Comparing Dylan Raiola and Drake Lindsey

Coming off a 34-31 win against Maryland, Raiola had quite the rollercoaster of a day, huge highs and some lows. He struggled at times against the Terrapins' defense, throwing three interceptions, but when the team needed him the most, he led them to a comeback win in the fourth quarter. Despite the turnovers, he managed to stay poised and contributed to a victory that improved Nebraska to 5-1. Through six games in his sophomore season, Raiola has shown poise and accuracy overall and continues to put up All-Big Ten-type numbers through the air. Nebraska's success continues to hinge on his command of the offense and taking care of the football.

Raiola looks to find success through the air against a Minnesota defense, which ranks 79th in the country in pass yards allowed, with a PFF pass coverage grade of 87.7

Looking at the PFF numbers, they didn't score him very well the past two games despite leading the team to comeback wins. Raiola still put up solid stats in both games, but PFF wasn't a huge fan of the interceptions and how long he holds the ball, resulting in sacks.

Dylan Raiola Big Ten Rankings (through Week 7):

Completions: 3rd (138)
Interceptions: T-6th (5)
Touchdowns: 2nd (16)
Pass Yards/Game: 3rd (265.2)
Completion %: 3rd (73.4%)

Now Let's look at Drake Lindsey

Lindsey showed flashes of his talents in a comeback 27-20 win over Purdue, where he struggled with accuracy; he only completed 21 passes on 45 attempts (46.7%) for 232 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Minnesota overcame a halftime deficit, and Lindsey's poise in the second half contributed to the victory. In his sophomore season, through six games, he's blended arm strength with mobility in the pocket, looking very poised at times.

As a dual-threat option, Lindsey hasn't run often or effectively but he did find the end zone this season against Northwestern State.

When looking at the overall PFF ratings for Lindsey, he has been efficient, with strong games against lesser competition and some struggles against better teams.

Drake Lindsey Big Ten Rankings (through Week 7):

Completions: 9th (113)
Interceptions: T-4th (3)
Touchdowns: 7th (9)
Pass Yards: 8th (1,284)
Pass Yards/Game: 9th (214.0)
Completion %: 11th (60.1%)

Nebraska's secondary ranks No. 2 in the country in pass yards allowed, surrendering just 128.2 yards per game, with a strong PFF coverage grade of 89.4. Friday's matchup will be a huge test for Lindsey in the pocket. Although he hasn't been much of a running threat, he could try to exploit gaps in the Nebraska rush defense; some opposing QBs have found success on the ground against the Blackshirts. The big question is, will Nebraska get pressure on Lindsey? Or will he have time to dice them through the air?

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