Nebraska has gotten its much needed rest. There are only 2 games left, both of which are winnable. Unfortunately, they are both easily losable too. The Huskers will more than likely go into both games as underdogs,
but I’m not quite sure why the Penn State spread is so much. Both teams have a backup QB, solid run games and decent defenses.
If the game against UCLA was a good litmus test for TJ Lateef, the one against Penn State will be a good test of his overall ability. The atmosphere will be quite different, as 100,000+ will be Penn State fans and not 50% Husker fans. Penn State, despite its record, was still a playoff team last year that returned plenty of talent. It’s a Nittany Lions team that can run the ball well, so the defense will be very weary of that.
Nebraska has a few things it can counter Penn State. The QB run game is the first one. A zone read that Lateef keeps will make sure the Penn State defense has to honor the threat. This should clear the way at least once or twice for an Emmett Johnson run on 3rd and short situations. Penn State also likes to blitz, which means the screen game will play a pivotal role for the Huskers.
In case you haven’t noticed, the blocking in the screen game has gotten a lot better for Nebraska in the last few weeks. It has led to some chunk plays and a couple of TDs. The run game has also been bolstered by decent run blocking. The O-line has developed a bit of an edge to it, playing with a little bit of nastiness Husker fans are accustomed to with the pipeline.
The biggest thing defensively will once again be trying to stop the run. Penn State is also very good at that, which means the Huskers could be in for another long night trying to stop the 2-headed monster that the Nittany Lions possess. This is a battle of backup QBs, so winning at the line of scrimmage will definitely be an indicator as to who wins this football game. The spread currently says Penn State -9.5, but I have to be honest, that seems way too steep.
TJ Lateef will now have had 3 full weeks of practice with the starters, meaning his timing with his skill guys will have massively improved from when he came in against USC. You could see that against UCLA; just how much more comfortable everyone looked with each other after a full week of practice. Given another 2 weeks of reps and the offensive machine should have a little more oil. There still might be a squeaky wheel, but it won’t be nearly as loud as it has been.
Nebraska’s defense is highly rated overall, which bodes well for a Husker victory. I genuinely believe that they can get it done. They have played every game tough (except Minnesota of course). This one will be no different. I fully expect this to be a grind it out kind of game, with minimal possessions and probably within one score. Notice a difference between this year and the last 10? Nebraska can win the tough ones now. One score games only bother the fan base.
Nebraska has fared well against Penn State since joining the Big Ten Conference. Until I’m proven otherwise, I see no reason to believe that the Huskers can’t walk into Happy Valley, play 4 solid quarters of football, and walk out with the victory. I really hope I’m not eating crow after saying that. Crows are cool, not to be trifled with nor eaten. Go Big Red!
