5 Things To Watch For When Michigan Takes On Nebraska

To open up Big Ten play, No. 21 Michigan hits the road to take on unranked Nebraska in what should be an entertaining game. Both teams feature young, highly-touted quarterbacks, and both teams are looking to make an early statement to the rest of the conference.

Since the Cornhuskers joined the Big Ten in 2011, the Wolverines lead the series 5-2, with Michigan taking the last four. But with sophomore quarterback Dylan Raiola under center, Nebraska hopes to have turned a corner as a program.

Here are five things to keep an eye on when Michigan takes on the Cornhuskers…

Nebraska is a pass-heavy offense, with 1,099 yards through the air, and just 536 on the ground so far this season. For reference, Michigan has thrown for 629 yards, and rushed for 728. Raiola isn’t necessarily a mobile quarterback — he’s at his best when he has time to operate in the pocket. So, to stem the production of the Cornhuskers’ prolific air attack, the Wolverines will most likely look to an aggressive pass rush to force Raiola out of the pocket.

While Raiola isn’t uber-mobile, he is still quite competent on the move. He can rush for chunks of yards on occasion and is sufficiently accurate while rolling out. But if Michigan must pick its poison, making Raiola use his feet is the best bet.

Through the first three weeks, Nebraska owns the best passing defense in the country in terms of yards allowed. While their opponents haven’t been high-caliber on the whole, limiting their opponents’ passing game has been a strength for the Cornhuskers. On the contrary, their run defense has been vulnerable.

Junior running back Justice Haynes may have a chance for yet another big game. Haynes has collected over 100 rushing yards in each of the first three games this season, and Nebraska’s defense offers a solid opportunity to make it four in a row. 

Freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood also showed off his rushing proficiency against Central Michigan, a facet of his game that adds a new dimension to the offense. Through the first two games, Michigan kept Underwood largely out of the run game, but after it paid large dividends against the Chippewas, the days of a restricted Underwood are probably over.

In a press conference Monday, interim head coach Biff Poggi said that Underwood has the “green light to do whatever he wants,” so expect the freedom for Underwood to continue against Nebraska. Especially against a shoddy Cornhuskers run defense, Underwood’s legs and creativity could be on full display.

As mentioned before, Nebraska likes to throw the football, and as a result, Michigan’s secondary will have a lot on its plate. The group has had a volatile season, struggling at points, but looking quite solid at others. The Wolverines will need a complete performance with minimal lapses to best Raiola and the Cornhuskers.

Nebraska has a plethora of dependable targets, but wide receivers Dane Key and Jacory Barney Jr. stand out. Key has hauled in 13 catches for 190 yards and three touchdowns, while Barney has caught 15 for 181 yards and one touchdown. In total, the Cornhuskers boast five receivers with more than 100 receiving yards, posing a large challenge for the Michigan secondary.

The Wolverines lost their first road test against Oklahoma, and this is their chance to redeem themselves. On the road, sometimes the little things go awry — on-field communication issues and mental lapses arise in situations they otherwise wouldn’t. To take down a conference foe on the road, those need to be eliminated.

Making this an even bigger challenge, the Wolverines will once again be without head coach Sherrone Moore due to a program-imposed suspension. They had their trial run with Poggi on the sidelines last week, but Saturday is the real test.