Can Nebraska Succeed In These Areas Against USC?

Nebraska’s 28-21 win over Northwestern guarantees the Huskers’ bowl eligibility. It’s the second straight year that Matt Rhule’s team has reached the postseason. Now that the Huskers have gotten the monkey off their back, this should leave the program more energized heading into their battle with USC. But in order to win against the Trojans, the Cornhuskers will have to build off their success in these areas.

The Offensive Line

After allowing an abysmal nine sacks against Minnesota, Nebraska’s offensive line was able to find a way to rebound against Northwestern. This was evident in Emmett Johnson’s performance. The junior cemented himself as the Big Ten’s leading rusher with 124 rushing yards and two scores. Plus, Isaiah Mozee had another strong outing. The redshirt freshman’s  21-yard run allowed the program to capture momentum at the end of the first half. It also helped that Nebraska’s pass protection was much better. Dylan Raiola was able to get the ball out quicker, which led the Cornhuskers to sustain drives down the field. Nebraska’s game plan also led the sophomore to execute when it mattered. In the fourth quarter, Raiola went 5-for-7 through the air and converted four third downs. This led Johnson to finish off the game with a four-yard touchdown run. Can Donovan Raiola’s group display the same amount of focus against USC? The Trojans allowed 300 rushing yards in their loss to Notre Dame.  This bodes well for Emmett Johnson. However, the Cornhuskers should still worry about their pass protection. Donovan Raiola’s group leads the country in sacks with 25. This leaves room for USC’s defensive line to take advantage.

Special Teams

Nebraska’s special teams has swagger under Mike Ekeler. It’s all due to the work of Kenneth Williams. The former walk-on’s 88-yard kickoff return against Maryland set Nebraska’s offense up for points and earned him a scholarship. But it wasn’t a fluke. In the third quarter against Northwestern, Williams rattled off a 95-yard kickoff return against the Wildcats. This allowed him to earn Big Ten Co-Special Teams Player of the Week honors. He should have the confidence he needs to give the Huskers a jolt against USC. The Trojans can’t say the same for Makai Lemon. He only has 32 punt return yards on the season. This should allow Nebraska to get to him on special teams. But John Butler’s defense still needs to watch out. He leads USC’s offense with 758 receiving yards and six touchdowns.