK COULD NOT DO WHAT DYLAN DID IN THAT FINAL DRIVE.

AND THEY DIDN'T GET THE SPECIAL TEAMS POINTS.

I MEAN, THOSE WERE THE TWO REALLY GAME CHANGERS.

BOTH TEAMS HAD TWO TURNOVERS AND THAT KIND OF BALANCE ITSELF OUT.

>> AND IT ALMOST WAS OVER.

SO 21-6 NEBRASKA GETS THE STOP.

WE THOUGHT ON FOURTH DOWN THEY REVIEW IT.

THEY GIVE THEM THE FIRST DOWN RIGHT.

AT THAT POINT YOU COULD SEE NEBRASKA MAYBE GOING DOWN AND SCORING AGAIN AND IT'S OVER.

>> YEAH, THAT I'M STILL.

>> DON'T KNOW.

>> I MEAN I DON'T KNOW WHY BUT THAT WAS ONE OF THE STRANGEST CALLS.

>> YEAH.

>> EVER I MEAN IT'S LIKE A RUNNING BACK YOU KNOW GOT THE FIRST DOWN BUT FUMBLES, IT RECOVERS THE BALL, GETS KNOCKED BACK, RECOVERS IT.

AND THEY GIVE HIM THE FORWARD PROGRESS.

IT'S THE SAME.

SO I'M STILL I'D LIKE AN EXPLANATION BUT YOU COULD SAY YOU KNOW IT ALL BROKE EVEN WITH YOU KNOW THE THE HOLD ON THE ON THE THE SLUGGO THAT THEY, THEY RAN A BUNCH OF TIMES ON THE GAME.

>> YEAH.

>> BUT, YEAH, THAT'S, THAT WAS IT.

THAT CHANGED RIGHT THERE.

AND OBVIOUSLY I END UP SCORING ON THAT ON THAT DRIVE AS WELL.

WHENEVER YOU GET THOSE FIRST DOWNS, ON THOSE FOURTH, THOSE CONVERSIONS, MAN, THE MOMENTUM CALLS FOOTBALL SO MUCH ABOUT MOMENTUM.

AND THEY GOT IT.

AND IT'S JUST FUNNY HOW IN NEBRASKA WE'VE SEEN IT ALL THE MULTIPLE GAMES.

NOW IT SWITCHES IN A HEARTBEAT.

AND IT CAN SWITCH BACK IN YOUR FAVOR TO SURE.

BUT SO THAT ONE WAS DEFINITELY IF THEY WOULD HAVE CALLED IT THE RIGHT THE CORRECT WAY.

I DON'T THINK IT WAS NECESSARILY OVER, OVER.

BUT NEBRASKA GOES UP AND GETS ANOTHER THREE POINTS.

ALSO IT'S 24-6 AND THAT'S A DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT FOOTBALL GAME FROM 24-6 TO YOU KNOW WHAT WAS IT 21-13.

>> YEAH THEY CONVERT THIRD AND SEVEN, THIRD AND SEVEN, THIRD AND FIVE.

ONE OF THOSE TO EMMETT.

AND IT HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES SEAN WHERE HE JUST WITH HIS PURE SHEER FORCE OF WILL GOT FIRST DOWNS >> YOU KNOW AND NORTHWESTERN PLAYED THAT TWO HIGH LOOK AND NEBRASKA JUST RAN DOWNHILL ON IT.

BUT THE KEY WAS EMMETT MADE GUYS MISS.

IT WASN'T LIKE THE OFFENSIVE LINE HAD HUGE HOLES.

EMMETT MADE TEN TACKLERS MISS, WHICH LED ALL OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL FOR INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS LAST WEEK.

>> IT WAS USUALLY AT THE SECOND LEVEL THOUGH, RIGHT WHEN HE A LOT OF TIMES HE CUTS ON AIR, BUT HE WAS BEATING GUYS IN THE SECOND >> AND THERE WAS ONE RUN WHERE IT WAS LIKE THE BEST TWO YARD RUN YOU EVER SEE?

>> YES, THE FOUR YARD RUN WHERE HE ENDS UP GETTING THE FIRST DOWN WHERE HE WAS DEAD TO.

RIGHT.

>> BUT THEY HAD DYLAN UNDER CENTER AND EMMETT WAS JUST GETTING THE BALL COMING STRAIGHT DOWNHILL.

AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE APPROACH.

IF NORTHWESTERN IS GOING TO PLAY BACK WITH THEIR SHELL, YOU KNOW, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT AND RUN AT IT.

AND I THOUGHT NEBRASKA, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT DANA HOLGORSEN.

I'M SURE NORTHWESTERN WAS NOT EXPECTING NEBRASKA TO BE A 60 PLUS PERCENT RUN TEAM AFTER THEY HAD BEEN SHOWING TO BE MORE OF A 70% PASSING TEAM, THROUGHOUT THE SEASON.

>> BUT WE CERTAINLY THOUGHT THE MINNESOTA GAME SHOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE THIS.

THEY SHOULD HAVE RUN THE BALL MORE.

YOU SEE EMMETT'S NUMBERS 27 CARRIES 124 YARDS.

I THINK IT WAS 5.4 YARDS A TOUCH THAT HE HAD TO.

WHEN YOU THROW 1 OR 2 CATCHES FOR 15 YARDS.

BUT IT FEELS LIKE THE GAME PLAN AND MAYBE THEY SHOULD HAVE HAD AGAINST MINNESOTA.

YOU'VE GOT TO ALMOST SAY TO YOURSELF, I KNOW EMMETT'S ONLY ONE GUY, BUT HE'S OUR BEST PLAYER ALONG WITH DYLAN.

>> YEAH.

MOST DEFINITELY.

I MEAN, DANA SAID IT TODAY IN THE PRESS CONFERENCE.

HE GETS BETTER AS THE GAME GOES ON.

HE RUNS STRONGER.

YOU GOT TO FEATURE HIM.

HE EVEN WHEN THE BLOCKING IS NOT THERE FOR HIM, HE CAN CREATE ON HIS OWN.

AND I THINK IT'S TAKEN.

AND AGAIN THAT MINNESOTA GAME THAT'S AN ANOMALY IN MY IN MY OPINION.

>> I HOPE SO.

>> WITH HOW THEY PREPARED AND JUST A GAME PLAN IN GENERAL.

I DO HOPE SO AS WELL.

BUT YOU HAVE TO TRUST HIM THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GIVE THEM THE BALL, GIVE HIM 30 TOUCHES A GAME.

HE'S GONNA BE FINE.

YOU CAN SPELL HIM WITH MEKHI NELSON.

YOU CAN SPELL THEM WITH MOZEE AT TIMES, BUT HE IS.

HE IS DARN GOOD.

AND YOU BETTER UTILIZE HIM.

UTILIZING IN THE PASS GAME.

UTILIZE HIM IN THE SCREEN GAME.

GET THEM DOWN HILL.

THOSE TEAMS ARE SET BACK.

AND TWO HIGH SAFETIES WITH A SEVEN MAN BOX.

HEY, FORCE THEM TO BRING A GUY DOWN THERE.

>> YEAH.

>> HEY, FORCE US TO STOP IT AND THEN THAT'S WHEN WE CAN GO AND TAKE OUR CHANCES.

BUT UNTIL THE TEAMS ARE SET BACK FROM THAT, THAT COVER TWO, THAT THE TWO I-SHELL.

RUN THE BALL AT THEM AND KEEP DOING IT.

AND UNTIL THEY BRING THAT EXTRA GUY ON THE BOX AND YOU BETTER EXPOSE HIM THAT WAY.

>> NORTHWESTERN WASN'T A HIGH PRESSURE DEFENSE ANYWAY, BUT ONLY GET ONE SACK, AND IT HAPPENS TO BE ON A PLAY WHERE TEDDY PROCHAZKA GOES DOWN.

>> YEAH, IT WAS A PLAY WHERE TEDDY'S KNEE GAVE OUT AND UNFORTUNATELY HE SUFFERED HIS THIRD SIGNIFICANT KNEE INJURY.

JUST HAS NEVER BEEN THE SAME SINCE THAT FIRST HALF IN 2021, WHEN HE HELD AIDAN HUTCHINSON TO NOTHING IN THE FIRST HALF AND THEN, WENT DOWN AND HIS CAREER KIND OF CHANGED.

AT THAT MOMENT, IT LOOKED LIKE TEDDY WAS GOING TO BE A HIGH ROUND DRAFT PICK AT TACKLE.

AND, YOU KNOW, A TOUGH BLOW TO SEE A LOCAL GUY PUT SO MUCH TIME INTO IT AND HAVE IT END THAT WAY.

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH AND JAY CAN SPEAK TO THAT?

HOW MANY GUYS GO THROUGH INJURIES.

AND JUST TO GET YOURSELF BACK TO PLAY AND TO HAVE IT GO THAT WAY, IT'S TOUGH BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY GAVE HIM THE GAME BALL AND IN YOU QUALIFIED FOR A BOWL GAME.

SO I'M SURE TEDDY WILL BE AROUND.

BUT IT'S GOING TO BE A HARD FEW MONTHS FOR HIM.

>> YEAH.

TALKING TO PEOPLE, YOU KNOW THAT FORMER PLAYERS AND ALL SPORTS.

IT'S SUCH A LONELY FEELING BECAUSE YOU'RE AWAY FROM THE TEAM.

YOU'RE DOING YOUR REHAB OPPOSITE.

WHEN THEY'RE DOING THEIR PRACTICE AND YOU'RE NOT AROUND THEM, YOU KNOW.

>> YEAH, IT'S HARD BUT INJURY IS ITS TOUGH ON YOUR BODY OBVIOUSLY.

BUT MORE TOUGHER MENTALLY.

>> YEAH.

>> YOU'RE NOT AROUND YOUR TEAMMATES AS MUCH.

YOU'RE JUST SECLUDED.

YOU'RE SPENDING MORE TIME WITH THE TRAINER.

YOU DEVELOPED GREAT RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE TRAINING STAFF, WHICH YOU DON'T NECESSARILY WANT.

>> RIGHT.

BUT IT'S HARD.

I MEAN, I HAD MULTIPLE INJURIES BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, TORN ACL, MCALS, BROKEN ANKLES, TORN BICEPS AND THAT'S IN COLLEGE AND IN THE SECOND OR NFL.

IT'S VERY LONELY.

THERE'S SOME PLAYERS THAT WANT TO BE AROUND YOU BECAUSE THEY WANT THE ALL THAT BAD JUJU OF THE INJURY BUG.

>> YEAH.

>> SOME COACHES DON'T WANT TO BE.

THEY WON'T TALK TO YOU IF YOU IF YOU'RE NOT PLAYING.

AND IT'S HARD IT'S HARD TO DEAL WITH.

AND, I FEEL FOR TEDDY.

YOU KNOW, BEING AN ELKORN GUY, LIKE MYSELF, BUT, BATTLING BACK AND HAVE THAT AGAIN, MAN.

SO I KNOW HE'LL HE'LL BATTLE BACK AND WORK THROUGH THIS, BUT IT'S IT'S NEVER EASY, MAN.

AND, UNFORTUNATELY, THIS WAS HIS THIRD TIME GOING THROUGH IT, SO.

>> YEAH.

>> THAT'S A TOUGH DEAL.

>> LET'S TALK DEFENSE.

WE MENTIONED IN THE GAME NEBRASKA THE CHANCE TO KIND OF PUT IT AWAY WITH THEIR DEFENSE.

NOW, THEY DID HAVE THE HOLDING CALL, WHICH WAS A VERY BENEFICIAL AND TOOK AWAY THE LONG RUN, BUT STILL PUT THE PRESSURE ON PRESTON STONE TO MAKE HIM MISS SOME THROWS LATE.

>> YEAH.

YOU SAW JOHN BUTLER REALLY DIAL IT UP LATE AS THEY SAID AFTER THE GAME.

AND YOU KNOW THEY WERE PRETTY SELECTIVE.

THEY PLAYED A LOT OF GUYS.

AND BECAUSE THEY THEY KNEW NORTHWESTERN WAS GOING TO BE A HEAVY RUN TEAM.

SO THEY WERE OKAY WITH SOME OF THE SUBSTITUTION JUST TO PUT BIGGER, MORE PHYSICAL BODIES.

YOU SUA LEFOTU OFF OF TO PLAY.

DAVID HOFFKEN CONTINUES TO PLAY.

I THOUGHT RILEY VAN POPPLE PLAYED ONE OF HIS BETTER GAMES.

>> HE DID.

>> THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS THAT JUMPED OUT OF THE PLAY UP FRONT.

STILL, THOUGH, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN A GOOD SACK TEAM.

I MEAN, OTHER THAN A FEW WILLIAMS NWANERI MOMENTS AND MAYBE MCCULLOUGH MOMENTS, WE HAVE NOT SEEN NEBRASKA GET TO QUARTERBACKS VERY WELL WITH FOUR.

BUT THEY'RE GETTING OFF THE FIELD.

THEY HAD SOME, KEY STOPS.

YOU KNOW, NORTHWESTERN HAD A STRING OF THIRD DOWNS.

BUT WHEN IT MATTERED AT THE END, THEY MADE THE PLAYS.

>> KNOW WHAT THEY DID WELL, THEY TACKLED I SAW ABOUT FOUR TIMES WHERE CEYAIR WRIGHT HAD CHANCES TO MAKE A TACKLE OR THE PLAY WOULD GO FOR EVEN MORE, AND HE MADE THE TACKLE.

SO THEY TACKLED A LOT BETTER.

>> THEY DID MUCH BETTER THAN MINNESOTA GAME.

THE PERIMETER TACKLES.

SOMETIMES THOSE CORNERS IN THERE AND THOSE COVER TWO, THEY GOT TO COME DOWN HILL AND MAKE THOSE PLAYS ON THE EDGE ON THE PERIMETER.

THEY DID A REALLY GOOD JOB DOING THAT.

THE HAVOC PLAYS IS RATHER CONCERNING FOR THIS DEFENSE.

AGAIN, THE PRESSURES.

THEY GOT TO DO A BETTER JOB CONVERTING DEFENSIVE LINEMAN.

YOU'RE YOU'RE NEVER TAUGHT TO RUSH DOWN THE CENTER.

SOMETIMES THEY GOT TO PICK A YOU GOT TO WORK A HALF A MAN, WHETHER IT'S INSIDE OR OUTSIDE.

OBVIOUSLY YOU GOT TO KNOW WHERE PRESSURE IS COMING FROM AND WHERE YOUR HELP IS, WHERE THE OTHER RUSHERS AT.

>> RIGHT.

>> BUT THEY GOT IT THERE GOING DOWN THE MIDDLE TOO MUCH.

BUT YOU CAN DO THAT.

SET IT UP AND YOU GOT TO CONVERT TO A SIDE.

BUT SEEMS THE INTERIOR GUYS BUT JUST YOU'RE NOT GETTING ENOUGH PRESSURE.

AND I'D LIKE TO GET HOME WITH FOUR.

YOU WOULD THINK WITH HOW GOOD THE SECONDARY IS, THE QUARTERBACK HAS A WOULD HANG ON THE BALL ALONG AND YOU CAN'T GET HOME.

THIS HAVEN'T DONE THAT.

BUT MCCULLOUGH, YOU KNOW, CAN IMPROVE THERE AS WELL.

BUT I THINK NEBRASKA IS, YOU KNOW, HEADING TO THIS WEEK AND GOING FORWARD, IT'S IT'S HARD KNOWING THAT YOU CAN'T GET HOME WITH FOUR.

IT'S BUT IT'S GOOD TO KNOW YOU'RE DARN GOOD ON THE BACK END.

BUT COACH BUTLER HAS GOT TO BE A LITTLE MORE CREATIVE.

BRING PRESSURES BECAUSE IT'S TRUST YOUR GUYS UP FRONT THAT YOU CAN GET HIM A FOUR.

IT JUST HASN'T BEEN CONSISTENT ENOUGH.

>> OFFENSE DID THEIR JOB WHEN THEY HAD TO.

OBVIOUSLY THE DEFENSE DID SPECIAL TEAMS.

WHETHER IT BE PUNTING, OF COURSE, THE KICKOFF RETURN BY A KENNETH WILLIAMS AND A LEAD TO MISS FIELD GOAL.

BUT MAN, THE SPECIAL TEAMS ARE SO MUCH BETTER THAN IT'S BEEN.

>> YEAH, YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THE THREE AND ONE RECORD IN ONE SCORE GAMES.

I MEAN SPECIAL TEAMS HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BLOCK PUNT AGAINST MICHIGAN STATE, THE PUNT, THE KICK RETURN AT MARYLAND, THE KICK RETURN THIS PAST WEEK, THE PUNT RETURN YARDAGE THAT JACORY BARNEY HAS GOTTEN AND THEN EVEN FACTOR THIS IN NEBRASKA IS ONLY ALLOWED ONE PUNT RETURN YARD THE WHOLE SEASON.

MISTER JET COMMITTEE AWARD.

AND THEY'RE SECOND IN THE BIG TEN BECAUSE OREGON'S ONLY ALLOWED NEGATIVE ONE.

SO THAT'S AN AND ON THE YEAR I THINK NEBRASKA IS AT 245 ON THE PUNT RETURN SIDE.

SO THEY'RE A PLUS 244 ON PUNT RETURN.

I MEAN, WHATEVER THEY'RE PAYING MIKE EKELER IT'S PROBABLY NOT ENOUGH BECAUSE HE IS REALLY GIVEN THEM AN IDENTITY AND IT'S PLAYED A DIFFERENCE TO WIN THESE GAMES.

AS YOU SEE.

MIKE EKELER, AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN HE STARTS TO CELEBRATE SOME OF THESE.

THEY RUN.

SOME OF THESE OLDER COACHES WANT NO PART OF THAT.

YEAH, HE'S VERY AGGRESSIVE.

>> THEY HAVE MORE PUNT RETURN YARDS NOW THAN THEY DID FROM 21 THROUGH 24 COMBINED.

>> THAT'S INCREDIBLE.

>> IN ONE YEAR, IT'S CRAZY.

LET'S GET TO THE HIGHLIGHTS.

OF COURSE, FINALLY MATT RHULE GETS THE BIG WIN TO BE BOWL ELIGIBLE ON THE FIRST CHANCE KIND OF.

SO HE WAS 1-8 BEFORE TO BECOME BOWL ELIGIBLE WE CAN FINALLY STOP SHOWING THAT GRAPHIC.

THERE IS THE WILDCAT WHO WAS VERY EXCITED TO BE IN MEMORIAL STADIUM.

AND THAT'S A LOT OF DRAMA THERE WITH THE SMOKE MACHINE AND EVERYTHING.

NEBRASKA COMES OUT ON FIRE A LITTLE BIT.

NICE RPO WE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE.

THEY RUN THAT A COUPLE TIMES.

>> WE HAVE A SIMILAR PLAY THAT THEY HAD WITH QUINN CLARK AGAINST MINNESOTA.

GOTTA LOVE THAT PLAY CALL.

>> I DO AS WELL.

EMMETT JOHNSON CAME OUT KIND OF ON FIRE AS WELL.

KIND OF YOU KNOW GIVE HIM THE BALL EARLY.

GET HIM GOING.

THAT WAS AN EIGHT YARD RUN THERE.

THEN THIS IS THAT FOUR YARD WHEN I WAS TALKING ABOUT SEAN.

THAT'S INCREDIBLE.

>> AND WE SAW MORE SECOND AND THIRD DOWN RUNS ON THIS DRIVE ALONE MIKE'L THEN YOU SAW THE ENTIRE MINNESOTA GAME.

>> THE WHOLE GAME.

I KNOW.

NINE YARD TOUCHDOWN RUN EMMETT JOHNSON, UP SEVEN NOTHING FEELING REALLY GOOD ABOUT THE WAY THEY'RE PLAYING.

PRESTON STONE DIDN'T MAKE A LOT OF GREAT THROWS.

BUT THIS ONE DROPPING IT IN THE BUCKET JUST GETTING IT PASS OVER ANDREW MARSHALL.

BIG CATCH THERE FOR 37 YARDS.

ONE OF THEIR BIG PLAYS OF THE GAME.

AND THEN AGAINST PRESTON STONE WHO REALLY STRUGGLES TO THROW IT OUTSIDE THE NUMBERS BUT PRETTY GOOD INSIDE.

CEYAIR WRIGHT WITH A GREAT PLAY THERE.

FORCES THE FIELD GOAL.

IT'S 7-3 AT THAT POINT.

THEN EMMETT JOHNSON AGAIN AS WE TALK ABOUT MAKING GUYS MISS GETTING INTO THE SECONDARY MAKING YARDS.

THAT'S A 15 YARD GAIN THERE.

THIS IS A FIRST I DIDN'T KNOW IF THEY MADE THIS ONE.

I KNOW LATE I DIDN'T LIKE ON THE REPLAY BUT THEY GAVE IT TO HIM.

>> YEAH WE'LL TAKE.

>> WE'LL TAKE IT.

AND THEN ANOTHER TIME I DON'T LIKE THE WAY THEY DO THIS.

THEY KIND OF TAKE THE ATHLETICISM AWAY FROM HAARBERG BY MAKING HIM DO THAT.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND IF THEY GOT THE FIRST DOWN.

THAT'S NOT GREAT PLAY.

THEY GOT THE FIRST.

AND THERE'S YOUR ONE SACK.

TEDDY PROCHAZKA GOES DOWN ANOTHER ACL.

JUST IT'S HEARTBREAKING TO THINK ABOUT ALL THAT KID HAS BEEN THROUGH.

BUT HE'S ALWAYS THERE FOR NEBRASKA.

FIELD GOAL ATTEMPT 44 YARDS.

KYLE CUNANAN AND MISSES HIS SECOND FIELD GOAL OF THE SEASON.

BUT IT'S OKAY.

NEBRASKA STARTS PLAYING WELL.

THEY HAVE A CHANCE RIGHT HERE RILEY VAN POPPEL YOU KNOW THAT FEELS LIKE MAN.

>> OH IT DOES.

HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.

>> THE BALL WAS JUST LAYING THERE AND IT TAKES A WEIRD BOUNCE AND YOU DON'T GET IT.

THIS WAS A GREAT THIRD DOWN PLAY.

YOU HAD THE WES WELKER ROUTE WHERE INSIDE, OUTSIDE.

>> IT'S CALLED THE... >> THAT'S A GREAT ROUTE.

CEYAIR WRIGHT MAKES A TACKLE ON IT THOUGH.

AND THEN HERE'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF SOME MISSED TACKLES.

DIDN'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF THEM BUT THEY'RE CEYAIR WRIGHT.

SAVING THE TOUCHDOWN.

>> YES, OFF TACKLE.

>> RIGHT THERE AGAIN.

>> YEAH.

OFF TACKLE NEBRASKA STRUGGLE STOPPED AT THAT PLAY.

>> YEAH.

OUTSIDE ZONE IS WHERE IF YOU LOOK AT THEIR NUMBERS ARE REALLY WHERE THEY'RE STRUGGLING.

AND LUCKILY NORTHWESTERN DOESN'T RUN A LOT OUTSIDE ZONE.

7-6 AFTER THE MADE FIELD GOAL.

AND THEN ANOTHER GREAT RUN MAKING GUYS MISS GETTING DOWN THE FIELD AGAIN EMMETT JOHNSON HAVING A GREAT DAY.

MOORE IS THE MOST CARRIES HE'S HAD IN HIS CAREER RIGHT?

>> YEAH 27.

MOST CARRIES ANY BACK HAS HAD UNDER MATT RHULE.

>> THAT'S AWESOME.

>> AT NEBRASKA.

>> AND THEN MOZEE COMES IN AND GIVES HIM A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK.

GETS ANOTHER FIRST DOWN THERE AND THEN MAKING A GUY MISS.

BUT ON THAT PLAY THAT'S A FOURTH DOWN PLAY AT THE END OF THE HALF.

YOU DID HAVE DANE KEY COME OPEN FOR A SECOND.

HE HAD A CHANCE BUT JUST DIDN'T GET IT TO HIM WHEN HE NEEDED TO.

AND THEN KENNETH WILLIAMS COMES OUT TO START THE HALF A KENNETH WILLIAMS RIGHT NOW UNDERQUALIFIED PLAYERS RIGHT.

HE HAS ENOUGH KICKOFF RETURNS.

HE IS THE LEADER IN RETURN AVERAGE A KICKOFF IN THE NATION.

THERE'S A COUPLE GUYS THAT HAVE IT HIGHER BUT THEY DON'T QUALIFY LIKE HE HAS.

THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH RETURNS.

BUT INCREDIBLE TO THINK ABOUT WHERE HE CAME FROM AND WHERE HE IS.

KIND OF A THROW BEHIND HIM AND DONOVAN JONES.

WE HAD A REALLY TOUGH WEEK AGAINST MICHIGAN.

I MEAN MINNESOTA COMES BACK AND MAKES THE INTERCEPTION.

SO GOOD FOR HIM ON THAT.

GREAT.

AND THEN WE MENTIONED THIS AGAIN.

JUST THE AMOUNT OF RUNNING INSIDE THE TACKLE.

WE SHOW THIS ONE BECAUSE OF THE 15 YARD PENALTY DANE KEY WOULDN'T LET GO OF HIM.

SO FINALLY HE GETS FRUSTRATED.

HE HITS DANE KEY.

HE GETS THE 15.

>> IT'S ALWAYS A SECOND GUY.

>> IT'S ALWAYS THE ALWAYS A SECOND GUY.

IT'S SO HILARIOUS.

IT'S ALWAYS THE SECOND GUY.

AND THEN YOU HAVE A BACK SHOULDER THROW THAT MADE IT A LITTLE BIT TOUGHER THAN IT HAD TO BE.

ON THIS DAY.

>> DIDN'T NEED THE LOB RIGHT?

>> NO.

HE DID NOT.

>> THAT COULD HAVE BEEN PUT MORE ON THE LINE.

>> YOU PUT ON THE LINE AND HE'S GOT HIM BEAT BUT INCREDIBLE CATCH.

AND WE CAN SEE IT FROM UP TOP.

BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE THE LINE ON THE TURF.

YEAH.

NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT.

AND THEN COMES BACK WITH PRESTON STONE WHO ACTUALLY DOES MOVE PRETTY WELL.

AND ONE OF THE BETTER THROWS HE MADE OUTSIDE THE NUMBERS.

NICE THROW RIGHT THERE TO GET A FIRST DOWN.

AND THEN ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT THEM IS RUNNING INSIDE.

THOSE RUNNING BACKS RUN REALLY HARD.

YOU KNOW THAT'S WHY THEY HAD AS MANY RUSHES THEY DID ALL SEASON LONG.

AND THEN YOU HAVE THE FACE MASK THAT PUTS THEM IN POSITION TO BE ABLE TO GET THIS TOUCHDOWN.

IT'S A GAME.

IT'S A TOUCHDOWN SAVING TACKLE.

BUT OBVIOUSLY CAN'T REACH IT, RIGHT.

>> THAT'S GOING TO GET CALLED AT THE TIME THIS WAS A DRIVE.

THIS IS THE FOURTH DOWN DRIVE AS THEY HAD THE, RIGHT?

>> IT IS.

>> YEAH, WE KNOW THEY LEFT THAT ONE OUT OF THE HIGHLIGHTS.

>> YEAH.

WE DIDN'T SEE THAT HIGHLIGHT.

TOUCHDOWN RUN.

AGAIN PHYSICAL RUNNING BACK.

AND THEN THEY DECIDE YOU KNOW WE'RE GONNA WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO FOR TWO HERE WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE DO NOW.

BUT THEY'RE GOING TO WAIT TILL LATER.

THIS IS TALK ABOUT THAT.

YEAH.

GOT IT.

>> AND YEAH, IT'S JUST I THINK THAT'S CAM LENHARDT.

IT'S SUCH A SLOW DEVELOPING PLAY.

YOU'RE WONDERING WHAT'S GOING ON.

YOU TRYING TO SQUEEZE THE POCKET DOWN THE GAPS DOWN.

HE GETS REALLY TURNED IN THERE AND HE CAN'T COME OUT.

MAKE THAT PLAY.

YOU JUST GOT TO BE MORE PATIENT AND TRUST YOUR TECHNIQUE.

KOMOLAFE MAKES THE TOUCHDOWN RUN.

THEN TWO POINT CONVERSION TO TIE IT UP AT 21.

PUTTING A LOT OF PRESSURE ON NEBRASKA.

BUT 11 MINUTES LEFT.

THIS IS A TOUGH THROW.

THIS HAPPENS I KNOW PEOPLE ARE RIPPING DYLAN FOR THIS.

THIS HAPPENS WITH QUARTERBACKS EVERY SINGLE DAY IN THE NFL.

YOU JUST GET LOST WITH THE GUY WHO'S IN THE MIDDLE, ESPECIALLY IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU'RE THROWING RPL BECAUSE YOU'RE THROWING, NOT LOOKING, THROWING.

AND THAT HAPPENS A LOT.

YOU KNOW, I MEAN.

THAT'S A BAD THROW.

>> THAT'S HAPPENED A COUPLE TIMES.

IT'S THE SUMMER LOOK.

BUT THEN HEY, YOU SAID IT.

THIS QUARTERBACK'S GOING TO THROW YOU SOME INTERCEPTIONS.

>> HE IS GOING TO THROW YOU A PICK.

AND HE ENDS UP THROWING TO PRESTON STONE.

AND THIS IS THAT DRIVE WE'RE TAUGHT.

WHAT A GREAT PLAY RIGHT THERE EMMETT JOHNSON.

THEY GET THE FIRST DOWN.

BARELY GOT THERE.

THEN YOU HAVE TO THROW IT TO NYZIAH HUNTER ON THIRD AND SEVEN.

YOU'RE GOING TO BREAK THAT DOWN.

GET INTO THAT.

THE NEXT ONE OF COURSE THIRD AND SEVEN AGAIN FOR THE THIRD STRAIGHT TIME.

AND THIS IS THE ONE THAT'S NOT THROWN.

PASS THE STICKS DANE KEY MAKES A GUY MISS GETS THE FIRST DOWN.

AND THEN THIS IS A PLAY THAT I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR ALL SEASON.

THIS IS A SIMPLE RUB ROUTE.

YOU CAN CALL IT PICK WHATEVER YOU WANT.

>> MESH ROUTES.

>> MESH ROUTES.

>> THOSE ARE MAN BEATERS ESSENTIALLY, AND A LOT OF TEAMS LIKE TO RUN COVER TWO MAN TO MAN TO MAN DOWN IN THE IN THE SHORT RED ZONE.

YOU GOT TO UTILIZE THOSE THOSE RUB ROUTES, MESH ROUTES WHENEVER YOU CAN TO GET THESE GUYS OPEN.

>> AND THEN EMMETT RUNS INCREDIBLY HARD TO GET INTO THE TOUCHDOWN RIGHT THERE TO MAKE IT 28-21.

THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST CATCHES YOU'RE GOING TO SEE.

THAT TIGHT IN PLAYED HOCKEY IN HIGH SCHOOL AND MOVED THE FOOTBALL.

AND MADE A GREAT CATCH THERE.

AND THEN YOU HAVE TO THROW A LITTLE BIT BEHIND HIM HERE.

AND THEN OF COURSE THE LAST PLAY YOU MENTIONED EARLIER SLUG OUT AGAINST ANDREW MARSHALL.

HE GRABS A LITTLE BIT AND THEN AT THE END THE BALL ENDS UP OVERTHROWN.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT IT WAS.

IT WAS POORLY CALLED THE WHOLE DAY.

IT'S NOT ONE THING.

NOT ONE CALL.

AND THEN EMMETT PUTS IT OUT.

IT PUTS IT AWAY.

MAKE IT MORE GUYS MISS.

COULD HAVE GONE FOR MORE.

BUT WHAT IS NO MAS PLAY, RIGHT?

IS THAT WHAT COACH SAID.

NO MAS PLAY.. >> SMART, GET DOWN.

>> YEAH!

GET DOWN.

EMMETT FINISHED 27 CARRIES ON AND 24 YARDS AND TWO TOUCHDOWNS.

YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBERS HERE 296 YARDS.

SO NORTHWESTERN HAD MORE YARDS AND MORE YARDS PASSING AND MORE YARDS RUSHING.

BUT THAT WAS TWO INTERCEPTIONS TO ONE INTERCEPTION.

ALSO YOU KNOW >> AND THE KICK RETURN >> KICK RETURN MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD.

MORE PEOPLE WIN BECAUSE OF SPECIAL TEAMS THAN ALMOST ANYTHING THAT'S GOING ON NOWADAYS IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL.

PLAYERS OF THE GAME.

NOT A SHOT.

WE MENTIONED IT EMMETT JOHNSON, PLAYER OF THE GAME ON OFFENSE.

YOU LOOK AT HIS NUMBERS AND WHAT HE HAD.

AND THEN DONOVAN JONES BOUNCING BACK FROM THE MINNESOTA GAME.

GREAT TACKLE IN THE OPEN FIELD LATE IN THE GAME.

AND OF COURSE ALSO HAD THE INTERCEPTION AS WELL TO BREAK DOWN A COUPLE OF THE KEY PLAYS FROM THE WIN.

LET'S GO OVER TO MR.

MOORE FOR JAY'S PLACE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WELCOME IN, TO JAY'S PLACE.

TONIGHT.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT A COUPLE PLAYS FROM THAT GAME WINNING DRIVE LED BY DYLAN RAIOLA.

A COUPLE THIRD AND SEVEN CONVERSIONS.

THEY HAD.

THIS IS ONE WHERE NORTHWESTERN WAS ABLE TO GET A DECENT RUSH ON THE LEFT SIDE.

BUT DYLAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB OF STEPPING UP IN THE POCKET A COUPLE TIMES.

WE'VE SEEN HIM WANT TO GO OUT THIS WAY AND HE KIND OF GOES INTO PRESSURE.

I'VE BEEN ADAMANT ABOUT HIM STEPPING UP, EYES DOWN THE FIELD AND GETTING OUT.

HE DOES A FANTASTIC JOB HERE FINDING NYZIAH HUNTER, SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND RUN THIS.

DYLAN DOES A GOOD JOB STEPPING UP, CLEAN POCKET BOOM.

COULD HIT LINDENMEYER BUT DOESN'T NYZIAH HUNTER RIGHT HERE.

EXCELLENT JOB.

STEP IN THE POCKET FIRST DOWN.

SO NEBRASKA DOES THIS AGAIN.

HERE WE'RE GOING TO HIT DANE KEY.

NEBRASKA IS GOING TO GET A BUNCH FORMATION MESH ROUTE RIGHT NEBRASKA NEEDS TO DO MORE OF THIS.

BUT NORTHWESTERN DOES NOT DO A GOOD ENOUGH JOB PASSING THIS OFF.

IDEALLY WE CALL BOXING THIS.

THIS GUY TAKES THE FIRST GUY OUT.

THIS GUY TAKES THE FIRST GUY, IN UP TOP.

AND THE OTHER GUY COULD HAVE TAKE THIS GUY.

THEY MISCOMMUNICATED HERE, WHICH NEBRASKA TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THIS.

THEY'RE ABLE TO GET KEY RIGHT HERE ON THE FLAT.

DOES A GOOD JOB OF FINDING HIM.

CATCHES IT IN TIME.

IS ABLE TO BREAK A TACKLE.

GET UP FIELD.

BOOM.

BREAK THAT TACKLE RIGHT THERE.

ANOTHER FIRST DOWN.

KEEP THE CHAINS MOVING FOR NEBRASKA.

AND ABLE TO GET THAT TOUCHDOWN FOR THE GAME WINNING TOUCHDOWN IN THE LEAD.

LET'S SEND IT BACK TO MIKE'L.

>> NEXT UP WE'LL BE JOINED BY THE OMAHA WORLD SPORTS EDITOR AND OF COURSE REPORTER SAM MCKEWON.

AND WE'LL HEAR FROM THE COACHES ABOUT USC.

AND WE DO A BREAKDOWN FROM HURRDAT SPORTS BACK IN TWO.

(BAND MUSIC) >> I LOVE THE LEAGUE.

GIVEN THE LINCOLN RILEY 14 DAYS TO GET READY FOR US.

SO THANKS, GUYS.

I SAY THAT TONGUE IN CHEEK OBVIOUSLY BY THAT'S HOW MUCH RESPECT I HAVE FOR LINCOLN.

YOU KNOW, I DIVIDE COLLEGE COACHES UP INTO TWO CATEGORIES, GUYS.

IF I SEE THEM, YOU KNOW, AT A BAR OR RESTAURANT THAT I WOULD THEY DON'T SEE ME THAT I'D WALK IN AND SAY HELLO TO.

AND GUYS, I JUST KEEP WALKING PAST AND LINCOLN RILEY'S A GUY.

I GO, I GO SIT DOWN WITH.

SO I THINK HE'S AN AWESOME GUY AND A GREAT COACH.

WELL, IF YOU LOSE THE GAME, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, YO, WHAT'S THE POINT?

SO YOU KNOW, EVEN THINKING THAT WAY.

BUT I DO THINK THERE'S SOMETHING TO OUR GUYS.

I'VE SAID SINCE DAY ONE BECAUSE THE FIRST YEAR WE WERE FIVE AND THREE AND WE WENT FOUR GAMES IN A ROW WHERE WE HAD TO WIN.

I SAID, YOU NEED TO LEARN HOW TO WIN IN NOVEMBER.

LIKE, DOESN'T MATTER.

WHAT HAPPENS IN SEPTEMBER.

DOESN'T MATTER WHAT HAPPENS IN OCTOBER.

LIKE YOU NEED TO LEARN HOW TO WIN IN NOVEMBER.

>> IT'S GOING TO BE WEIRD SEEING IT IN BLACK.

EVERY GAME I'VE PLAYED HERE HAS BEEN ALL RED, AND SO I COULDN'T TELL YOU IT'S.

GOING TO I KNOW IT'S GOING TO.

IT'S GOING TO SHOCK EVERYBODY.

I KNOW EVERYONE THINKS THAT THEY KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE.

AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT, IT'LL BE IT'LL BE ONE OF THOSE GAMES THAT WE'LL BE REMEMBERED AROUND HERE FOR A LONG TIME.

>> HAVE OUR BRAND BE OUR BRAND.

BUT THIS IS SOMETHING I THINK IS JUST UNIQUE TO THE DNA OF NEBRASKA.

AND I WOULD NOT HAVE PUT THIS IN HERE FOR THE PRESS CONFERENCE.

I'M NOT EVEN THINKING ABOUT THIS.

BUT THEY DID IT, SO THEY HEARD ME TALK IT.

SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE HEARD ME TALKING ABOUT IT WHEN I WALK.

YOU HEAR ME, AMY, TALK.

WHEN I WALKED INTO THAT STUPID.

THERE WAS ONE SAM THAT LIKE, I DON'T MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF THERE.

JUST, YOU KNOW, I THINK SAM ASKED ME A QUESTION, LIKE, LIKE A YEAR AGO.

LIKE, YOU KNOW.

>> WELCOME BACK, SAM MCKEWON.

JOIN US.

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD.

CLOSE PERSONAL FRIEND.

>> YEAH.

>> OF THE HEAD COACH.

>> RIGHT.

>> YOU MENTIONED A LOT.

SAM, WHEN'S THE LAST TIME THERE'S BEEN A GAME OF THIS SIGNIFICANCE IN NOVEMBER.

FOR NEBRASKA FOOTBALL >> YOU KNOW IT'S PROBABLY BEEN A REALLY LONG TIME.

I WAS THINKING ABOUT THAT TODAY.

YEAH.

AND IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

I MEAN YOU COULD PROBABLY GO BACK TO MAYBE THE RILEY ERA BUT, BUT THAT WAS ON THE ROAD AT WISCONSIN.

THAT WAS NOT A HOME GAME.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND SO THAT 2016 GAME, I THINK, OF COURSE, THE MICHIGAN STATE GAME WAS BIG THAT YEAR, BUT NEBRASKA WASN'T VERY GOOD THAT SEASON.

THEY CERTAINLY WEREN'T 6-2.

AND SO YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING BACK, YOU KNOW.

>> 2013 I THINK.

>> YEAH, YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING BACK TO THAT MICHIGAN STATE GAME IN 2013 WHEN THEY CAME INTO TOWN.

AND WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE LEGENDS.

>> YES IT WAS STILL LEGENDS.

>> THE VISION WAS ON THE LINE.

>> AND CLINCHED.

YEAH.

>> MICHIGAN STATE WON THE BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP THAT YEAR IN NEBRASKA.

FELL A LITTLE SHORT IN THAT GAME TOMMY FUMBLED NEAR THE GOAL LINE.

AND THAT WAS SORT OF THE GAME.

BUT IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME.

THE CROWD'S GOING TO BE JUICED.

IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE AS JUICED AS IT WAS FOR COLORADO.

>> YEAH.

>> AND IT WAS FOR MIAMI.

YOU'RE RIGHT.

THOSE GAMES WERE IN SEPTEMBER.

THEY WEREN'T IN NOVEMBER.

SO THIS IS GOING TO BE FUN BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE AUTUMN WEATHER.

IT'S NOT GOING TO BE 88 DEGREES.

SO FANS ARE GOING TO BE REALLY FIRED UP.

>> WE'LL JUST STICK WITH THE USC GAME SO FAR.

HOW DO YOU FEEL AT HOME THIS WEEK AFTER WHAT YOU'VE SEEN WITH THE MINNESOTA?

YOU SAW THEM BOUNCE BACK AGAINST NORTHWESTERN, BUT KNOWING THAT USC HAS STRUGGLED ON THE ROAD SO FAR THIS YEAR, HOW'S WHAT'S HOW ARE YOU FEELING ON TUESDAY OF USC WEEK?

>> THERE'S MULTIPLE INTANGIBLES AT PLAY HERE USC 2-5 IN BIG TEN ROAD GAMES SINCE THEY JOINED THE LEAGUE.

USC ALSO HAD TWO BYES IN THE LAST MONTH.

AND SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE A FRESHER TEAM THAN NEBRASKA, WHICH IS PLAYING ITS FIFTH STRAIGHT WEEK.

AND SO THAT'S GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE.

THE OTHER THING IS THE WEATHER WILL MAYBE PLAY A LITTLE BIT OF A FACTOR.

IT'S GOING TO BE COOLER.

IT WAS 85 DEGREES TODAY, AS DANA HOLGORSEN SAID, AND BEL AIR, WHICH ISN'T EXACTLY WHERE USC PRACTICES, BUT CLOSE ENOUGH.

>> CLOSE ENOUGH.

>> AND SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S GOING TO BE A WEATHER FACTOR.

THERE'S GOING TO BE A FRESHNESS FACTOR.

I THINK USC IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE A LITTLE HEALTHIER.

AND THEN USC MAYBE GOT A LITTLE BIT BETTER PLAYERS, AT CERTAIN SPOTS.

THEY YOU KNOW, THE COACHES MENTIONED TODAY THEY HAVE FOUR AND FIVE STAR ATHLETES.

THEY DIDN'T MENTION THAT FOR NO REASON.

THEY MENTIONED IT FOR A REASON.

USC HAS GOT REALLY GOOD FOOTBALL PLAYERS.

NEBRASKA IS GOING TO HAVE TO PLAY, I THINK, PROBABLY ITS BEST GAME OF THE SEASON IN ORDER TO WIN, BUT I THINK THEY GOT A CHANCE BECAUSE OF THAT.

CROWD'S GOING TO LIFT THEM.

>> THOSE TWO WINS ARE JUST PURDUE AND UCLA RIGHT?

>> THEY ARE.

>> YEAH, NOT THE BEST WIN.

>> AND THE UCLA ONES BARELY COUNT.

>> BARELY SCRATCHED.

GREAT.

>> LIKE IT'S.

>> YOU KNOW, THERE'S LIKE 20,000 USC FANS THERE.

BUT YEAH THEY HAVE NOT BEEN GOOD ON THE ROAD.

THEY LOST AT MARYLAND AND MINNESOTA AND ILLINOIS.

I THINK NEBRASKA IS AS GOOD AS ANY OF THOSE TEAMS FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR.

>> SAM, HOW SURPRISED WERE YOU TO SEE DANA HOLGORSEN KIND OF JUST FLIP HIS PLAYBOOK TO ALMOST LIKE A 60%, 70% RUN, YOU KNOW, ALMOST LIKE A, LOOK MORE LIKE SATTERFIELD OFFENSE THAT THEY WERE RUNNING, THIS PAST WEEK.

>> NO QUESTION.

SEAN, THE WEEK BEFORE IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE ANYTHING THAT THEY WANTED IT TO BE.

AND YOU HAD MENTIONED IT IN THE QUESTION THAT YOU ASKED ABOUT THE THE BALANCE.

AND IT WAS COMPLETELY OUT OF BALANCE AT MINNESOTA, AND WE DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND IT.

I THOUGHT IN THIS GAME THEY GOT BACK TO WHO THEY WANTED TO BE.

AND I THINK THEY GOT THE BALL TO EMMETT JOHNSON AND THEY GOT DOWNHILL.

AND THAT HELPED THEM TO SORT OF GET THAT PASS GAME GOING WHEN THEY NEEDED THE PASS GAME LATE.

GUESS WHAT?

IT WAS THERE AND THEY WERE ABLE TO MAKE ALL THE PLAYS THAT THEY WANTED LATE IN THAT GAME, BUT THEY HAD TO ESTABLISH THE RUN EARLY.

I THINK THEY GOT TO DO THAT AGAINST USC.

USC'S RUN DEFENSE ISN'T THAT GOOD FOR ONE THING AND FOR ANOTHER, THEY'VE GOT TO FIND A WAY TO KEEP USC'S OFFENSE OFF THE FIELD.

IF USC GETS 14 POSSESSIONS IN THIS GAME, THEY'RE GOING TO SCORE 35 POINTS.

IF THEY'RE GOING TO WIN.

>> YEAH, I THINK AFTER THAT NOTRE DAME GAME WHERE THEY GAVE UP 300 YARDS RUSHING, THEY'VE BEEN SPENDING A WEEK OFF GETTING FOR THAT.

BUT I HAD THIS QUESTION I ASKED THEM YESTERDAY IF YOU WERE GOING TO PUT A, YOU KNOW, A CHECK MARK BY ONE SIDE FOR NEBRASKA DEFENSE VERSUS USC'S OFFENSE.

IS THERE ANYTHING THAT NEBRASKA HAS THE ADVANTAGE IN?

>> THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING?

I THINK THERE'S AREAS WHERE NEBRASKA CAN COVER USC IN CERTAIN SPOTS.

I DO LIKE CEYAIR WRIGHT AGAINST MAKAI LEMON.

AS GOOD AS MAKAI LEMON IS, I THINK CEYAIR WRIGHT IS GOING TO BE SUPER MOTIVATED FOR THAT GAME.

AND I THINK HE'S GOING TO HE'S GOING TO COVER IT.

AND MAKAI LEMON WORKS A LITTLE BIT IN THE SLY.

HE'S A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE.

I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY THERE.

I THINK IF NEBRASKA IS ABLE TO BRING SOME EXOTIC PRESSURES, THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET TO MAIAVA AND AND GET HIM TO THE GROUND.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET A TON OF SACKS, BUT THIS IS A GUY THAT WILL HOLD ON TO THE BALL.

HE HAS THROWN SOME PASSES THIS YEAR.

LOOK LIKE OPTICAL ILLUSIONS.

HOW DID THEY COME IN?

HOW DID HE DROP THEM IN?

THEY GOT TO PICK A COUPLE OF THOSE OFF BECAUSE I THINK HE'S BEEN ABLE TO HIT SOME INCREDIBLE THROWS THIS YEAR.

MAYBE THIS IS THE WEEKEND WHERE HE MAKES TWO BAD THROWS AND DESHON SINGLETON OR SOMEBODY IS THERE AND MAKES A TURNOVER.

AND THAT GETS NEBRASKA'S OFFENSE GOING.

I THINK TWO TURNOVERS IS WHAT NEBRASKA NEEDS TO WIN THIS GAME.

>> HE'S WON THE SACK SIX TIMES BY THE WAY ALL SEASON.

>> I KNOW, I KNOW HE'S VERY LOOSE.

>> NEBRASKA'S GOT TO INCREASE THE HAVOC.

>> OH DEFINITELY.

>> THAT'S THE TOUGH SCENARIO.

WE'VE SEEN THAT WITH JOHN BUTLER.

WANT TO BE AGGRESSIVE.

KIND OF HOLD THEM BACK TO THE DOGS.

YOU KNOW IT'S AT TIMES AND YOU KNOW THE MINNESOTA THAT'S WHAT'S SURPRISING TO ME.

AND SAME AS IT HAS BEEN SURPRISING YOU.

AND YOUR SECONDARY IS SO GOOD THAT YOU'RE YOU'RE ALMOST HESITANT TO CALL THE PRESSURE BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEY CAN COVER AND THEY COVER DARN WELL.

AND AT TIMES THEY WANT TO SIT BACK THERE AND ONLY RUSH 3 OR 4 AND NOT GET HOME.

AND THEY KIND OF BITE THEM IN THE REAR END OF WHEN IT REALLY MATTERS.

>> YOU'RE RIGHT.

IT'S INTERESTING THAT AT TIMES THEY WILL ONLY BRING 3 OR 4 GUYS.

SOMETIMES WHEN THEY BRING SIX, THEY DON'T GET ALL THE WAY THERE.

AND THE LAST TWO PLAYS OF THE GAME AGAINST AGAINST NORTHWESTERN, THEY ACTUALLY ONLY BROUGHT FOUR, AND THEY JUST DID IT IN AN EXOTIC WAY.

AND THEY WERE ABLE TO GET GUYS FREE, AT PRESTON STONE IN THE QUARTERBACK.

BUT HERE'S THE THING THAT I'M GOING TO SEE ABOUT THEIR PASS RUSH.

IF YOU GO BACK TO YOUR SENIOR YEAR, YOU KNOW YOU'RE ON ONE.

YOU'RE AN ANCHOR ON ONE SIDE.

ADAM CARRIKER IS AN ANCHOR ON THE OTHER.

THE TWO OF YOU ARE LARGER THAN ANY OF THEIR DEFENSIVE TACKLES.

AND YOU GUYS HAD MEN INSIDE AND YOU GUYS WERE ALL PRETTY OLD AND YOU WERE PRETTY TOUGH.

AND I THINK NEBRASKA'S DEFENSIVE LINE WILL BE THAT WAY IN TWO YEARS.

THEY'RE JUST NOT THERE RIGHT YET.

THEY'RE A LITTLE UNDERSIZED, AND I DON'T THINK THEY CAN JUST BRING FOUR AND OVERWHELM THE PEOPLE IN FRONT OF THEM.

AND SO THEY'VE GOT TO GET THEIR THE BEST PASS RUSHER THEY HAD.

AND SEAN KNOWS THIS FROM LAST YEAR IS AT OLE MISS.

AND HE JUST HAD TWO AND A HALF SACKS.

YOU KNOW FOUR TACKLES FOR LOSS AGAINST OKLAHOMA.

THAT WAS THEIR BEST PASS RUSHER.

AND HE LEFT PROBABLY THAT WAS OKAY THAT HE DID.

BUT THE REALITY IS THEY'VE GOT TO REPLENISH THAT UNIT AND THEY'VE JUST GOT TO GET LARGER.

KEONA DAVIS, WHEN HE'S A SENIOR WILL BE 6'5" AND ABOUT 295 RIGHT NOW.

HE'S 275.

LAST YEAR HE WAS 255.

SO HE'S IN THE PROCESS OF BECOMING THAT BUTT KICKER THAT HE'S EVENTUALLY GOING TO BECOME.

BUT HE'S NOT QUITE THERE.

>> WE NEED THAT TITUS ADAMS 2005 GUY.

THEY NEED HIM.

WHO GREW TO LIKE 305 POUNDS.

>> YEAH.

>> THEY NEED A GUY LIKE THAT.

>>HAVING TITUS AND KEELAN SMITH.

>> YES.

>> BARRY CRYER AND OLA DAGUNDURO AND ALL THOSE GUYS WERE.

>> YEAH.

THEY DEPTH.

>> WE HAD DEPTH AND SIZE.

>> THE GUYS A BALL PLAYER.

>> YEAH, YEAH.

>> OCTAVIEN.

>> YEAH, I ALWAYS TALK ABOUT HOW GREAT THE PEOPLE DON'T RESPECT HOW LOADED THOSE TEAMS WERE.

LOTS OF CUPS, CUPS OF COFFEE, A LOT OF GUYS WHO HAD LONG CAREERS >> OH YEAH.

OH, >> IN THE NFL.

>> OCTAVIEN PLAYED IN THE LEAGUE.

>> A LOT OF GUYS PLAYED IN THE LEAGUE.

>> YES, WE HAD.

>> BUTLER'S DOING A GOOD JOB WITH THIS GROUP.

I THINK HE'S DOING A GOOD JOB BECAUSE THEY'RE A LITTLE UNDERSIZED AND THEY'RE A LITTLE YOUNG AND THEY DON'T QUITE HAVE.

THEY HAVEN'T QUITE GROWN INTO THAT.

WE'RE TALKING 19 YEAR OLD GUYS ALL OVER THE PLACE OUT THERE WHEN THEY'RE 21 AND 22.

I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THIS BECOME AN ELITE DEFENSE.

IT'S ALREADY PRETTY GOOD AGAINST THE BASE.

>> SAM, WE'RE GOING TO BE GEARING UP NOW TO FOR ONE OF THE BIGGEST OFF SEASONS IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL WITH THIS COACHING CAROUSEL.

>> YEAH.

WITH LSU THAT JUST OPENED.

WE KNOW PENN STATE AND A LOT OF THESE BIG JOBS.

I MEAN, WHAT DO YOU ANTICIPATE THE MONTHS AHEAD TO LOOK LIKE IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL WITH THE PLAYER MOVEMENT, THE COACHING MOVEMENT, THE ASSISTANT COACH?

I MEAN, IS IT LIKE ANYTHING WE'VE EVER SEEN BEFORE?

>> I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE ANYTHING WE'VE EVER SEEN.

NO.

AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE A TON OF FIRINGS LAST YEAR.

AND SO THIS YEAR THERE WAS GOING TO BE MORE.

NEBRASKA'S GOT A HOLD ON ITS COACH, FOR ONE THING.

AND BEYOND THAT, I THINK NEBRASKA'S GOT TO FIND A WAY TO GO OUT AND GET THE RIGHT PIECES TO PUT TOGETHER, REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS IN THE COACHING SITUATION.

AND JUST AS A NATIONWIDE THING.

YEAH, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE MOVEMENT ALL OVER THE PLACE.

I THINK OF A GUY LIKE WASHINGTON'S QUARTERBACK DEMOND WILLIAMS, AN AWFULLY GOOD PLAYER.

>> HE'S A REALLY GOOD PLAYER.

>> NOW IS JEDD FISCH GOING TO BE THERE NEXT YEAR?

I'M NOT SURE HE WILL.

IS DEMOND WILLIAMS GOING TO GO WITH HIS COACH OR IS HE GOING TO STAY AT WASHINGTON, OR IS THERE GOING TO BE A THIRD SCHOOL HE GOES TO WHERE HE TURNS INTO A CAM WARD.

NOW, GRANTED, HE'S NOT AS TALL AS CAM WARD, BUT THERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF A GUY WHERE I'M LIKE, THAT GUY'S NOT GOING TO BE THERE NEXT YEAR, PROBABLY.

AND WHERE IS HE GOING TO GO?

PLAYERS LIKE THAT ARE GOING TO BE GAME CHANGERS WHEREVER THEY LAND, AND IT COULD BE CLEMSON, IT COULD BE FLORIDA, IT COULD BE ANYWHERE THAT HIS COACH GOES OR THAT HE DECIDES TO GO.

>> LET ME ASK YOU THIS BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT'S INDIANA, OHIO STATE 1A, 1B.

THEN IT'S OREGON WHO'S THE FOURTH TEAM AT THE END OF THE SEASON THAT WILL HAVE A SHOT TO GET IN THE CFP AT THE BIG TEN.

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

I THINK THAT IF YOU WERE GOING TO ASK ME FOR A FOURTH TEAM RIGHT NOW, IT WOULD BE USC.

>> OKAY.

>> I THINK THEY'VE GOT JUST A LITTLE BIT BETTER OFFENSE THAN SOME OF THESE OTHER TEAMS.

AND I THINK DOWN THE STRETCH, THEY DO OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO WIN AT NEBRASKA.

THEY HAVE TO WIN AT OREGON, WHICH IS VERY HARD.

AND THEY HAVE TO BEAT IOWA.

IOWA HAS THE SCHEDULE THAT MAKES IT POSSIBLE.

>> YEP.

>> AND THE REASON I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE THEY HOST OREGON AND THAT'S A HARD PLACE FOR ANY TEAM TO WIN IS KINNICK.

AND THEN THEY GO TO USC WINNABLE THERE AND THEN THEY HAVE NOT LOST AT NEBRASKA SINCE 2011.

>> YEAH.

>> AND SO EVEN THOUGH I THINK NEBRASKA IS A ROAD GAME AND A TOUGH ONE, IOWA HAS A CHANCE.

SO I'D SAY IT'S YOU SEE USC, IOWA, WASHINGTON MAYBE THEN NEBRASKA.

I THINK NEBRASKA HAS A HARD SCHEDULE.

>> WHEN THEY PLAY ON THE ROAD.

>> NEBRASKA DOES.

BUT IF THEY CAN WIN THIS WEEKEND YOU NEVER KNOW.

IT COULD TAKE OFF AND IT COULD BE REALLY INTERESTING.

>> HOW IMPRESSED ARE YOU WITH WHAT KIRK FERENTZ HAS DONE AT IOWA?

BECAUSE I THINK WE ALL KIND OF COUNTED THEM OUT, AND NOW THEY'RE PLAYING SOME OF THE BEST FOOTBALL.

WE'VE SEEN THEM PLAY IN A FEW YEARS.

>> THEY'RE DOING WHAT IOWA ALWAYS DOES.

AND BUT THIS TIME THEY'VE GOT A RUNNING QUARTERBACK AS OPPOSED TO A GUY THAT'S 264 POUNDS AND STANDS THERE LIKE THE GUY THEY HAD TWO YEARS AGO.

AND SO THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE.

THEY WENT OUT AND GOT A GUY THAT CAN BEAT YOU WITH HIS LEGS AND NOT JUST HIS ARM.

AND AS A RESULT, THEY'RE GOING TO BE A THREAT DOWN THE STRETCH.

NOW I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE GOING TO BEAT OREGON, BUT IF THERE WAS ONE STADIUM IN THE BIG TEN WHERE I WAS LIKE, A TEAM COULD PULL AN UPSET, IT'S KINNICK.

THEY'VE DONE IT BEFORE >> BECAUSE THEY'VE DONE.

>> IT'LL BE DONE.

>> YEAH, >> THEY'VE DONE IT BEFORE.

SO IF THEY PULL THAT OFF, JUST IMAGINE IF NEBRASKA BEAT USC AND THEN THEY BEAT UCLA AND THEY DO WHATEVER THEY DO AT PENN STATE.

AND THEY'RE 9-2 AND IOWA'S 9-2.

>> RIGHT.

>> ON THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING ON BLACK FRIDAY, YOU COULD BE TALKING ABOUT A CFP KNOCKOUT GAME 11 A.M.

ON CBS.

THERE'S A CHANCE FOR THAT.

>> WOULD IT BE GREAT, WOULD BE GREAT AT NIGHT?

>> IT WOULD BE GREAT AT NIGHT.

>> GREAT AT NIGHT GAME.

>> IT'D BE A GREAT NIGHT.

IT'S EASY.

>> I KNOW IT'S BEEN 11.

IT'S GOING TO BE 11.

IT'S GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, BREAKFAST AFTER THANKSGIVING.

BUT IF THAT HAPPENS, THEN THAT RIVALRY THAT EVERYBODY'S KIND OF BEEN WAITING TO KIND OF KINDLE IS FINALLY THERE.

9-2 AND 9-2.

IT'D BE REALLY FUN.

>> LET ME ASK YOU THIS.

THERE'S A COUPLE REPORTS OUT THERE.

I THINK THEY CAME FROM ON THREE THAT IT LOOKS LIKE MAYBE THERE IS AN EXTENSION, A HUGE EXTENSION IN THE WORKS FOR MATT RHULE HERE.

DO YOU THINK THAT'S COMING?

>> I THINK IT'S DISTINCTLY POSSIBLE, THE WAY THAT MATT RHULE HAS TALKED ABOUT THE JOB SINCE THE PENN STATE JOB CAME OPEN, LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT HE FEELS LIKE THERE'S A FUTURE HERE, NOT JUST WHAT HE SAID ON MCAFEE ABOUT THE DESTINATION YET, BUT THE COMMENTS HE MADE THE VERY FIRST DAY.

NOW WHAT HE MADE COMMENTS ABOUT WANTING TO SET UP THIS ROSTER, GOING FORWARD.

IF, HE INTENDS TO WALK AWAY FROM IT, I'D BE SURPRISED.

I KNOW THAT NEBRASKA IS IS QUIET ABOUT THIS RIGHT NOW.

THIS WOULD BE AN INTERESTING WEEK TO ANNOUNCE IT.

THIS WOULD BE A GOOD WEEK TO ANNOUNCE IT IN THE LEAD UP TO THIS PARTICULAR GAME, BUT I FEEL LIKE IN HIS HEART OF HEARTS, MATT RHULE MAY NOT THINK THAT THIS JOB IS DONE HERE.

IT'S JUST NOT DONE YET.

AND IF HE LEAVES NOW AND HE GOES TO PENN STATE AND I THINK HE'D HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO THERE, I THINK HE WOULD LEAVE KNOWING THAT HE HADN'T QUITE TURNED IT ALL THE WAY AROUND THE CORNER LIKE HE DID AT BAYLOR.

WHEN DAVE ARANDA TOOK THAT JOB OVER, THEY WON THE BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP TWO YEARS LATER.

I DON'T KNOW THAT NEBRASKA IS QUITE THERE YET, SO I FEEL LIKE HE JUST DOESN'T THINK THE JOB'S QUITE DONE.

>> WHAT DO YOU.

>> WE'LL SEE.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK AN EXTENSION LOOKS LIKE, THOUGH AT THIS POINT HE HAD FIVE YEARS ALREADY REMAINING.

>> HE ALREADY MAKES A LOT OF MONEY.

>> AND HIS CONTRACT SALARY IS GOING TO BE HIGHER THAN CURT CIGNETTI'S NEW CONTRACT.

SO WHAT DOES IT.

I MEAN, YOU CAN'T REALLY GIVE HIM MUCH MORE THAN FIVE MORE YEARS, AND HE'S GOING TO BE CARRYING HIS SALARY.

POT CAN'T GET.

I MEAN, IS IT ABOUT MONEY FOR THE PLAYERS?

I MEAN, WHAT DO YOU THINK THE EXTENSION IS GOING TO ENTAIL IF HE GETS ONE?

>> SO I THINK YOU COULD ADD 2 OR 3 MORE YEARS TO IT.

YOU COULD TAKE IT FROM 90% GUARANTEED, WHICH IT IS.

NOW.

THAT'S WHAT TREV NEGOTIATED AT THE TIME AND WAS VERY PROUD OF IT.

AND YOU COULD TAKE THAT TO 100% GUARANTEED.

SO THOSE ARE TWO THINGS THAT YOU COULD DO.

AND THEN I THINK YOU HAVE TO PUT INTO PLACE A FEELING THAT, LIKE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO RENEGOTIATE THE MULTIMEDIA RIGHTS DEAL.

RIGHT.

AND THE APPAREL DEAL.

BECAUSE WHERE YOUR MONEY FROM THIS POINT FORWARD IS COMING TO GET TO THAT 30 OR $40 MILLION NUMBER IS ACTUALLY GOING TO COME THROUGH THE ADIDAS CONTRACT AND THE PLAY FLIGHT CONTRACT.

AND SO IF NEBRASKA CAN MAKE PROGRESS THERE, I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN GOOD SHAPE.

THIS ISN'T ABOUT JOE DONOR OPENING UP HIS WALLET AND SAYING, HERE'S 100 BUCKS.

THAT CAN HELP A LITTLE BIT, BUT THIS IS MORE ABOUT THOSE BIG TICKET ITEMS THAT NEBRASKA'S GOT IT.

YEAH, THE CORPORATE PIECES THEY GOT TO GET IN LINE.

AND I AGAIN, I THINK THAT IN A LOT OF WAYS, THIS JOB AT NEBRASKA IS A BETTER JOB THAN CURRENTLY AT PENN STATE.

AND FOR ONE REASON PENN STATE IS HIRING SOMEONE TO BUILD A RESUME THAT IS EQUAL TO JAMES FRANKLIN.

THEY'RE NOT EVEN I DON'T EVEN THINK THEY CARE THAT MUCH ABOUT THE CULTURE.

THEY JUST LIKE, GET US TO THE PLAYOFF AND WIN A BUNCH OF GAMES.

DOES ANY COACH REALLY, REALLY WANT THAT?

I MEAN, NOT MANY.

THEY'RE LIKE, YEAH, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S WHAT THEY REALLY WANT.

THAT'S WHAT BRENT VENABLES HAS AT OKLAHOMA.

I MEAN, BRENT VENABLES WAS HIRED TO GO THERE AND DO EXACTLY WHAT LINCOLN RILEY DID.

HE'S STRUGGLING TO DO IT.

AND I THINK JAMES FRANKLIN SET UP THE EXACT SAME SITUATION AT PENN STATE.

AND SO, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE RHULE WANTS TO GO WORK FOR HIS FRIEND.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, MAYBE HE DOESN'T.

>> SAM, WE APPRECIATE IT.

DON'T FORGET TO WEAR BLACK.

WE'LL SEE YOU ON SATURDAY.

>> ALL RIGHT.

>> WE COME BACK.

WE'RE GOING TO TALK SOME RECRUITING AND LOOK AHEAD TO THE TROJANS AND TOP PLAYS.

(BAND MUSIC) (UPBEAT MUSIC) >> ALL RIGHT.

TIME FOR TOP PLAYS.

YOU GUYS VOTED ON THEM.

THERE IS THE GAME CLINCHING TOUCHDOWN BY EMMETT JOHNSON.

BATTLING THROUGH ABOUT THREE DIFFERENT DEFENDERS TO SCORE THE TOUCHDOWN.

NUMBER TWO NYZIAH HUNTER TOE DRAG SWAG GETTING HIS FOOT IN FOR THE TOUCHDOWN A HUGE PLAY BACK SHOULDER THROW TOUCHDOWN AFTER THE REVIEW.

AND THEN OF COURSE KICKOFF RETURN KENNETH WILLIAMS WHO HOW FAR HAS HE COME THIS SEASON.

IT'S INCREDIBLE.

HE WENT FROM NO ONE KNOWS HIS NAME REALLY TO BEING THE GUY THAT HAS THE BEST AVERAGE FOR KICKOFF RETURNS IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY.

THINK ABOUT THAT.

AND THE BLOCKING ON THIS IS INCREDIBLE.

THERE'S ABOUT 4 OR 5.

WACKER HAS A HECK OF A BLOCK.

CALEB BENNING HAS A BLOCK.

IS ALL THESE BLOCKS IN THIS.

IT'S INCREDIBLE TO LOOK AT WHAT THESE GUYS DID TO GET KENNETH WILLIAMS IN FOR THE TOUCHDOWN.

ALL RIGHT JOHN CALLAHAN JOINING US TO TALK SOME RECRUITING BIG RECRUITING WEEKEND WITH USC IN TOWN.

>> YEAH YOU LOOK AT THE RECRUITING WEEKEND AHEAD FOR YOU KNOW THIS IS AS BIG AS IT'S GOING TO GET IN A WHILE.

I MEAN MAYBE TILL THE SPRING AND THEY KNEW THIS WAS GOING TO BE A NIGHT GAME.

SO THEY'VE KIND OF SET ALL IN.

AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT PROBABLY 50 LIKE OFFER LEVEL GUYS THAT WILL BE HERE.

YOU KNOW, 25 PLUS THAT ARE OF THE HIGH, HIGH LEVEL.

YOU KNOW, TONIGHT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A HANDFUL, MIKE'L, OF SOME OF THE 2027 PLAYERS THAT ARE GOING TO BE HERE, AHMAD HUDSON, AT TIGHT END WILL BE MAKING A RETURN TRIP.

>> RUSTON HIGH SCHOOL.

>> HE'S A DUAL SPORT ATHLETE.

ALSO BEING RECRUITED AS A D1 BASKETBALL PLAYER.

>> I BELIEVE.

>> AND THEN A COUPLE OF BIG TIME OFFENSIVE LINEMEN, JAKE HILDEBRAND OUT OF BASHA HIGH SCHOOL.

THEY ACTUALLY PLAYED MILLARD SOUTH LAST YEAR.

>> YEAH, YEAH.

>> HE'S ONE OF THE TOP TACKLES IN THE COUNTRY FOR 2027.

AND THEN AARYN WASHINGTON ONE OF THE TOP CORNERS.

>> MATER DEI.

>> OUT OF MATER DEI.

SO, THEY HAVE GONE ALL IN TO BRING IN, A LOT OF NAMES.

THESE ARE PROBABLY THREE OF THE BIGGER ONES THAT JUMP OUT.

BUT THE LIST OF FORCED FOUR AND FIVE STAR GUYS IS HEAVY.

AHMAD HUDSON, THOUGH ANYONE THAT WENT TO THE SEVEN ON SEVEN EVENT, HE WAS OUTSTANDING.

AND HE MADE A GREAT CONNECTION WITH TRAE TAYLOR.

>> GOT A COUPLE TOUCHDOWN CATCHES AS WELL.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE GUY WHO'S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST FAN OF NEBRASKA.

AND IT'S TRAE TAYLOR.

HE'S EVERYWHERE.

>> SO TRAE TAYLOR WILL BE BACK AGAIN.

NO SURPRISE THIS WEEKEND.

HE'S HAVING A GOOD SEASON.

HE HAD A HUGE WIN.

THEY'VE LOST ONE GAME.

HE'S PUTTING UP SOME NUMBERS.

BUT TRAE THIS WEEKEND FOR HIM YOU KNOW IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR HIM TO BE AROUND THESE GUYS.

YEAH BECAUSE IT'S A LOT OF 2027 AND 2028.

IT'S NOT REALLY A 2026 WEEKEND.

AND THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE.

LIKE GETTING TRAE TAYLOR TO BE COMMITTED THIS EARLY TO NEBRASKA HAS BEEN CRITICAL BECAUSE HE IS KIND OF LIKE THE HOST FOR ALL THESE GUYS WHEN THEY COME IN OR WHEN DYLAN RAIOLA COMMITTED.

THEY NEVER REALLY WERE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.

>> HE'S A LEAD RECRUITER.

APPRECIATE IT SEAN.

TRIVIA QUESTION NOW FROM 1969 2003, NEBRASKA DIDN'T MISS A BOWL GAME SINCE 2004.

HOW MANY BOWL GAMES HAVE THE HUSKERS BEEN TO?

AND OUR WINNER, REBECCA CROWELL, GOT IT RIGHT.

12 BOWL GAMES AFTER, OF COURSE, LAST YEAR'S BOWL.

SHE'S GONNA WIN A COPY OF OUR OWN, SEAN CALLAHAN'S NEW BOOK ABOUT THE HUSKERS PROGRAM.

NEBRASKA'S CURATED HISTORY OF THE CORNHUSKERS.

THIS WEEK'S WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON NEXT WEEK'S SHOW.

THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION IS AN EASY ONE.

IN 1970, THE HUSKERS WON THEIR FIRST NATIONAL TITLE AND WENT 11-0-1.

WHO WAS THE TIE AGAINST?

I THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE TO PUT THE SCORE DOWN AS WELL.

LET'S DO SOME HUSKER HISTORY.

HUSKER TAKES US BACK TO JANUARY 1ST, 1971, IN THE ORANGE BOWL AGAINST LSU.

I'VE WATCHED THIS GAME A COUPLE TIMES, BOB DEVANEY I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR THE HUSKERS FIRST TITLE.

THE HUSKERS GROUND GAME WAS DOMINANT.

JOE ORDUNA SCORED AT FIRST QUARTER, AND IN THE FOURTH QUARTER, DOWN 12-10, JERRY TAGGE SCORED THE GAME WINNER FROM ONE YARD OUT.

IT NOT ONLY WAS A GREAT PLAY, IT THEN BECAME A BUNCH OF PLACEMATS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF NEBRASKA AND EVERYONE'S HOUSE.

17-12 WIN.

AND AN INTERESTING HISTORICAL NOTE.

IN 1970, CONGRESS BANNED SMOKING TV ADS ON TV, BUT SINCE THE SPOTS WERE ALREADY SOLD, THEY MOVE BACK THE BAN BY ONE DAY.

SO THIS WAS THE LAST LIVE SPORTING EVENT TO HAVE CIGARETTE ADS IN IT.

AND WHAT WAS THE BRAND?

THE LAST AD?

THE SAME BRAND THAT WAS ALWAYS IN THE FLINTSTONES.

WINSTON.

WINSTON WAS WHAT FRED FLINTSTONE SMOKED BEHIND THE HOUSE ONCE ON THE FLINTSTONES.

>> HEY, YOU LEARNED SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY.

>> YOU LEARN SOMETHING EVERY DAY.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S TURN OUR ATTENTION TO THE TEAM NEBRASKA HAS NEVER BEATEN.

WE WELCOME IN SCOTT SCHRADER ON THREE USC SCOOP.

HEY SCOTT WE APPRECIATE IT.

THANKS FOR COMING ON.

>> HEY, THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> YEAH.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE THE ROAD HOME SPLITS.

IS IT MORE ABOUT JUST WHO USC'S PLAYED ON THE ROAD, OR IS THERE ACTUALLY A CONCERN THERE?

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING THERE IN LA AND ANYWHERE ELSE?

>> HEY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK BACK TO THE ESPECIALLY THESE PAST TWO SEASONS, THERE'S SOMETHING TO USC HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME ON THE ROAD.

LAST SEASON THE ONLY ROAD VICTORY THEY HAD WAS UCLA.

SO THIS YEAR THEY'VE GONE ON THE ROAD.

THEY BEAT PURDUE AND THEY KNOW.

SO THEY'VE DONE A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

THAN THEY DID LAST YEAR UP TO THIS POINT.

BUT YOU KNOW THIS THE WAY THAT A LOT OF THE FANS AND US IN THE MEDIA ARE LOOKING AT THIS GAME IS IT'S A IT'S A BIG TEST FOR USC ON THE ROAD.

IT'S GOING TO BE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT'S GOING TO BE LOUD AND CRAZY.

IT'S GOING TO BE I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IT AND BE A PART OF IT MYSELF.

BUT, NO, THEY'VE HAD PROBLEMS ON THE ROAD.

>> SCOTT, USC HAS BEEN ABLE TO RUN THE FOOTBALL REALLY, REALLY WELL THIS YEAR.

BUT THAT'S BEING SAID WITH THE RUNNING THE STABLE HAS BEEN BANGED UP ALL YEAR.

HOW HAVE THEY BEEN SO CONSISTENT.

RUN THE FOOTBALL NOW THAT THEY'RE ON THEIR THIRD OR FOURTH RUNNING BACKS SO FAR GOING INTO THE EIGHTH GAME.

>> YOU KNOW YOU GOT TO GIVE A LOT OF CREDIT TO THE OFFENSIVE LINE COACH ZACH HANSON ON THAT.

YOU KNOW THEY HE TOOK OVER FOR JOSH HENSON WHO'S NOW AT PURDUE.

AND YOU KNOW THEY THE LINE PLAY HAS BEEN LIGHT YEARS BETTER THAN IT WAS LAST YEAR.

FROM A CONSISTENCY PERSPECTIVE.

AND YOU KNOW AND THEY'VE GOT THEIR STARTING LEFT TACKLE THAT'S BEEN OUT FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF GAMES.

AND THEY'RE STARTING CENTER AS WELL.

SO THEY PROBABLY ARE GOING TO BE GETTING THE LEFT TACKLE BACK FOR THIS GAME ON SATURDAY.

BUT I THINK THAT IT COMES DOWN TO THAT.

I JUST THINK THE TWO RUNNING BACKS THAT THEY BROUGHT IN THROUGH THE TRANSFER PORTAL LAST YEAR AND WAYMOND JORDAN AND ELI SANDERS WERE JUST EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD.

BUT YOU KNOW, NOW YOU'VE GOT KING MILLER, WHO WAS A IS A WALK ON THIRD STRING RUNNING BACK.

AND HE HAD BRYAN JACKSON, WHO WASN'T EVEN DRESSED FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE MICHIGAN GAME AND THE BEGINNING OF THE THIRD QUARTER.

HE RUNS UP THE TUNNEL AND PUTS HIS UNIFORM ON, COMES IN AND SCORES A TOUCHDOWN.

SO YEAH, IT'S IT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE THE WAY THEY'VE BEEN RUNNING THE BALL.

THEY DID STRUGGLE LAST WEEK AGAINST NOTRE DAME.

BUT IT'S BEEN IT'S DEFINITELY BEEN SOMETHING I THINK THAT'S BEEN A HIGH POINT FOR USC THIS SEASON OFFENSIVELY.

>> SCOTT YEAR TWO IN THE BIG TEN.

HOW HAVE YOU SEEN USC JUST ADJUST HOW THEIR ROSTER IS BUILT TO HANDLE THIS LEAGUE AND EVEN JUST MAYBE HOW THEY ADJUST TO SOME OF THE TRIPS AND TRAVELING AFTER DOING IT YEAR ONE NOW GOING INTO YEAR TWO?

>> YEAH, THEY'VE CHANGED SOME STUFF UP WITH THE WAY THAT THEY'RE TRAVELING FOR SURE.

THEY WHEN THEY WENT TO ILLINOIS, YOU KNOW, SUDDENLY GOING FLYING IN CHICAGO.

BUT THEN YOU GOT TO YOU HAVE A TWO HOUR DRIVE AFTER THAT.

SO THEY LEFT A COUPLE OF DAYS EARLY FOR, FOR THAT GAME.

THEY NOTRE DAME WAS A 7:30 P.M.

KICKOFF.

SO THEY, THEY LEFT THE DAY BEFORE FOR THAT GAME.

BUT RECRUITING WISE AND THEY'RE DEFINITELY RECRUITING DIFFERENTLY THAN THEY HAD WHEN THEY WERE IN THE PAC 12.

THEIR SIZE IS THE BIGGEST FACTOR ON ON THE GUYS THAT THEY'RE BRINGING IN RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY ON THE LINES, AND YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT ALSO WHEN YOU RECRUIT YOUR SECONDARY AND YOUR LINEBACKERS AS WELL, I DON'T THINK THEY'RE QUITE THERE WITH WHERE THEY WANT THE ROSTER TO BE.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT PROGRAM IS.

BUT, THEY'VE DEFINITELY CHANGED THAT UP.

AND I THINK IT'S BEEN A THEY'VE BEEN A LITTLE BIT SLOW MAYBE ON THE ROSTER DEVELOPMENT AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.

BUT OVERALL THIS TEAM IS FAR, FAR BIGGER AND STRONGER THAN THAN THE TEAM WAS TWO YEARS AGO.

>> HEY, SCOTT, WE APPRECIATE IT.

WILL YOU SEE YOU SATURDAY IN THE PRESS BOX?

>> YEAH.

LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU GUYS.

>> ALL RIGHT.

TAKE IT EASY.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE BIG TEN STANDINGS AND WHERE NEBRASKA IS AND WHERE EVERYONE ELSE IS.

AS WELL.

INDIANA OF COURSE.

SITTING THERE ON TOP.

OHIO STATE, OREGON, AND THEN WE TALKED ABOUT WHO'S YOUR NEXT TEAM OF THOSE 4 OR 5.

IS IT MICHIGAN, IOWA, USC, UCLA OR NEBRASKA?

SOME INTERESTING GAMES AROUND THE BIG TEN THIS WEEK.

BIG TEN HAS PENN STATE LOOKING FOR THEIR FIRST BIG TEN WIN IN COLUMBUS AGAINST TOP RANKED BUCKEYES.

SECOND RANKED INDIANA GOES ON THE ROAD WITH MARYLAND.

ILLINOIS LOOKS TO BOUNCE BACK.

THEY HOST RUTGERS BECAUSE ILLINOIS FELL OUT OF THE RANKINGS.

BUT GOING INTO THE RANKINGS, OHIO STATE IS STILL NUMBER ONE.

INDIANA IS NUMBER TWO.

OREGON IS NUMBER SIX.

MICHIGAN IS 21 AND USC IS NUMBER 23.

LET'S LOOK AT THE CURRENT SURVEY FOR THIS WEEK.

OHIO STATE, INDIANA, OREGON, CLOSED TO LOCKS FOR THE CFP.

WHO'S LIKELY THE MOST FOR WHO'S THE FOURTH TEAM.

AND FANS HERE SAYING IT'S NEBRASKA AT 37% AND A BUNCH OF 20% BETWEEN IOWA, MICHIGAN AND USC AND THEN WASHINGTON COMING IN AT 3%.

THAT'S YOUR FOURTH IN THE BIG TEN RIGHT THERE LOOKING AT THOSE.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SCHEDULE AND WHAT NEBRASKA IS COMING FOR.

OBVIOUSLY THEY HAVE A USC GAME.

USC AND NEBRASKA BOTH HAVE BEEN VERY GOOD SPECIAL TEAMS WISE, BUT IT CERTAINLY FEELS LIKE THAT NEBRASKA IS AT A POINT NOW WHERE YOU EXPECT TO HAVE A PLAY ON SPECIAL TEAMS.

>> 100%.

WHETHER IT'S KICKOFF RETURNS, PUNT RETURNS, PUMP BLOCK SITUATIONS OR SOMETHING THAT THEY ARE THEY'RE FORCING THE SITUATION.

I THINK IN YEARS PAST, NEBRASKA, IT WAS A LIABILITY.

I THINK THEY WERE JUST LIKE, OH MY GOD, I HOPE WE CAN SNAP THIS BALL OR WE CAN GET THE HOLD DOWN.

I HOPE WE CAN JUST FIELD THE PUNT TO GET OUR OFFENSE OUT THERE.

THIS IS THEY ARE THIS IS 100%.

MIKE EKELER'S CREW HAS CHANGED IT, AND I THIS WAS THE ONE OF THE BEST HIRES COACH RHULE HAS HAD.

AND, SINCE HE'S OBVIOUSLY SINCE HE'S BEEN HERE AND IT'S SHOWN, AND I EXPECT FULLY EXPECTED THEY'RE GOING TO THEY WILL FIND ANY NOOK AND CRANNY TO EXPLOIT A TEAM IF YOU'RE NOT ON YOUR IF YOU'RE NOT DISCIPLINED ON GAP ASSIGNMENTS AND PUNT BLOCK SITUATIONS, THEY'RE GOING TO LEARN TO EXPLOIT YOU.

AND IT'S FUN.

IT'S FINALLY HAVE THAT TO BE A WEAPON.

>> YEAH.

>> AND UTILIZE IT.

AND I FULLY EXPECT THE SAME.

I MEAN, LISTEN, NOTRE DAME TOOK A BACK AND KICK OFF AGAINST USC JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, AND I DON'T, I WOULD EXPECT, THEM TO DO THE SAME WHETHER IT'S ON THE KICK RETURNER OR PUNT RETURN.

>> YEAH.

SEAN WHAT'S THE REACTION KIND OF BEEN ON YOUR BOARD AND STUFF ABOUT THE BLACKOUT AND JOE FROM ELKHORN.

IT'S NOT GO BIG BLACK.

IT'S NOT GO BIG WHITE.

IT'S GO BIG RED.

STOP WITH THE GIMMICK UNIFORMS.

WHAT'S THE REACTION BEEN ON YOUR BOARD?

>> I THINK MOST ARE OKAY WITH IT.

AND LOOK, YOU GET THE SENSE NEBRASKA ALMOST WANT.

YOU KNOW PENN STATE DOES THE WHITEOUT JUST PICKING UP ON THINGS THAT MATT RHULE SAID THIS WEEK.

I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF NEBRASKA WANTS TO DO A BLACKOUT ALMOST EVERY YEAR.

I FEEL LIKE A NIGHT GAME LIKE THIS THAT THEY CAN STAGE.

MATT RHULE SAID HE WANTS TO WEAR THE BLACKS ONCE A YEAR AT HOME WHEN IT MAKES SENSE, SO I WOULD NOT BE SHOCKED AT ALL IF WE SEE THIS AGAIN DOWN THE ROAD AND, THEY'RE KIND OF BEHIND.

I MEAN, ALL THE PRESS RELEASES ARE IN BLACK.

>> WEBSITES AND ALL THE.

>> ALL THE SOCIAL MEDIA AVATARS.

I MEAN, THEY HAVE GONE ALL IN.

>> THE FLAGS AT THE STADIUM.

>> YEAH.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

WHAT DO YOU THINK, JAY.

>> I LIKE IT.

I'M TOTALLY FINE.

>> THE BLACKSHIRTS LIKE IT.

>> BUT YEAH, I MEAN, I WOULD THERE'S.

THAT'S WHY, I'M NOT A BIG FAN OF THE WHITEOUT AND WE CAN, YOU KNOW, >> ARE THERE ALL REDS.

>> I DON'T MIND THAT AS MUCH, BUT I LIKE THE I LIKE IT.

IT'S COOL.

I THINK IN TODAY'S DAY AND AGE OF FOOTBALL, OBVIOUSLY OREGON KIND OF STARTED THIS WHOLE, SHTICK, BUT OH, I'M ALL FOR IT.

I THINK.

FINE, I THINK THE FANS WILL EMBRACE IT, AND I'M IF THEY WANT TO DO IT ONCE A YEAR.

>> YEAH.

>> LET'S FIND THAT ONE GAME THAT THEY CAN THEY CAN DO IT EVERY YEAR ON A NIGHT GAME.

>> I'LL TAKE THIS ONE.

TIM SAYS A PET PEEVE OF MINE ALSO ARE CORNERS AND SAFETIES NOT TURNING FOR THE BALL.

EVEN THE SECONDARY IS BEAT TRYING TO CATCH UP AND WATCH THE RECEIVER'S EYES REACTION.

THAT'S WHEN YOU SHOULD TURN AND LOOK FOR THE BALL.

DEFEND THE PASS PROPERLY.

THAT'S NOT ACTUALLY CORRECT.

THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT'S TAUGHT BY THE BEST CORNERBACK YOU'RE IN PHASE.

THE LAST THING YOU WANT TO DO IS TURN, BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOSE THE PERSON YOU'RE IN PHASE WITH, THAT'S AN OLD-FASHIONED THEORY OF HAVING TO TURN YOUR BACK.

AND AS LONG AS YOU DON'T TOUCH THE RECEIVER, YOU'RE OKAY.

JUST GET YOUR HAND BETWEEN THE HANDS.

HANDS ARE LIKE THIS.

YOU COME BETWEEN THEM, YOU KNOCK THE BALL AWAY.

DO NOT TURN YOUR HEAD BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOSE A GUY, SO YOU PLAY IT.

HE GOES ON.

>> IN MAN-TO-MAN SITUATION, YOU PLAY, YOU PLAY THE HANDS.

>> YES.

>> THERE'S ALWAYS A RULE OF MAN-TO-MAN COVERAGE.

YOU SEE THE BALL THROWN, YOU WILL SEE THE BALL CAUGHT.

>> YES, EXACTLY.

>> THAT'S THE RULE OF THUMB ON MAN-TO-MAN.

NOW IN ZONE, YOU CAN PLAY, YOU CAN PLAY THE QUARTERBACK.

YOU CAN PLAY THE ROUTES, BUT IN MAN, YOUR SITUATION YOU GOT TO PLAY THE HANDS 100%.

>> SEAN, WHAT DO YOU THINK THE RECORD WILL BE THIS IS FROM WES FROM FACEBOOK WITHOUT MIKE EKELER.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE RECORD WOULD BE THIS YEAR.

>> I MEAN, I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF THERE'D BE TWO MORE LOSSES.

ME YOU THINK ABOUT THE MICHIGAN STATE GAME AND HOW BIG THAT BLOCK PUNT WAS, AND YOU THINK ABOUT LAST WEEK'S KICK RETURN.

I MEAN, THOSE ARE EASILY TWO GAMES.

THEY COULD HAVE LOST.

>> THE KICK RETURN AT MARYLAND, AS WELL.

>> AND THE KICKER I MEAN, SO IF NOT THREE TO FOR SURE.

PROBABLY TWO MORE LOSSES.

>> YEAH.

EASILY.

AND THE FACT THAT WE DON'T EVEN WORRY ABOUT THE SNAP, HOLDER AND KICKER FOR THE MOST PART ON EXTRA POINTS.

WELL, WE HAD TO WORRY ABOUT THAT FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.

YOU'RE NOT WORRYING ABOUT THAT.

DAVE FROM LINCOLN, HE SAYS, WHO'S THE LEADING RUSHER IN THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE WITH JUSTICE HAYNES JUSTICE HAYNES RIGHT NOW FOR MICHIGAN.

BUT NUMBER TWO IS EMMETT JOHNSON.

ADAM SAYS WHY DOES OUR SECONDARY GET BEAT A LOT?

NOT NECESSARILY TRUE.

>> I MEAN, THIS IS STILL ONE OF THE TOP SECONDARIES STATISTICALLY IN THE IN THE BIG TEN AND IN THE COUNTRY.

>> IN THE COUNTRY, YEAH.

>> I THINK THEY AGAIN.

I THINK PEOPLE GOT TO REMEMBER THAT OTHER TEAMS HAVE SCHOLARSHIPS.

THERE'S OTHER THERE'S GOOD.

THEY ARE THEY HAVE GOOD COORDINATORS.

THEY HAVE GOOD COACHES.

THEY'RE GOING TO GET BEAT THERE.

SOMETIMES.

AND IN DEFENSE THERE ARE CERTAIN AREAS WHERE YOU THEY CAN EXPLOIT YOU AND YOU'LL GIVE THAT UP SOME TIME.

THEY HAVEN'T RARELY BEEN BEATEN OVER TOP.

I MEAN THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE UP SOME PLAYS.

LISTEN DEFENDING A SLUGGO A SLANT AND GO AND MAN-TO-MAN COVERAGE.

THAT'S HARD.

>> ESPECIALLY ON THIRD DOWN.

>> THAT'S TOUGH.

YEAH.

ESPECIALLY IN THAT'S GONE TO THE STICKS.

THAT'S REALLY HARD.

YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE UP.

YOU'RE PLAYING QUARTERS COVERAGE.

YOU'RE GONNA GIVE SOME PASSES UNDERNEATH BECAUSE YOU CAN'T YOU CAN'T GET IT OVER TOP.

SO YEAH, IT'S THERE'S GOOD TALENT OUT THERE TOO.

THIS ISN'T THIS IS THE GREATEST SECONDARY EVER INVENTED.

>> YEAH.

I WAS SITTING NEXT TO A YOUNG MAN FROM, THE DAILY NEBRASKAN.

I HAD THE SAME QUESTION.

SEAN, IS HUSKER RUSS SAYS WHY DOESN'T KWINTEN IVES GET MORE TIME?

WHERE'S HIS REPS?

>> HE CAME IN FOR A BLITZ PICKUP.

>> HE DID?

>> THEY BROUGHT HIM IN FOR ONE PLAY, BUT I THINK THAT'S KIND OF HIS ROLE.

HE'S PROBABLY A BETTER OVERALL.

>> YEAH.

>> BECAUSE HE'S BIGGER.

AND HE CAN PICK UP A LINEBACKER IN A BLITZ BETTER THAN EMMETT JOHNSON.

THAT'S WHEN WE SAW HIM PLAY.

BUT RIGHT NOW I MEAN MEKHI NELSON AND OBVIOUSLY, WHAT'S A MOZEE OR THE TWO AND THREE AND MAYBE CO TWO?

I THOUGHT MEKHI NELSON LOOKED GOOD IN HIS 1 OR 2 OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL.

>> YEAH.

AND ALSO KWINTEN IVES IS PLAYING A SPECIAL TEAM AS WELL.

LET'S GET YOUR BURNING QUESTION.

>> MY BURNING QUESTION IS DOES NEBRASKA HAVE ENOUGH FIREPOWER ON OFFENSE TO MATCH UP WITH LINCOLN RILEY IN THIS USC OFFENSE?

>> YEAH DEFENSIVELY THIS IS A BIG ONE FOR THE BIG RED.

CAN THEY LIMIT USC'S POSSESSIONS IF THEY CAN KEEP THIS OFFENSE OFF THE FIELD NEBRASKA DEFINITELY HAD A CHANCE >> BY BURNING QUESTION IS CAN DYLAN RAIOLA HIT SOME LONG PASSES THE LAST TWO WEEKS HE'S REALLY STRUGGLED TWO OF 11 OVERALL OVER 15 YARDS.

CAN HE HIT SOME OF THOSE TO BE ABLE TO STRETCH AND MOVE BACK THAT SECONDARY FOR USC?

FOR OUR PICKS ON HOW THE GAME WILL GO ON SATURDAY, CHECK THE PREDICTION ON FACEBOOK, X, BIG RED WRAP-UP WEB PAGE.

AS A REMINDER, THE NEXT GAME ON TV WILL BE THIS SATURDAY, PRIMETIME ON NBC AT 6:30.

AND NEXT TUESDAY NIGHT WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK HERE.

NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA WILL RECAP THE USC GAME AND GET YOU READY FOR THE GAME.

ON THE ROAD AGAINST UCLA.

THAT'S AT 7 P.M.

ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

YOU CAN ALSO TUNE IN TO FACEBOOK LIVE, YOUTUBE LIVE, AND OUR WEBSITE, NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG.

AND IF YOU HAVE THOSE FOND MEMORIES FROM BIG HIGH SCHOOL GAMES, HIGH SCHOOL CLASSICS IS BACK FOR A NEW SEASON, AND A NEW EPISODE DROPS ON WEDNESDAY.

AND WE'LL HAVE SOME VOLLEYBALL FOR YOU AS WELL.

SATURDAY NIGHT, 7 P.M.

12TH RANKED CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS BATTLE MARQUETTE.

OUR THANKS TO SAM MCKEWON AND SCOTT SCHRADER FOR JAY MOORE AND SEAN CALLAHAN I'M MIKE'L SEVERE.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK ON BIG RED WRAP-UP.

(BAND MUSIC) (UPBEAT MUSIC)