Nebraska travels to Iowa City Friday to face border rival Iowa in a chilly night game at Kinnick Stadium. After dropping the dreaded bowl drought burden with an emphatic win over Wisconsin Saturday, it will be interesting to see if the Huskers are freed to play with a greater sense of looseness and joy. Joy can be hard to come by, however, when facing the hard-hitting, rock-pounding Iowa Hawkeyes, who love nothing more than beating the Big Red.
Nebraska Offense vs Iowa Defense
In its second game under new coordinator Dana Holgerson, Nebraska looked unstoppable on offense against Wisconsin. The group played faster and more physical than at any point during the last two seasons, and it showed up on the scoreboard. But now comes a major test with an Iowa defense that–although not the nation’s best as they have been the last three season–is still as stingy a group as the Huskers have seen all season.
The Hawkeyes have not been as buttoned up in the secondary as they have been in recent years, having given up 26 passing plays of 20 yards or more. That group will be challenged even further with star cornerback Jermari Harris expected to miss the game on Friday. If Dylan Raiola can be protected well, the Huskers should be able make some plays through the air.
Stopping the run is another area where Iowa has taken a bit of a step back this year. They still rank in the upper fifth in the nation, but opponents have been able to find some success on the ground with Iowa not consistently tackling to its usual standard. This is a bit surprising with two of the country’s most elite linebackers, Jay Higgins and Nick Jackson, patrolling the middle of the field. If Nebraska can open up space against the Hawkeyes big defensive front, running backs Emmett Johnson should be able to test that tackling.
One area where the Hawkeyes have not taken a step back is forcing turnovers. Iowa again leads the conference with 18 interceptions and 24 total takeaways. No team in the country has been as good over the years at setting traps for opposing quarterbacks. This is not a week for Raiola to take chances or for ball carriers to run loose with the ball.
Nebraska Defense vs Iowa Offense
Iowa’s improvement on offense has been the story of the season for the Hawkeyes. Yes, they still rank in the 100’s in total offense produced. Yes, they still rarely complete passes to receivers. But they put up rushing yards and, most importantly, points. Iowa averages almost 30 points per game after ranking dead last in the nation in points a season ago. The Blackshirts just can’t roll out of bed and expect to hold this team to under 20 points.
The biggest reason for the offensive turnaround is in the running game. The offensive line has been one of the nation’s best, which is a return to form after years of subpar line play in Iowa City. The block for junior Running back Kaleb Johnson, who will likely earn All-America honors after running for 1,492 yards and 21 touchdowns so far this season. He hits holes decisively, breaks tackles, and can score from anywhere on the field. Nebraska has seen some good running backs this season, but he is far-and-away the scariest of the bunch.
The passing game, however, isn’t going to scare anyone. Iowa ranks in the bottom 10 in the nation with just 133 yards per game, and will be led by 4th-string walk-on Jackson Bratton making just his second start for the Hawkeyes. He has a big arm and quick release, but hasn’t been asked to do too much in his 8 quarter of action this season. Receivers are not featured much at all in the offense. After leading pass-catcher Jacob Gill (31 catches), no other receiver has more than 14 receptions. The tight end group, however, can cause major problems for defenses, especially star senior Luke Lachey who has surprisingly not found the end zone yet this year.
This game will likely come down to how well Nebraska can contain Johnson. Iowa is averaging 260 rushing yards per game in its 7 wins, and 133 yards in its 4 losses. Outside of the game against Ohio State, the Blackshirts have been uncharacteristically leaky against the run in this second half of the season. The lack of a passing threat from Iowa should allow them to focus on stopping things up front. If they can do that, securing a 7-5 season and a possible New Year’s Eve trip to Tampa is in reach.
Game Notes
- Nebraska leads the all time series with Iowa 30-21-3.
- The Hawkeyes have won 8 of the last 9 contests.
- The past six meetings have been decided by a combined 29 points.
- The Huskers won their last trip to Iowa City 24-17 in 2022.
- The two teams play for the Heroes Trophy, which honors a citizen hero from both states each year.
- Nebraska’s 44 points against Wisconsin is the most in two seasons under Matt Rhule.
- It is also the first time the Huskers have won a game when allowing more than ten points during that time period.
Broadcast Info
TV: NBC (Paul Burmeister, Colt McCoy, Zora Stephenson)
Radio: Husker Sports Network (Greg Sharpe, Damon Benning, Jessica Coody)
Internet Audio: Huskers.com
App Audio: Official Huskers App