Dawg Preview: #1 Michigan Wolverines on the road to face Nebraska.

Memorial Stadium - University of Nebraska Credit Eric Langhorst via Flickr

For the first time this season, the Michigan Wolverines are leaving the comfort of home and hitting the road for a matchup with 2-2 Nebraska. Memorial Stadium in Lincoln will be electric to welcome in the number one team in the land, and Matt Rhule will have the hometown Cornhuskers ready to battle. Michigan enters the contest as a big favorite giving up 17.5 points.

Broadcast information:

TV - Michigan at Nebraska will Kick off at 3:30 pm Eastern time on FOX.

Calling the Game - Jason Benetti (play-by-play), Brock Huard (Color), and Allison Williams (sideline)

Radio - Michigan fans can listen to the game on WWJ-AM 950 or WOMC-FM 104.3.

Nebraska fans can listen on KLIN-AM 1400 KFGE-FM 98.1

What's at stake?

Michigan leaves Ann Arbor for the first time this season, looking to stay undefeated and maintain their goals to compete for a Big 10 championship, and birth in the college football playoff. A loss here and their chance to make the college football playoff would be gone due to their weaker non-conference schedule.

After starting 0-2 the Cornhuskers have won back-to-back games, with a win here by first-year head coach Matt Rhule, who would have his first signature win at Nebraska. If Nebraska could pull the upset, it would put them back in the race to win the Big 10 West and earn a trip to the conference title game. On paper, this should be the best Big 10 team the Cornhuskers play after avoiding both PSU and OSU on their 2023 schedule.

Key players - Michigan Wolverines

Michigan: J.J. McCarthy, Cornelius Johnson, Roman Wilson, and Colston Loveland

Key Players - Nebraska Cornhuskers

Nebraska: Isaac Gifford, Omar Brown, Deshon Singleton, Quinton Newsome

Key matchups:

Michigan Run Defense vs. Nebraska Rushing Attack

If Michigan wants to win this game, they are going to have to stop the Cornhuskers rushing attack. Coming into this week’s games Nebraska currently has the number 1 rushing game in the Big 10. In four games Nebraska has 170 attempts for 939 yards, for an average of 5.5 yards a carry, and has 7 rushing TDs while averaging 234.8 yards a game.

The problem for Nebraska is that they are going up against the 2nd ranked run defense in the Big 10 this year led by defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. The 4 teams Michigan played have only been able to manage 322 total yards, average 2.8 yards a carry, they have scored 1 TD, and only average 80.5 yards a game.

Michigan Passing Attack vs. Nebraska Secondary

Nebraska has the number one rush defense in the Big 10 this year, only giving up 46.3 yards a game with teams averaging 1.8 yards a carry. If Michigan is going to win this game, they need to be effective in their passing game. J.J. McCarthy needs to have a big game along with wide receivers Roman Wilson, Cornelius Johnson and tight end, Colston Loveland.

They will be going up against the 12th ranked pass defense in the Big 10, Nebraska opponents have 100 completions on 166 attempts, for 1007 yards, they average 6.1 yards a catch and 251.8 yards a game this season. Michigan comes in completing 77.4% of their passes, averaging 10.2 yards per catch for 237.5 yards a game, OC Sherrone Moore will go after the secondary right off the start.

Prediction

Michigan will face many challenges in their first road game from travel, noise, and a different gameday routine, to how the young players deal with a road environment. A lot like the Colorado game, the Nebraska defense will keep it close early, but Michigan will eventually break through after wearing them out.

Michigan wins 31 to 13 to just cover the 17.5.