What We Learned: Nebraska Versus Michigan State

It wasn’t a pretty game for either team. But Nebraska was able to do just enough in order to earn a 38-27 Big Ten win against Michigan State. What did we learn about Matt Rhule’s team in their battle against the Spartans?

Offensive Line Questions

Donovan Raiola tried a new strategy on Nebraska’s offensive line. Elijah Pritchett made his first start at the left tackle spot, while sophomore Gunnar Gottula made the switch to right tackle. At first glance, this gamble didn’t pay off. The Huskers failed to give time for Dylan Raiola to throw the football, which led him to get sacked on consecutive plays. The sophomore also held the ball too long, which gave Michigan State’s defensive line plenty of time to get to him. The program has to get its issues in order if it wants to have success on the road against Maryland. Could we see a different rotation against the Terrapins? Nebraska still has Turner Corcoran available at the left tackle spot. Plus, the Cornhuskers can also utilize Teddy Prochazka. The senior left tackle should be given another chance against Maryland. He played well against Akron and Houston Christian. However, he struggled against Michigan. It will be interesting to see if his performance against the Wolverines keeps Prochazka out of action for the rest of the season.

Exciting Special Teams

Mike Ekeler’s special teams unit showed up to play against the Spartans. This began midway through the first quarter when junior defensive back Jamir Conn blocked a punt. This allowed sophomore tight end Carter Nelson to extend Nebraska’s lead to 14. But it didn’t last for long. Michigan State scored 28 unanswered points, which put the Cornhuskers in a tough spot. Luckily, they were able to overcome their mistakes with the help of Jacory Barney Jr. The sophomore wideout brought life to Nebraska’s offense with a 59-yard punt return in the second quarter. This gave the Huskers enough confidence to recover one of the Spartans’ bobbled punts at the end of the game. Can Ekeler get the same energy out of his players next week? Nebraska goes on the road for the first time against Maryland. The Huskers will be relatively new to College Park. Nebraska has hosted the Terrapins inside Memorial Stadium for their entire history.